Pribek

Kickin’ it mellow mafia style…

James Taylor or Jackson Browne?

OK, more of this posturing/whining/opportunism/publicity seeking jive because John McCain’s campaign played a song at a rally. This time it’s The Foo Fighters who are bugged because the McCain camp used the song “My Hero”. From a band statement via the NY Times….

“ ‘My Hero’ was written as a celebration of the common man and his extraordinary potential,”

“To have it appropriated without our knowledge and used in a manner that perverts the original sentiment of the lyric just tarnishes the song.”

“perverts the original sentiment of the lyric just tarnishes the song.”

So what?

Here’s the deal, if you are a songwriter, you can do one of two things…

1. Keep your songs to yourself, never release them thus, retaining all of the wonderful integrity inherent to your precious art.
2. Decide you might take a shot at making a buck and throw them to the wolves.

If you take option two, you join a society that is dedicated to collecting money when people use your song. Most songwriters join either B.M.I. or ASCAP. I like B.M.I. myself. Now, part of what these societies do, is collect money when somebody uses your song in ways that have nothing to do with the original intent that you had in mind when you we’re creating this piece of sacred art. Could be that a symphony orchestra decides to give it a go. Might be that a local news outfit uses it in a human interest story. A cover band may play it in a roadside bar. It may be used at a political rally. Now, some of these occasions, where a song may be used, are covered by a blanket license. An entity will pay a yearly fee to the societies (B.M.I./ASCAP) and the money then gets distributed to the songwriters after the societies have employed their various mathematical/probability based/flat out voodoo formulas, that weigh heavily in favor of known acts like Jackson Browne, Heart and the Foo Fighters and they divvies up the dough between those writers.

That brings up a good point actually, if Obama were to play “Munk” at an event, even though I’m with B.M.I. and the voodoo they use is far better than ASCAP’s, I wouldn’t see a dime but Jackson would because he’s on the radar.

As a songwriter, if you are fortunate enough to be in a position where people are using your song and, you are seeing money from it, you smile and cash the check. See, because you’ve already filled out the paperwork, with your collection society, that explains the various types of usage and licensing and none of it has to do with lyrical interpretation or original sentiment.

A couple days ago we had Jackson Browne threatening a lawsuit because the Ohio Republican party used his song. Now we have Rosanne Cash getting all torqued off because “I Walk The Line” was played at a McCain rally that John Rich was somehow involved in. From CMT.

On Aug. 1, 2008, country artist John Rich, was quoted at a rally for John McCain as saying, “I’m sure Johnny Cash would have been a John McCain supporter if he was still around.” The quote ran on CMT.com. Since then, Johnny Cash’s daughter Rosanne Cash sent CMT.com the following statement:

“It is appalling to me that people still want to invoke my father’s name, five years after his death, to ascribe beliefs, ideals, values and loyalties to him that cannot possibly be determined and to try to further their own agendas by doing so. I knew my father pretty well, at least better than some of those who entitle themselves to his legacy and his supposed ideals, and even I would not presume to say publicly what I ‘know’ he thought or felt. This is especially dangerous in the case of political affiliation. It is unfair and presumptuous to use him to bolster any platform. I would ask that my father not be co-opted in this election for either side since he is clearly not here to defend or state his own allegiance.”

See, the thing is, for this to be “especially dangerous in the case of political affiliation”, there would have to be a lot of people making their voting decisions based on the songs that are getting played. Like; “Hey wow, I was undecided until I heard that classic Johnny Cash song”. Or, “Did you hear that? That was ‘Running On Empty” by Jackson Browne, dude! I love that song! I was going to vote for Obama but now I think McCain is so hip.”

It’s silly.

But, luckily there is a solution. From now on, all candidates should be forbidden from using any song in any campaign context except for songs they write themselves.

The old Kingfish, Huey P. Long, had the right idea way back with “Every Man A King”. This is classic.

As always……hit pause on the music player, in the sidebar before playing the YouTube.