OT: Does Chuck Berry get royalties from Beach Boys?
uni...@yahoo.com
Dr. Zontar
bluesmen who got screwed by the record industry.
In those days, muscians weren't knowledgable about copyright laws,
rights, royalties and such. Record companies signed them to contracts
that gave them a paycheck up front and little or nothing down the road.
Not knowing any better, starving muscians signed away the rights to
their songs.
Like I said, I'm not sure if this applies to Chuck Berry. But I doubt
he gets anything. Richard Berry, who wrote "Louie Louie" (one of the
most covered songs in history), doesn't get royalties.
The Chris
@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:
> Just wondering.... Anyone know?
>
>
For what specifically?? Last I heard (and this could be old info) they
never got back the rights to their earlier material (Sea of Tunes stuff)
that Murray sold off.... So they might not even get royalties for their own
material - they might be PAYING somebody.
uni...@yahoo.com
It's not a secret (I thought) that the lyrics were theirs but most of
the music was 100% Berry. It's not like Harrison's "My Sweet Lord"
pseudo copy, the Beach Boys copied NOTE FOR NOTE. (Great results though
I must admit). It would be horrible if Chuck didn't get some cash from
them to pay for those pee-cams on his ranch.
Walter Campbell
uni...@yahoo.com wrote:
> Just wondering.... Anyone know?
yup,
"
"Surfin' Safari" marked the beginning of the unique harmonies the group
would become known for. This was a new style of rock and roll with Chuck
Berry rhythms and Four Freshman harmony. "Surfin' U.S.A.," written by
Brian Wilson and Mike Love, was so close to Berry's "Sweet Little
Sixteen" that his threat of a lawsuit got him sole writing credits for
the music and royalties. By May 25th it had reached number three in the
U.S.A.; it went on to reach number thirty-two in England and number nine
in Australia. The flip side, a hotrod song, "Shutdown," reached number
twenty-three."
Walt
The Chris
@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:
Hate to say it, but it's only the earliest material that they did that
with, and I'm sure that's the portion they sold off. I'll have to check if
he has actual credits for the songs, but, I don't recall ever seeing that.
If he sued them, and he won money, that's another thing, but, they don't
even retain the rights to those very early songs that Brian wrote - he
doesn't either - I think.
Thomas
<uni...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1116424955.1...@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Just wondering.... Anyone know?
My guess is the Chuck Berry does not even get royalties from a lot of his
songs. In the Beatle song Come Together, John Lennon used the line "here
come old flattop" that he had heard in a Chuck Berry song. Some scum bag
who owns the rights to that particular Chuck Berry song and many others that
he stole from those early artists sued John. The case was delayed for years
and then John settled the case by agreeing to do a full album covering those
50's songs that this "song stealer" had the rights too. But Chuck Berry is
not innocent either. His piano player, I believe his name is Johny Johnson
helped write many of Chucks early songs. He was a big part of writing and
arranging those songs. Chuck never put his name on any of those records and
pretty much duped him by telling him that record labels only put the name of
the singer on. A few years ago the widow of Johny Johnson sued Chuck Berry
for some royalties. The judge dismissed the case because so much time had
passed. Almost 50 years. I love Chuck Berry but over the years I have read
so much about his "ways" that really makes me think he was not a real honest
person.
Keith Adams
from the people he played with before Chuck.Its all been done before
and theres no such thing as totally original.It may be licks from 3
different songs strung together to make a riff but its still not
original.I thought that was what is was all about? Here come old flat
top isnt plagiarism.If it were then you couldnt write a song without
getting sued.
Nil
news:mmTie.720$mK....@newssvr13.news.prodigy.com:
> Some scum bag who owns the rights to that particular Chuck Berry
> song and many others that he stole from those early artists sued
> John.
I always thought that it was Berry himself who sued John. Hmmm...
I'll have to research this a little more.
> His piano player, I believe his name is Johny Johnson helped write
> many of Chucks early songs. He was a big part of writing and
> arranging those songs.
I just learned today that Johnny Johnson died a few weeks ago.
Thomas
"Keith Adams" <keith...@socal.rr.com> wrote in message
news:jKTie.1802$h86....@tornado.socal.rr.com...
I agree but if you want to research it you will find that John really did a
whole album of covers that some rip off guy owned the rights too. As the
story goes Phil Spector was the produ er and he ran off with the final
tapes. Crazy but true.
>
Thomas
"Keith Adams" <keith...@socal.rr.com> wrote in message
news:jKTie.1802$h86....@tornado.socal.rr.com...
Here is a little info about Lennon being sued...
http://home.att.net/~chuckayoub/Come_Together_Lyrics.html
>
Thomas
"Nil" <redn...@REMOVETHIScomcast.net> wrote in message
news:Xns965BA03...@216.196.97.136...
Correct and I believe his widow is the one who brought the suit. Here is
the link for the lawsuit
http://yahoo.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,7462,00.html?yhnws
>
Nil
news:BjVie.741$mK....@newssvr13.news.prodigy.com:
> Correct and I believe his widow is the one who brought the suit.
> Here is the link for the lawsuit
>
> http://yahoo.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,7462,00.html?yhnws
That refers to the suit by Johnniw Johnson against Chuck Berry. I was
talking about the suit against John Lennon for his use of the "Old
Flattop" line in Come Together. I found this page which gives a long
but pretty clear explanation of that lawsuit:
The Chris
news:MfVie.738$mK....@newssvr13.news.prodigy.com:
You're talking about his 'Rock & Roll' album. There was a reason for
doing it, but I can't remember it. I can't believe he could get sued for
using a 'word'....If that was the case, he would have gotten sued for
using the title 'Rock & Roll' for sure :)
I mean, I really don't know, but it seems excessive. Does somebody get
sued when a rap artist says 'Put your hands in the air'??
Boyd Williamson
1116429342.1...@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com, "Dr. Zontar"
<drzo...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Richard Berry, who wrote "Louie Louie" (one of the
> most covered songs in history), doesn't get royalties.
I heard that he sold the rights for $600 before the Kingsmen had the initial
hit with it.
Zoid
Doug Cunningly
news:mmTie.720$mK....@newssvr13.news.prodigy.com:
Not to mention the line, "I'd rather see you dead little girl than to be
with another man" from the Elvis Sun Sessions "Baby, Let's Play House..."
...Written by Artur Gunter. How do I know this, you might well arsk?
check this site. http://www.geocities.com/blueskat2000/elvispresleyfp.html
Doug