Graceland and copyrights
Philipp Boerker
I know, all of you hate this topic: Graceland and the violation of
copyrights by Paul Simon.
In 1987 there was a big discussion about PS "exploiting" black musicians.
Some time later some of the musicians that took part in the making of
Graceland (e.g. General MD Shirinda) sued against PS and won. (I conclude
this from the fact that in the first Graceland album there is a copyright
sign "Words and music by Paul Simon" while in later releases it is
"Words by Paul Simon, Music by Paul Simon and General MD Shirinda")
I never dared to judge Paul for this but recently I heard a recording
called "Josephine" by Rockin' Dopsie. The singing melody and the
accompanyment music are more than just similar to "That was your mother"!
Which is only partly a surprise because Rockin' Dopsie play in "That was
your mother".
"Josephine" is just a "traditional arranged by Rockin' Dopsie" but anyway
this makes me wonder about "similarities" between some Graceland tracks
and music by musicians that took part in their making... :(
I have ripped a WAV and encoded it to MPEG3. I can make an mp3 of the
first stanza of "Josephine" and send it to those interested.
Wonder what you'll say about this... :(
Greets,
Phil.
--
Philipp Boerker - Gr...@cs.TU-Berlin.de
In principio erat verbum - the rest is silence
(John) (Hamlet)
Joey Berger
wrote:
I'd like a copy of Josephine, if at all possible (only because, if it
sound slike TWYM, I'll probably like it :-).
Joey Berger
pa...@simon.org
icq:14315467 AOLim: simondmb
Lasers In The Jungle: http://paul.simon.org
Gergo Barany
>called "Josephine" by Rockin' Dopsie. The singing melody and the
>accompanyment music are more than just similar to "That was your mother"!
>Which is only partly a surprise because Rockin' Dopsie play in "That was
>your mother".
I know a song called "Josephine" by Fats Domino (don't know who wrote it,
though). The lyrics are something like "Hello Josephine, how do you do? Do you
remember me, baby, like I remember you?" Is this the same song?
Gergo
--
Zymurgy's Law of Volunteer Labor:
People are always available for work in the past tense.
GU d- s:+ a--- C++>$ UL+++ P>++ L+++ E>++ W+ N++ o? K- w--- !O !M !V
PS+ PE+ Y+ PGP+ t* 5+ X- R>+ tv++ b+>+++ DI+ D+ G>++ e* h! !r !y+
BKawalec
>imitating birds). So all of Paul's, or anyone else's music is
>derivative.
A few months back (and I wish I had recorded it) I heard an interview with
Harry Belafonte, in which the interviewer brought up this very issue, in the
very same context. Harry's feeling is that derivation is the very essence of
art.
Bill
"Now I've always been the kind of person that doesn't like to trespass but
sometimes you just find yourself over the line."
Dylan
Mel Pearce
>>All music comes from other music (when Adam hummed in Eden, he was
>>imitating birds). So all of Paul's, or anyone else's music is
>>derivative.
>
>
>A few months back (and I wish I had recorded it) I heard an interview with
>Harry Belafonte
Now there's a guy who could sing!
Mel
Stress: A psychologically damaging condition
resulting from the conscious suppression of
the biological need to choke the living shit
out of some arsehole who really deserves it.
KinjaBear
A few months back (and I wish I had recorded it) I heard an interview with
very same context. Harry's feeling is that derivation is the very essence of
art.
Bill
>>
Bill, I sure wish you had taped it also! Then maybe I could get a copy from
you. I love Harry Belafonte. Have seen him perform many times in the last ten
years. He is one great performer - he really puts on a wonderful show and has
a great band backing him! He has a great singing voice and manner of conveying
a song, as well as being really humorous. The women in the audience just love
him, he's still such a good looking and sexy man(about 70, now)! I have a
picture of me, my ex and HB up on my frig - people are surprised to learn who
it is when they ask.
What is it tonight? My second rambling post...
Anyway, to those who've never gone, if you ever get the chance to see him in
concert, go for it - you'll have a great time!
Chrissie
KinjaBear
KinjaBear
>All music comes from other music (when Adam hummed in Eden, he was
>imitating birds). So all of Paul's, or anyone else's music is
>derivative.
A few months back (and I wish I had recorded it) I heard an interview with
Harry Belafonte, in which the interviewer brought up this very issue, in the
very same context. Harry's feeling is that derivation is the very essence of
art.
Bill
>>
I forgot to add my comment on what HB said. If you follow Harry's music at
all, his feeling that "derivation is the very essence of art" is quite evident
throughout the collection of music he has made over the years. I think
derivation is an enormous part of any music, certainly. It seems impossible
not to be. That is one thing that helps all sorts of different people connect
through music.
In response to the "Graceland" musicians being exploited (earlier post in this
thread): First of all, how do you exploit someone who is thankful to have this
new door opened for them, bringing a new world consciousness of their music,
along with PS's help and recognition for their country and the peoples issues.
Personally speaking, I certainly didn't pay much attention or have much real
knowledge of those issues before. But the music connection, besides
introducing great new music to me, gave me an awareness of situations elsewhere
in the world that before I hadn't bothered with. That was an inspiring gift of
music Paul and his African friends gave me, and I am extremely thankful for
that as well as for their non political way of bringing me into awareness of
their world. I hadn't listened before, as I'm not very political, but I
listened to this and didn't feel pushed or used or uncomfortable. I felt kind
of honored and thankful to be apart of things after that. Music can bring
people together to a new understanding.
And secondly, you can't exploit someone and pay them triple union scale at the
same time!
And, just because someone personalizes some lines in a musical arrangement that
they are given to play, or comes up with while rehearsing, or whatever, I don't
think that entitles them to writing credits. Sounds more like jealous people
trying to get in on something after the fact and grab something for themselves.
Why is it these people don't speak up until something is successful, and not
before? You don't hear about these things before the success and recognition
hits, or when people are trashing the project. Paul Simon is incredible, so
envious people try to take advantage when he succeeds, to get a little bit of
the pie for themselves.
3rd one.
Chrissie
KinjaBear
BKawalec
>years. He is one great performer - he really puts on a wonderful show and
>has
>a great band backing him!
His recording of Dylan's "Forever Young" ranks among my favorite records ever.
Unfortunately, it remains quite obscure. If Al Jareau had made the same record
at the same time, it would have been a huge hit.
Kapeman
of Pauls shows. He is a wonderful musician and a great humanitarian also. Not
bad looking either. ( He was very pleasant to chat with too)
barbara
KinjaBear
His recording of Dylan's "Forever Young" ranks among my favorite records ever.
Unfortunately, it remains quite obscure. If Al Jareau had made the same record
at the same time, it would have been a huge hit.
Bill
>>
I'm going to have to try to find this. I'm not sure if I have it or not. I
have some things I haven't listened to alot. What recording is it on?
Chrissie
KinjaBear
BKawalec
>have some things I haven't listened to alot. What recording is it on?
>Chrissie
I couldn't tell you the name of the album. I only have a vinyl, 45rpm single.
What I can tell you is that it was on the one and only album he did for
Columbia records.