Glee Rips Off Jonathan Coulton

[Sarah LeBoeuf]

Glee Rips Off Jonathan Coulton


The Glee version of "Baby Got Back" apparently used Jonathan Coulton's arrangement without his knowledge or permission.

Glee, the fairly popular Fox TV show featuring the misfit members of a high school glee club (and more recently, their college counterparts), is known for its song covers. Aside from that one silly time when New Directions decided to perform original songs (don't ask me how I know that), the show's cast integrates everything from modern pop hits to classic rock into its storylines, with each original episode featuring a few more new Glee-specific covers.

Being on a major television network, one would assume that the writers, producers, and legal team behind Glee go through the trouble of acquiring proper permission from singers and songwriters before recording new versions of those songs. Apparently, however, that's not always the case.

[tweet t=https://twitter.com/jonathancoulton/status/292304798999539712]

Earlier today, singer/songwriter Jonathan Coulton discovered that Glee's version of "Baby Got Back" didn't sound very much like Sir Mix-a-Lot's original; in fact, it sounds suspiciously like his version of the song. At the very least, it's pretty clearly the exact same arrangement [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCWaN_Tc5wo]. It might be even more devious than that:

[tweet t=https://twitter.com/jonathancoulton/status/292311288799981568]

According to the unofficial Glee Wiki [http://glee.wikia.com/wiki/Baby_Got_Back], "Baby Got Back" will appear on the eleventh episode of the current season of Glee, and hasn't appeared on any of the soundtrack albums yet.

It's worth noting that the Twitter account [https://twitter.com/michellie_tgp] linked to the GleeSeason4Songs Youtube account isn't associated with Glee or Fox in any official capacity.

[tweet t=https://twitter.com/michellie_tgp/status/292333625737887745]

According to the poster, the song was obtained from the Brazilian fan site [http://gleekoutbr.tumblr.com/post/37427142056/as-you-may-know-now-this-is-oliver-kieran-jones] that also lists "Baby Got Back" as appearing in the eleventh episode of season four. That site links back to the Youtube video that started this kerfuffle to begin with.

Perhaps more damning is the fact that the Swedish iTunes store [https://itunes.apple.com/se/album/baby-got-back-glee-cast-version/id592420108] lists "Baby Got Back (Glee Cast Version)" as a single, though it's not yet available on the U.S. store.

What's unclear in all of this is whether Fox did something illegal, or just very uncool, by taking Coulton's arrangement of Sir Mix-a-Lot's song without his permission. A lawyer we spoke to wasn't sure about the legalities, but with angry fans currently tweeting @GLEEonFOX [https://twitter.com/GLEEonFOX] en masse, the network may be forced to respond.

As of this writing, there's been no word from the Glee team on Twitter or elsewhere, but we'll let you know if that changes. The episode in question is scheduled to air on January 24.

Source: Jonathan Coulton [https://twitter.com/jonathancoulton]

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[Beautiful End]

Meh, Glee butchers every single song they sing anyway. If Mr. Johnny C (And Sir Mix-a-Lot) are lucky, they won't use it.

 

[Fappy]

Aside from that one silly time when New Directions decided to perform original songs (don't ask me how I know that)...

You can't just throw that out there like that without an explanation! >.>

 

[ice1985]

If there's a silver lining here, it's that this will give Joco some more exposure. That guy is awesome.

 

[Thunderous Cacophony]

I had hoped to get in here before people began decrying Glee as the abomination that is ruining music/their childhood/other such ridiculous statements.

OT: Not very cool, Glee. Just out of curiosity, are there any musicians who can tell me whether or not the Glee songwriters might have accidentally stumbled into the same arrangement (i.e. whether it is the logical choice for turning "Baby Got Back" into an acapella pop song)?

 

[RobDaBank]

I for one am a big Glee fan, (22yo straight male with a child). And honestly don't see the big problem with them covering songs. They definitely put a unique twist on each song which gives a clear distinction between their songs and the original. If I were to sing a song and people enjoyed it, would I be subject to a lawsuit because that song belonged to somebody else?

 

[cynicalsaint1]

I for one am a big Glee fan, (22yo straight male with a child). And honestly don't see the big problem with them covering songs. They definitely put a unique twist on each song which gives a clear distinction between their songs and the original. If I were to sing a song and people enjoyed it, would I be subject to a lawsuit because that song belonged to somebody else?

The issue isn't the cover, its that they straight up ripped off his arrangement of the song.
As in no unique twist--they just took his version note for note and used their own performers.

Listen to the two versions of the song.

 

[Andy Shandy]

Up until now all I thought of Glee was that it was a good target for better shows/films to make fun of them (Community, Pitch Perfect according to Marter =P)

But this is extremely shitty of them. I mean, I thought the whole point of it was they did different versions, not just steal somebody else's.

 

[Covarr]

Just out of curiosity, are there any musicians who can tell me whether or not the Glee songwriters might have accidentally stumbled into the same arrangement (i.e. whether it is the logical choice for turning "Baby Got Back" into an acapella pop song)?

Not by a long shot. The original was a rap, so the melody, guitar part, etc. were all 100% Coulton's original work. Pretty much the only thing intact from Sir Mix-A-Lot's original song is the lyrics.

For a comparison point, imagine if someone decided to paint a picture of Jesus and the apostles at the last supper. The chances of them accidentally recreating Leonardo Da Vinci's The Last Supper without being familiar with it are about the same as accidentally recreating Coulton's arrangement.

P.S. Thanks

 

[Eric the Orange]

I for one am a big Glee fan, (22yo straight male with a child). And honestly don't see the big problem with them covering songs. They definitely put a unique twist on each song which gives a clear distinction between their songs and the original. If I were to sing a song and people enjoyed it, would I be subject to a lawsuit because that song belonged to somebody else?

I think it's due to the fact that they didn't get his permission.

 

[GrimTuesday]

They even used the name Jonnie C. which is from Coulton's version, as the origenal says...

"I want 'em real thick and juicy
So find that juicy double
Mix-a-Lot's in trouble
Beggin' for a piece of that bubble"​

where as both the Glee version and JoCo's verson

"I want 'em real thick and juicy
So find that juicy double
Jonnie C's in trouble
Begging for a piece of that bubble"​

They didn't even try to hide the fact that they ripped it off, they seem to have been hoping that there was no overlap between JoCo fans and Glee fans, and that the internet wouldn't notice.

Now time to go curse at Fox via twitter.

 

[Doclector]

It'd be real nice if a lawsuit follows which wipes glee out altogether. Seriously, I've fucking had it with glee.

 

[BeefSteak]

My fiance enjoys Glee, and I've enjoyed it in a "lolteenagecomedydrama" kinda way... But DAMN THEM if they're going to thieve from Coulton!!!!

 

[drisky]

But they didn't have time to ask his permission: If they win regionals then it's straight on to sectionals and then a week later is semis, then semi-regionals, then regional-semis, then national lower-zone semis.

OT: I really hope they cancel this show soon.

Up until now all I thought of Glee was that it was a good target for better shows/films to make fun of them (Community, Pitch Perfect according to Marter =P)

If Community has thought us anything here, its that if Jonathan Coulton tries to stop them with law suits, he will end up being a part of the cast himself. Its probably better just to ignore it, unless he has someone to Britta the show up.

 

[xptn40S]

They didn't even try to hide the fact that they ripped it off, they seem to have been hoping that there was no overlap between JoCo fans and Glee fans, and that the internet wouldn't notice.

Oh, but only a fool would ignore the fact that the Internet knows all.

...for the most part at least.

OP: Eh, never seen or heard anything that's come from that show (lucky me?), but I guess that this is something that's bound to happen when your show is (mostly, as far as I know) based on leeching off other peoples hard work, and for that, I have no sympathy for them.

 

[Darth Sea Bass]

Turns out it is possible to hate glee more than i already did. Who knew?

 

[The Artificially Prolonged]

Wow that is pretty shameless. Though it could have been worse, they could have ripped off Still Alive *shudders*

 

[vxicepickxv]

Aside from that one silly time when New Directions decided to perform original songs (don't ask me how I know that)...

You can't just throw that out there like that without an explanation! >.>

If there wasn't a statement that said don't ask me how I know that, I probably would have just figured you looked it up somewhere.