Glee Rips Off Jonathan Coulton

[Eppy (Bored)]

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)?

Probably not. Creating a vocal jazz arrangement of a pop song isn't a particularly complicated process, but JC wrote a straight-out BALLAD. It's not a question of having a similar chord progression or a suspiciously similar melody, JC's arrangement is explicitly a pardoy of an up-tempo song, FAR from what Glee usually does with its covers and pretty far from what any vocal jazz arranger would usually arrive at when doing Baby Got Back. This is pretty explicitly a case of plagiarism (though, like the Escapist lawyer crew, I don't know whether or not it's technically copyright infringement to rip off a cover; I think it would probably have to depend on whether or not the cover arrangement itself was registered or not).

(Qualifications: Organ Performance major at the University of Michigan, way too many years of choir, composition, and two unfortunate seasons viewed of Glee)

EDIT: For comparison, here's the original. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kY84MRnxVzo]. If you were to do an arrangement you'd have to base it off the Mix-a-Lot's bass riff, which is C-C-Eb-Eb-Db-Db-Eb-Db (repeat), in straight eighth notes. The song's entire harmonic content is that bass riff and the quick synth chords, which are all C-minor, so as an arranger you have available to you C-minor with a lowered second. Now, I could come up with a pretty sweet vocal jazz arrangment of Baby Got Back out of that, but it is NOTHING like the Coulton arrangement and you would have to go through several wormholes to get to the same place; Coulton's is EXPLICITLY a musical parody.

 

[SomebodyNowhere]

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.

The gleeful Christmas episode of community was pretty damned amazing

I'm watching through the episodes again before the new season and I look forward to when that one comes up

 

[Something Amyss]

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.

Come now. Almost nothing in the arrangement is particularly unique. Coming up with an ensemble version of this could have easily been accidental, save for the "Johnny C" line, because it's all as bog-standard as it can be, and I'm sorry if I hurt any Coulton fans feelings for that, because a lot of his reinterpretations of songs aren't really that creative. He's also not the first artist to do this sort of thing, so the idea isn't even particularly unique.

Incidentally, you cannot copyright an arrangement, so there's no real legal problem here. No issue with "not getting his permission."

 

[Mr.Mattress]

If Coultan wants to sue them, I would see no problem with him doing so. They clearly ripped him off!

 

[Cpt. Slow]

I wish we could brake Glee into pieces and throw every piece in a fire. But then Fox would just return them having them singing 'Still Alive'.

 

[CJ1145]

And Glee is as tasteless as always. Ironically, this is exactly the sort of scandal I'd imagine from a bunch of dumbass singing teenagers with more concern for their quest to get laid than any repercussions for actions.

 

[Anti-American Eagle]

And Glee is as tasteless as always. Ironically, this is exactly the sort of scandal I'd imagine from a bunch of dumbass singing teenagers with more concern for their quest to get laid than any repercussions for actions.

I know right...

And now for the maniacal part...
And now due to incredibly convoluted plans, glee will die in the hellfire of the justice system, and there's nothing they can do about it! BWAHAHAHAHA!!!

 

[Not Matt]

i would like to say exactally what i feel about glee. but i think the moders are gonna kick me out of the site if i do. god i hope coultan sue them. he's got the advantage on this one.

 

[octafish]

Which member of the cast looks like one of those rappers girlfriends? I mean how do they even get there in the first place? I look forward to them doing Night of the Living Baseheads or Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos next.

 

[RJ 17]

OT: I really hope they cancel this show soon.

I second this emotion, and I don't even watch TV beyond South Park, Family Guy, and the random NatGeo/Discovery/Science Channel documentary. But just knowing that Glee is a thing pisses me off.

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?

There's nothing wrong with covering a song, but you're really supposed to ask the person you're covering permission to do it since you'll essentially be making money off of their original work (despite putting your own twist on it). And there-in lies the problem. The difference between you standing on a street corner and belting out your favorite song and what Glee is doing here is that Glee intends to make money off of John's version of the song (via television ratings and, evidently, iTunes sales). THAT'S where just ripping off someone's song becomes a problem.

 

[Ken Sapp]

IIRC from an interview with the producers of Glee sometime after season 1, they do not ask permission beforehand for any of the songs used. I believe it was revealed at the time that few, if any, of the artists covered complained after finding out. Doesn't make it right by a long shot, but on the other hand a copyright not defended is worthless. If the artist neither gives formal permission or files suit against infringers then the strength of their copyright becomes suspect and they are likely to lose any future suits against infringers

 

[Kmadden2004]

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 difference is that, in the world of television, you need to get clearance from the original songwriters/performers if you intend to use their music in your show (and eventual DVD release), which usually entails paying said singer/songwriter a fee. During that process of seeking clearance, the singer/songwriter has the right to refuse the show permission to use their song. Glee also release the tracks they sing as singles on iTunes, and on albums, which - again - means either an extra fee, or a percentage of royalties, going back to the singer/songwriter.

That's really what the issue is here.

Add to that, not asking permission to use somebody else's work in a product that's going to be seen coast-to-coast is just kind of a dick move.

 

[Darks63]

Well at least they didnt rip off Re: your brains id hate for that to be gleefied. Although on further thought the irony of them singing that would be funny considering how mindless the show is.

 

[Roxas1359]

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.

As long as Kidz Bop exists there is no song that is safe. All my songs were ruined by them way before Glee showed up.

OT: Oh Glee Team, didn't your mommy teach you that stealing is a bad thing.

 

[Pat8u]

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)?

Not possible since they literally say Johnny C so yeah

Ripping of my second favourite musician arghh they have gone to far

 

[HardRockSamurai]

DAMMIT GLEE! This is most disappointing!

You know what, that does it. I'm altering my "HATE LIST"

5. O.J. Simpson
4. Rob Schneider
3. Racist people
2. F*cking GLEE
1. Adolf Hitler

Congrats GLEE - I now officially hate you more than racists...

 

[Keepitclean]

Maybe it's fake. Surely, the Glee producers wouldn't be so shameless.

 

[Blind Sight]

Hasn't the Glee creator had some really nasty arguments with some bands over them refusing to have their music used? I seem to recall him telling Kings of Leon to fuck off after they didn't allow him to use their music.