Jonathan Coulton says that Glee Stole his song

[Boba Ben]

Singer/Songwriter Jonathan Coulton is claiming that the television show, Glee, used his cover arrangement of "Baby Got Back" without asking permission. Here's an article about it and the videos for each. It seems pretty blatant to me.

https://laughingsquid.com/jonathan-coulton-claims-glee-ripped-off-his-song/

[ame]https://youtu.be/Yww4BLjReEk[/ame]

[ame]https://youtu.be/f6mAeipSTvs[/ame]

 

[karamazov80]

You know who's outraged?

<< This guy right here. I will never watch another episode of Glee again.

 

[budafett]

You know who's outraged?

<< This guy right here. I will never watch another episode of Glee again.

 

[Centurion]

Both versions suck anyway.

Stick with the real brew...

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kY84MRnxVzo[/ame]

 

[crows]

isn't there a long list of artists that Hate Glee and have spoke against the show? Foo Fighters for one

They completely ruined Rocky Horror Picture show, someone sent me a link once and it was awful.

 

[Uncanny Web-Slinger]

I gave up on Glee when each episode started having an artist theme to it

 

[Blackthornone]

Considering Jonathan Coulton had to resort to using a song by Sir Mix-A-Lot to further his career, he should know what using other peoples ideas is all about. I never even heard of this Johnathan Coulton before. He should be thankful that GLEE used his song. Now more people will seek it out.
Maybe that is the reason for his complaining. He wants more notoriety.

 

[Boba Ben]

Considering Jonathan Coulton had to resort to using a song by Sir Mix-A-Lot to further his career, he should know what using other peoples ideas is all about. I never even heard of this Johnathan Coulton before. He should be thankful that GLEE used his song. Now more people will seek it out.
Maybe that is the reason for his complaining. He wants more notoriety.

Yeah, I don't think so. He paid for the rights to use Sir Mix-A-Lot's song and put his own spin on it and he's also done a ton of original songs as well. He did the end them song for the Portal video game for example. Furthermore, there's even a point in the song where he says "Johnny C's in trouble" that is not in the original version that they didn't even bother to change in this Glee version.

 

[Sweet Rabbit]

Glee sucks

 

[IrishJedi]

Considering Jonathan Coulton had to resort to using a song by Sir Mix-A-Lot to further his career, he should know what using other peoples ideas is all about. I never even heard of this Johnathan Coulton before. He should be thankful that GLEE used his song. Now more people will seek it out.
Maybe that is the reason for his complaining. He wants more notoriety.

Whatever. Coulton is a very talented musician. I have all of his stuff, and have see him live 3 times. Conversely, I've never watched a second of GLEE, which not only sounds ghey but completely creatively bankrupt. I hope he smokes them.

 

[batfan08]

God, that show's horrible. Kill it. Kill it with fire.

 

[Blackthornone]

Yeah, I don't think so. He paid for the rights to use Sir Mix-A-Lot's song and put his own spin on it and he's also done a ton of original songs as well. He did the end them song for the Portal video game for example. Furthermore, there's even a point in the song where he says "Johnny C's in trouble" that is not in the original version that they didn't even bother to change in this Glee version.

I didn't say he didn't get permission to use the song, only that he had to use someone else's material that was already used to further his career, whether it was legal or not. I'm saying he lacked creativity by using someone else's work.

 

[Lejuan]

I didn't say he didn't get permission to use the song, only that he had to use someone else's material that was already used to further his career, whether it was legal or not. I'm saying he lacked creativity by using someone else's work.

His perceived lack of creativity is justification for copyright infringement? Well I never. Throw out the law books boys, Nigel in the post room reckons it's not art.

 

[bumblebee]

Glee sucks, but some of the chicks on the show are hott!!!

 

[Boba Ben]

I didn't say he didn't get permission to use the song, only that he had to use someone else's material that was already used to further his career, whether it was legal or not. I'm saying he lacked creativity by using someone else's work.

Okay. The Beatles, The Eagles, Michael Jackson, Jimi Hendrix, Elvis Presley, Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton, David Bowie, Aerosmith, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Smashing Pumpkins, The Clash, The Ramones, Elton John, Janis Joplin, Tom Petty, The Who, The Talking Heads, They Might Be Giants, Nirvana, The Rolling Stones all covered songs by other artists. There are a ton more just off the top of my head that I could have included as well. Do they lack creativity and deserve no recognition for their take on a song that they obtained the legal right to perform?

Coulton's version is also a totally different arrangement than the original Sir-Mix-A-Lot version and the Glee take is clearly his. I think it's a pretty crappy thing to do to somebody, but that's just my opinion.

I also think it's unfair to question Coulton's creativity based on one cover song when he has a huge library of purely original songs that have been well received and enjoyed by many just like many other artist that have covered songs in their careers.

 

[a-dev]

My other half loves Glee, it brings her great joy as Terminator does for me. I wouldn't begrudge her it. And yes the female contingent of the cast are letchworthy (all legal I might add).

 

[IrishJedi]

I didn't say he didn't get permission to use the song, only that he had to use someone else's material that was already used to further his career, whether it was legal or not. I'm saying he lacked creativity by using someone else's work.

He literally has several albums worth of original material.

 

[The Ween]

Singer/Songwriter Jonathan Coulton is claiming that the television show, Glee, used his cover arrangement of "Baby Got Back" without asking permission. Here's an article about it and the videos for each. It seems pretty blatant to me.

https://laughingsquid.com/jonathan-coulton-claims-glee-ripped-off-his-song/

https://youtu.be/Yww4BLjReEk

https://youtu.be/f6mAeipSTvs

They should be taken off the air immediately and never heard from again!!!

 

[Blackthornone]

His perceived lack of creativity is justification for copyright infringement? Well I never. Throw out the law books boys, Nigel in the post room reckons it's not art.

I was saying that lack of creativity or originality is the broader issue that encompasses both. Sir Mix-A-Lot, or whoever wrote the original version should also have something to say LEGALLY.

He is objecting to someone making a copy of a song that he copied from someone else. Its almost like someone complaining that someone bootlegged their bootleg.

 

[Blackthornone]

Okay. The Beatles, The Eagles, Michael Jackson, Jimi Hendrix, Elvis Presley, Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton, David Bowie, Aerosmith, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Smashing Pumpkins, The Clash, The Ramones, Elton John, Janis Joplin, Tom Petty, The Who, The Talking Heads, They Might Be Giants, Nirvana, The Rolling Stones all covered songs by other artists. There are a ton more just off the top of my head that I could have included as well. Do they lack creativity and deserve no recognition for their take on a song that they obtained the legal right to perform?

Coulton's version is also a totally different arrangement than the original Sir-Mix-A-Lot version and the Glee take is clearly his. I think it's a pretty crappy thing to do to somebody, but that's just my opinion.

I also think it's unfair to question Coulton's creativity based on one cover song when he has a huge library of purely original songs that have been well received and enjoyed by many just like many other artist that have covered songs in their careers.

I'm sure he does have a lot of original material, but we were talking about just this one song, and not his entire library.

Yes, every musician that covers someone else's song displays lack of creativity. How can you logically find otherwise?
At the very least, there is a lack of creativity by using that particular song, which does not necessarily reflect the musicians overall creative talent.