Re: OT: Copyright Infringement

Dar wrote:
On Jul 20, 9:06 pm, Misifus <rafseib...@xxxxxxx> wrote:
Bill Chandler wrote:
On Sun, 20 Jul 2008 02:42:13 -0400, George Wirth
<geowi...@xxxxxxxxxxx> brewed up the following, and served it to the
group:
I got a Myspace message from some guy (who I don't know) regarding a
new song. (Memorial Drive) The heading was "Copyright Infringe" and he
said the song was a rip of Piano Man, either through "marketing
strategy or ignorance", his words. I usually don't put much stock in
legal advice from 47 year old masons who call me "Dude" but it got me
thinking....
The song does have a similar walk down progression at the beginning,
as does Mr. Bojangles and probably a dozen other songs. I certainly
don't want get in any trouble, especially if it makes me look like a
Billy Joel fan. I pretty much blew his message off but I'm just
wondering if anyone knows of any standard for determining this type of
thing...not specifically with this song but in general.
More important, this doesn't mean I'm gonna have to learn more chords
does it?
G.
George, the guy needs his head examined. That chord pattern has been
used in a million songs.
As I hear it, it isn't just the chord progression, it's the walkdown
*with* the melody for the first two lines. Those are so very like
"Piano Man". However, after those two lines, the melody, the lyrics the
chords all go in a direction very different from Joel's.

It's clearly George's song, and a very fine one, but on first listening,
I, too, was struck by the "Isn't that...?" impression.

-Raf

--
Misifus-
Rafael Seibert
mailto:rafseib...@xxxxxxx
blog:http://rafsrincon.blogspot.com/
Photos:http://www.flickr.com/photos/rafiii
home:http://www.rafandsioux.com- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I don't think the crime should be the act of actually copying Billy
Joel, but in wanting to.

DS


I caught Billy Joel at a small club in Nashville (Exit/In) in 1974, or 1975. It was just him and a piano. He was very good, and I have been a fan since then. I don't enjoy everything that he has recorded, but I like a lot of it.

-Raf

--
Misifus-
Rafael Seibert
mailto:rafseibert@xxxxxxx
blog: http://rafsrincon.blogspot.com/
Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rafiii
home: http://www.rafandsioux.com
.

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