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Tunes for the songs in How Much for Just the Planet?

And I seem to recall reading that there are several precedents asserting that parodies of songs, with or without the permission of the original composers and lyricists, constitute Constitutionally-protected free speech, and do not infringe copyrights.

Sure there are many precedents, but because there have been legal quibbles of some attempts at parody - and what original owners of material being parodied may consider to be "fair use" - over the years, Pocket Books was unwilling (or unable due to deadline) to spend the people hours and $$$ required for a music rights/copyright lawyer to look over the manuscript. The editors (and/or then-Paramount Licensing, and/or GR's Star Trek Office, who all had a say in those days) probably weren't willing to publish the book with its list of suggested tunes on the inside and pray/hope that no one out there commenced an injunction, demanded the book be withdrawn from shelves, etc., or anything that might add to the final publication costs.

The "Ishmael" and "Killing Time" debacles were both in 1985, very recent memory at the time (1987).
 
Tell that to Little Roger and the Goosebumps, who recorded "Stairway to Gilligan's Island" but were sued by Led Zeppelin's lawyers.
Parody protection isn't automatic. Parody is in the eye of the beholder, unfortunately, and determining what's infringement and what's parody isn't always easy and it can (and often does) go to the courts. Parody, like fair use, is an affirmative defense to copyright infringement. (In other words, it infringes, but there are mitigating factors.)

I find it ironic that Led Zeppelin, one of the great rip-off bands of all time, would sue for copyright infringement, though.
 
^ Also I believe Robert Plant himself said that "Stairway to Gilligan's Island" was his FAVORITE of all such parodies...
 
"Stairway to Gilligan's Island." It's okay. The Gilligan's Island song doesn't really "fit" the tune to "Stairway."

Not as much fun as Fleming & John's "Winter Wonderland" in the style of "Misty Mountain Hop." :)

My personal favorite "Stairway" cover is by the Beatnix, an Australian Beatles cover band. They did it in the style of "I Want To Hold Your Hand."
 
"Stairway to Gilligan's Island." It's okay. The Gilligan's Island song doesn't really "fit" the tune to "Stairway."

Not as much fun as Fleming & John's "Winter Wonderland" in the style of "Misty Mountain Hop." :)

My personal favorite "Stairway" cover is by the Beatnix, an Australian Beatles cover band. They did it in the style of "I Want To Hold Your Hand."
 
Weird Al gets permission as a courtesy to the artist being parodied, but legally, he doesn't really need it (which probably played a part in Coolio's failure in suing Al over "Amish Paradise", but another factor may have been someone pointing out that "Gangsta's Paradise" was a ripoff of an old Stevie Wonder tune, "Pastime Paradise").
 
Weird Al gets permission as a courtesy to the artist being parodied, but legally, he doesn't really need it

But he's still playing their melodies, and the original writers/publishers would own that. For example "Eat it" has the exact same tune as "Beat it". Changing the words is a separate issue, but he's not just releasing them as printed texts, he's often singing new words to an existing tune. So, yes, he needs permission for those.
 
Actually, a lot of his earlier parodies have slightly altered melody lines, so there might've been some CYA going on at that point. Later on, when it became a badge of honor to be parodied by Weird Al, he started doing the original tunes unaltered.

Let's just say that getting permission beforehand eliminates a lot of legal hassles later on, and leave it at that. The rest is the realm of the legal weasels, and I've already got a headache, so...
 
Weird Al gets permission as a courtesy to the artist being parodied, but legally, he doesn't really need it

But he's still playing their melodies, and the original writers/publishers would own that. For example "Eat it" has the exact same tune as "Beat it". Changing the words is a separate issue, but he's not just releasing them as printed texts, he's often singing new words to an existing tune. So, yes, he needs permission for those.
IIRC, he not only got permission from Nirvanna for "Smells Like Nirvana", Nirvana actually performed the music (or Al used the musical track from the album with permission) because as far as Nirvana was concerned, when Weird Al parodied you, that's when you really knew you had made it big. :lol:
 
^ Smells Like Nirvana did not have the exact same musical track from the original. It was in a different key, for one thing.
 
While slightly OT, it's always fun to find folks who love this book and John Ford's work as much as I do. I had actually done a short video based on his "Dilithium And You" segment. I kept it off the web until I sadly found out about his passing back in 2006 and I thought it was fitting for it to see the light of day. Keep in mind it was made back in (I think it was) 1995, and I had limited resources to work with, but I still think it works.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hemM8rrx2Yw

Enjoy!

P.S. - I also always loved his contribution to the Star Wars world:
Welcome, Padawan! Your acquisition of an Incom-Flickertek “Divisa-S” Lightsaber is the beginning of an exciting future of Galactic wisdom and influence. Regardless of your choice of Force paths, the Divisa series offers a lifetime of subtle and precise striking down.
However, as with all ancient weapons, the lightsaber requires care in use and handling. We hope you will find the following tips useful:
—Remember the sequence: Flourish-Force-Flash. First, draw the saber, using your favored technique, or one you learned in some obscure font of Jedi stuntwork. Then, use the Force! Objects that might be in the beam path will cause disturbances that, with a little practice, you will recognize very quickly. (Of course, you will recognize them quickly no matter what.) Once clear, ignite the blade. After all, it’s tough to face down the foe with one knee, even if it was already cybernetic.
—The lens assembly goes through a self-cleaning cycle on each ignition. However, if the saber has not been ignited for some time, or the lens has acquired a heavy coat of debris (smoke, droid lube, bodily fluids, etc.) peripheral effects may occur on ignition. Some Jedi find entering through a cloud of smoke dramatic and even useful. If, however, the saber fails to ignite, or shows a highly specular beam, accompanied by unusual sounds and a smell like frying womp-rat, turn the saber off and use a non-abrasive cleaner on the lens at the first opportunity. Allow solvents to evaporate fully before re-installing the assembly. Note: use of chewing tobacco, while still popular in some corners of the galaxy, is NOT recommended for lightsaber operators.
—Throwing the lightsaber at a distant enemy, and then recovering it with adroit Force use, is a dramatic way to enter any room, but it requires practice. The SwashLITE™ Practice Saber, available to match the weight and balance of all our lightsaber models, is highly recommended for those intending to “fling the Force.” It has a holographic simulated blade that generates an audible tone when it passes through a target. As a saber owner, you’re entitled to a considerable discount on the SwashLITE; contact your Incom sales rep.
—Other Padawans may tell you that turning the Proni collimator 90 degrees within the casing will cause “cool things” to happen on ignition. THEY ARE WRONG.
—Most Jedi personalize their sabers with a custom-fitted grip, a distinctive color crystal, decorative though nonfunctional pieces of shiny metal, and so on. Be advised that the external casing, while as durable as our technology can make it, is not indestructible, and cutting or engraving the case, particularly with another lightsaber, is not recommended and will void your warranty.
—Sooner or later you’re going to sever a hand—either your own, or someone else’s. We all know it happens. But do you know the best method for dealing with this emergency? Here’s our handy reference:
1. Finish the fight as quickly as possible. If the lopped limb was yours, you may need to improvise something beyond the scope of this guide. 2. Extinguish the saber and clean the lens assembly as described above.
3. While the case is open, check the power cell connector for sticky bits. It’s a good idea to wipe down the casing with a soft cloth, as circulatory fluids vary widely in chemical composition.
4. Locate the missing limb and use appropriate measures (cold storage, liquid bath, jumping up and down on it until it gives up).
5. If the former owner of the limb is not of a self-regenerating species, some medical assistance may be necessary, though the remarkable cauterizing powers of a lightsaber blade should make this a minor matter. (If the wounded individual was a Nitronyx, of course, now is the time to gather the bits for the Echo Ceremony).​
The above guide is available as a wipe-clean laminated card free from your Incom tech rep. —We shouldn’t say it, but we’re going to: an upright lightsaber makes a great accent light for romantic situations, and in our considerable experience as lonely tech geeks is a swell chick magnet. That’s why we make the LavaLase™ upright table bracket, that keeps the saber upright no matter how energetically you “turn to the Dark Side.”
 
Clever video. Although it was always my impression that the "hitting it with a hammer ahead of schedule" bit had more dramatic results, involving somebody ending up in a hospital.

Anybody have any ideas on "We thought that you might like to know"? Or "I'm supposed to be a princess"? Or "My Own Sweet Tyrannical Way"?
 
I may be crazy, but for "My Own Sweet Tyrannical Way," although I can't come up with a recognizable tune, I do hear this recurring one-bar riff:

6/8 time, a minor, all eighth-notes, third and sixth beats accented, "AAcAcd"

Does that ring any bells with anybody?
 
I may be crazy, but for "My Own Sweet Tyrannical Way," although I can't come up with a recognizable tune, I do hear this recurring one-bar riff:

6/8 time, a minor, all eighth-notes, third and sixth beats accented, "AAcAcd"

Does that ring any bells with anybody?

If I interpret that right, it sounds like the opening of "I'm a Woman" by Peggy Lee, at least in some arrangements. But that doesn't fit the lyrics of "Sweet Tyrannical Way."
 
"Abacab"?

Was that with or without an octave jump that your capitalization implies?

(In the case of what I gave, "AAcAcd," it's the A below the c, and the d immediately above it).

And I agree, "I'm a Woman" doesn't seem to quite fit the text. Yet it does have a certain Leiber & Stoller feel to it. It also reminds me of something out of "Samantha's Cabaret" at WDW's late, lamented, "Adventurer's Club."

Just as "We thought that you might like to know" seems to not fit the tunes of "Yes, We Have No Bananas," "Hooray for Hollywood," and "There's No Business Like Show Business," yet somehow, it has a vaguely similar feel.
 
Weird Al gets permission as a courtesy to the artist being parodied, but legally, he doesn't really need it

But he's still playing their melodies, and the original writers/publishers would own that. For example "Eat it" has the exact same tune as "Beat it". Changing the words is a separate issue, but he's not just releasing them as printed texts, he's often singing new words to an existing tune. So, yes, he needs permission for those.
IIRC, he not only got permission from Nirvanna for "Smells Like Nirvana", Nirvana actually performed the music (or Al used the musical track from the album with permission) because as far as Nirvana was concerned, when Weird Al parodied you, that's when you really knew you had made it big. :lol:

Didn't musicians in the 60's and 70's say pretty much the same thing if they wrote a song and Elvis covered it, they knew they had gone and done something real special?
 
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