3 ms·
It makes sense that Coulton would not have copyright on the lyrics (because they are not his) but why would he not have copyright on everything but the lyrics?
by joshuaissac 3y ago
It makes sense that Coulton would not have copyright on the lyrics (because they are not his) but why would he not have copyright on everything but the lyrics? I just listened to his version and the Glee version (which sound the same), and they sound completely different to Sir Mix-A-Lot's original version. Is there a special rule for musical works that sets a very high threshold of originality for derivative works?
- tunesmith 3y agoIn music, there's a difference between holding the copyright for the music, and the copyright for the recording. And it's absolutely possible to write a cover, but where the music sounds different than the original version. People that do this don't have the copyright for the music, since the cover would not have existed were it not for the work by the original artist. That said, Coulton's version is very different, and probably could have led to some interesting legal arguments had it been challenged in court. But it's probably very relevant that Coulton first represented it as a cover, and that the entire reason his version (pre-Glee) became famous is because he marketed it as a cover.