[78-L] Composers who steal

[Bud Black]

Irving Berlin, arguably the greatest composer of the popular song, stole
from himself rather frequently.  Note that his 1916 song "Smile And Show
Your Dimple," in 1933 became "Easter Parade."  A line in Al Jolson's song 
To My Mammy" stated, "How much does she love me?  I'll tell you no lie.  How
deep is the ocean, how high is the sky?"  Listen to the verse of his "Just A
Little Longer" and then listen to the verse of "To My Mammy."  In the movie 
White Christmas" Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and Rosie Clooney sing a song
called "Snow" which was a re-working of an earlier Berlin tune called "Free.


Bud 
 
-------Original Message-------
 
From: Dnjchi at aol.com
Date: 6/8/2009 11:52:31 AM
To: 78-l at klickitat.78online.com
Subject: Re: [78-L] Composers who steal
 
 
Wish I had the copyright to Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.  Lots of
composers stole that theme.  While on the same thought, imagine if the 
Scriptures
were still in copyright (orig, writers, not various versions)!   "Today's
reading is from Matthew, with the perrmission of the copyright  owner."
dc
 
In a message dated 6/8/2009 11:34:02 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
dlennick at sympatico.ca writes:
 
Hey..nobody ever sued Leonard Bernstein or John Williams, and they're  two
of
the biggest thieves in the business. Lenny was a genius (Williams  is NOT,
he's
just a talented cut-n-paster who should put a chunk of his  fortune in
escrow
for Holst, Elgar and Bernard Herrmann) but every time I  hear Dohnanyi's
Serenade, I can point to half of the score for "On the  Town" which is a
blatant
ripoff of its themes.
 
Richard Rodgers  stole from himself all the time. Oh, sorry, "recycled".
"Johnny
One Note"  is really a tune that was dropped from Mississippi, something
about
Pancho. "No Other Love" was part of the "Victory at Sea" score from a year
earlier ("Beneath the Southern Cross"), and "Blue Moon" went through 3
sets of
lyrics before settling on the final one.
 
dl
 
Taylor  Bowie wrote:
> There are plenty of them,  and almost all of them  have done so at one
time
> or another,  intentionally or  not.
>
> While some of you were torturing yourself tonight with  the Tony Awards,
I
> was playing some olde rekkids and having a  fine time!  Here are two
> interesting ones I played this  evening:
>
> Pathe 036005 Max Terr Orch. "Chansonette"   Composer credit is Rudolf
Friml,
> and low and behold it turns out to  be the same melody as the main part
of
> The Donkey Serenade,   which I think was written for the film version of
The
> Firefly in 1935  or so.  No show credit is given on the label,  so I
guess it
> was just something Friml had kicking around when they needed an
additional
> song for the movie.
>
> Bluebird 5088   Bert Lown Orch. "We'll Have A Honeymoon Some Day".  This
was
> the  last Bert Lown Bluebird I was missing and I was excitied to be able
to
> buy it recently.  A very loose performance,  with a great  piano solo by
> Chauncey Grey and a full-chorus solo from Spencer Clark  on bass sax...I
> don't recall Rollini ever getting a full chorus when  he was with the
band.
>
> The song itself is a dreadful redo of  Side By Side,  and I wasn't
surprised
> to see that the composer  credit was Harry Woods...talented but seemingly
> undisciplined and  lazy as a writer.
>
> I guess the lesson is if you want to steal  from a composer why not steal
> from yourself...you won't get sued that  way.
>
>
> Taylor
>
>
_______________________________________________
78-L mailing  list
78-L at klickitat.78online.com
http://klickitat.78online.com/mailman/listinfo/78-l
 
 
 
 
**************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy
steps!
(http://pr.atwola
com/promoclk/100126575x1222585043x1201462775/aol?redir=http://www
freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072&hmpgID=62&bcd=
JunestepsfooterNO62)
_______________________________________________
78-L mailing list
78-L at klickitat.78online.com
http://klickitat.78online.com/mailman/listinfo/78-l