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Max DeGroot's Blog
Topic: What Constitutes A Parody?
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fiogf49gjkf0d I recorded a version of The Little Drummer Boy last year which poked fun at this Christmas Carol, but changed none of the words, cutting them off after, "I played my best for him" followed by a loud drum solo which basically wakes up a baby and makes him cry.
Would that be considered a parody, since it pokes fun at the song, or would it be considered a cover, since it changes none of the words even though it does not sing it in its entirety?
Thoughs?
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Member Comments:
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fiogf49gjkf0d I vote for "cover".
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fiogf49gjkf0d Thanks Medemia. I'm still as confused as before I read it.
That's the problem with lawyers and copyright holders, They have no sense of humor. It doesn't have to be funny, it doesn't even have to be good, just as long as they collect their licensing payments. It truly is a sad world we live in when you have to ask a judge "Am I infringing on some one else's rights by being funny?".
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fiogf49gjkf0d Here's an interesting article from a lawyer regarding parody, jokes, and satire:
Article
Note from article:
Just in case they don’t grasp this important concept, it may be simpler just to explain to your client what is not a parody:
•A copyrighted song presented in a funny way. A torch song sung by someone in drag or by a drunk character slurring through a song or singing off-key may (or may not) bring laughs, but they fail as parodies. You must clear this music.
•Changing a song slightly to fit your purposes. Changing “Michelle” to “Miquel” to make it appropriate to a character’s name may be necessary, but it is not a parody. The song must be cleared.
•A parody is not created when an impersonator or impressionist sings a song (without changing it) in a style of someone other than the person who made it a hit. Dana Carvey imitating President Bush singing “The Party’s Over” is not a parody. The song has to be cleared.
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It's iffy grounds Max. It may better fall under satire than parody as you are satirizing the fact that a kid playing the drums for a new born baby is not the best idea.
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fiogf49gjkf0d Yes Max, (IMHO) that's a parody. Stan Freberg did many funny songs without changing the lyrics. Also Spike Jones did demented arrangements of songs altering the instrumentation but not the notes.
From Wikipedia: Parody music, or musical parody, involves changing or recycling existing (usually very well known) musical ideas or lyrics - or copying the peculiar style of a composer or artist, or even a general style of music. Although the result is often very funny, and this is the usual intent - the term "parody" in musical terms has a slightly different meaning from the general term, as it includes some kinds of quite serious (or at least not intentionally humorous) re-use of music. Parody of music has probably existed as long as music itself, but in the 20th century it has emerged as a category of music in itself.
Max DeGroot:
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I recorded a version of The Little Drummer Boy last year which poked fun at this Christmas Carol, but changed none of the words, cutting them off after, "I played my best for him" followed by a loud drum solo which basically wakes up a baby and makes him cry.
Would that be considered a parody, since it pokes fun at the song, or would it be considered a cover, since it changes none of the words even though it does not sing it in its entirety?
Thoughs?
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