Perhaps my opinion will change if this actually happens, but if I ever write a huge massive worldwide hit, I'll grant anyone the right to cover it or parody it, provided that I am adequately credited and compensated. For example, if I write a touching piece about the joys of Shetland Sheepdogs, I would not object if Snoop Dogg turned it into a raunchy piece about the joys of loose women in the LBC.
Now of course, some people feel differently about who performs their work. There are several instances in which Republican politicians used songs from famous musicians, and since most musicians are Communists, they naturally objected. (Seriously, anyone who would select "Born in the U.S.A." as a feel-good song really needs to read the lyrics a little more closely.) And even Weird Al Yankovic, who takes great efforts to get permission to parody songs (primarily to ensure HIS compensation), got his signals crossed when he wrote "Amish Paradise."
The truth of the matter is, however, that a songwriter doesn't have a lot of control over where his or her song is performed. H/T to Fred Roggin for this story from Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle about a particular song by Journey, and who's using it:
Steve Perry, the former lead singer for Journey, will be at Dodger Stadium wearing his Giants cap as usual when the team plays there this weekend and he will leave before the eighth inning, as usual, but not to beat the traffic.
Late last season, the Dodgers started playing Journey's "Don't Stop Believin' " before the bottom of the eighth inning every night as a rally song, and Perry leaves before they do.
"I have to," he said. "I don't want to hear it."
Why? Because Perry is a diehard Giants fan who cannot stand the fact that the Dodgers "hijacked it first" and use it to win games.
More here.
And, San Francisco Giants, I guess that "Who's Crying Now" is available.
