OK, who REALLY wrote that song?
I stumbled upon an interesting article the other day. The fact remains, there are several well known and well respected artists out there who shove their name on a songwriters credit as a ‘co-writer’ but do nothing more than just sing on the track.
Now I’m not saying that these artists aren’t ‘true’ artists because they don’t write their own music (if that was the case, then we should automatically dismiss the likes of Whitney Houston and Elvis Presley) but what I hate is ‘false credit’.
“How can someone look in the mirror and know they didn’t do something and their name is on it? For money? For credit? It’s a lie.” - that was said by Diane Warren, who has written for artists such as Whitney Houston, Celine Dion and Mary J. Blige.
Check out the article below…
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Of all the names in music, Chantal Kreviazuk may be the least likely to appear in a headline. Though she recently released her own album, the songwriter usually stays behind the scenes to pen hits with artists such as Kelly Clarkson, Gwen Stefani and Avril Lavigne.
But earlier this month, Kreviazuk rocked the pop music world by suggesting that Lavigne was a collaborator in name only. Although she quickly retracted her comments and others defended Lavigne, the flap illuminated a long-standing fraud that has become more prevalent than ever: “singer-songwriters” who do much less songwriting than their publicists would have you believe.
“It’s crazy!” exclaimed Grammy-winning songwriter Diane Warren, who has written for artists such as Whitney Houston, Celine Dion and Mary J. Blige. “How can someone look in the mirror and know they didn’t do something and their name is on it? For money? For credit? It’s a lie.”
This being the music industry, money is of course a factor, since the writers of hit songs can earn more than the singer over the long term. But today’s singers also press for writing credit because it gives them more of a cachet, presenting them as more of a “real artist” in comparison with a star who doesn’t write a note.
“It’s a practice that’s been going on but now it’s really prevalent in every situation,” says songwriter Adonis Shropshire, who helped pen the hit “My Boo” for Alicia Keys and Usher, and has worked with Chris Brown, Ciara and others.
Shropshire says that many artists will only allow songwriters to work on an album in return for song credit, and “if they do write, they ask for more publishing than they honestly contributed … it is the way it is.”
The practice has been prevalent for decades. Elvis Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, maneuvered to give the King songwriting credits on early hits like “Love Me Tender” even though he never wrote a word. James Brown was sued by an associate over song credits.
Lauryn Hill settled a lawsuit by a group that claimed she improperly took sole production and writing credit on her Grammy-winning album “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.” And Diddy seemed to acknowledge claims that he wasn’t really writing his raps in the “Bad Boys for Life” song with the brushoff line: “Don’t worry if I write rhymes, I write checks!”
Click here to read the rest of the article.
Source: CNN.COM
August 5th, 2007 at 2:58 am
a darn good article! and a darn true one!
August 5th, 2007 at 5:09 pm
Shamir:
Here is a nostalgia for you. I am totally country and have heard Willie Nelson given credit for “Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain” for years. I have an original copy of Hank Williams singing this song on his early radio program prior to his recording career.
The song was actually written in 1945 (Willie would have been 13) by Fred Rose of Acuff-Rose fame.
I am a little younger than Willie, but not by much. He lives just down the highway here in Austin, TX.
Tom Jeffrey
August 5th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
i agree with u there i know how it is i will never ever give a ’singer’
my songs if i cant do then forget it lol as yes they do steal them
August 6th, 2007 at 1:59 pm
Hi Shamir,
just wanted to thank you for all these songwriting tips you have been giving me for the past few months.
They really have helped me in my songwriting.
THANKS AGAIN AND AGAIN GOD BLESS YOU
August 6th, 2007 at 3:35 pm
Thanks Shamir. This was such an interesting article. All the stuff you put up has been helpful and informative. I think it’s outrageous that artists take advantage of emerging sonwriters that way! Totally unprofessional. God bless: Annie.
August 6th, 2007 at 9:58 pm
Thanks guys. Really appreciate the kind words!
August 6th, 2007 at 10:00 pm
Thank you. I read much and have more to consume and digest later. God bless!
August 7th, 2007 at 2:50 am
I really enjoy reading this tips. I maybe a drummer but, I write songs for my band and writing songs has never been so simple
August 15th, 2007 at 7:55 am
I do love all the helpful hints you email us Shamir. I host a songwriting group in L.A. and always share them with the group when I start out our meetings. I am a little confused though about what you are implying when singers are taking writing credit for songs they didn’t write.
If the writer had a copyright before shopping the song then nobody should be able to take writing credit. If the singer coerced or bribed the writer subtly or not then it is still the writer’s fault for letting it happen. The only other way it could happen is if the writer failed to copyright the song before shopping it which left them wide open for scenarios like this.
In the end I agree it is wrong, but there are ways to prevent it from happening if the writer really wants to.
Mark D.
May 5th, 2010 at 6:54 am
I totally agree with you on the point of. This is a nice article for sure.
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