११ डिसेंबर, २०१२

"Psy Makes $8.1 Million By Ignoring Copyright Infringements Of Gangnam Style."

Okay, but $8.1 million isn't that much considering the magnitude of the success of the thing. On the other hand, it's the kind of thing that becomes successful in a system of virality. But that's not the other hand. That's the same hand.

It's that kind of thing. How much more of that kind of thing do you want?

IN THE COMMENTS: rhhardin says: "I'm not tuned in to it all, but I imagined that gangnam style meant wearing dyed cotton fabric."

Since Psy's not policing the copyright, feel free to make a goofy "Gingham Style" parody video. And since the copyright ran out long ago, here's the delightful Eugene Field poem "The Duel" — which, if you remember it, you might think is titled "The Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat":
The gingham dog and the calico cat
Side by side on the table sat;
'T was half-past twelve, and (what do you think!)
Nor one nor t' other had slept a wink!
The old Dutch clock and the Chinese plate
Appeared to know as sure as fate
There was going to be a terrible spat.
(I was n't there; I simply state
What was told to me by the Chinese plate!)

The gingham dog went "Bow-wow-wow!"
And the calico cat replied "Mee-ow!"
The air was littered, an hour or so,
With bits of gingham and calico,
While the old Dutch clock in the chimney-place
Up with its hands before its face,
For it always dreaded a family row!
(Now mind: I 'm only telling you
What the old Dutch clock declares is true!)

The Chinese plate looked very blue,
And wailed, "Oh, dear! what shall we do!"
But the gingham dog and the calico cat
Wallowed this way and tumbled that,
Employing every tooth and claw
In the awfullest way you ever saw---
And, oh! how the gingham and calico flew!
(Don't fancy I exaggerate---
I got my news from the Chinese plate!)

Next morning, where the two had sat
They found no trace of dog or cat;
And some folks think unto this day
That burglars stole that pair away!
But the truth about the cat and pup
Is this: they ate each other up!
Now what do you really think of that!
(The old Dutch clock it told me so,
And that is how I came to know.)
And here are many more of Field's "Poems of Childhood." (Try to find a copy with the Maxfield Parrish illustrations.) Did you memorize any of theses poems? I did! I had a beautiful Golden Book collection of children's poems when I was a child, and I memorized many of them, including this one. This was my favorite one. I often ended up reciting these poems around my parents. Even though they were the sort of people who didn't display how delighted they were by children's behavior, I realize now that they must have found these recitals adorable. I had no idea at the time. I just loved the poems and wanted others to hear them. That was virality, circa 1960. 

१९ टिप्पण्या:

अनामित म्हणाले...

Hope his next flight gets hijacked and taken to North Korea.

The ruling family has a history of kidnapping celebrities and making them perform for them---for years. Without pay. Totally as slaves.

And, at the same time, those Yankee bastards pull out of South Korea---just like trash like him wants.

Fat fucking stuck pig should be gutted by the North Korean forces when he's no longer a novelty.

Expat(ish) म्हणाले...

Uhh, that is a TON of money for a single hit song. Please go back and look, historically, at what artists take home.

I'm not talking about the well represented and well-managed Voice or American Idol winners, but the second tier pop or country star that hits #1.

I recall that Dolly makes something like 8X, on average, over the artist and arranger every time one of her hit songs gets is played.

-XC

madAsHell म्हणाले...

Has it been 15 minutes yet?

rhhardin म्हणाले...

I'm not tuned in to it all, but I imagined that gangnam style meant wearing dyed cotton fabric.

damikesc म्हणाले...

Given that copyright needs to be heavily curtailed...there is no such thing as too much infringement.

Bob Ellison म्हणाले...

That's the first time I've seen the word "virality". It seems to have song potential, maybe as a hip-hop tune.

Virility virality
That's what I got
Futility virility
Just...


OK, that's enough showmanship of bad lyricism for now.

Bob_R म्हणाले...

Leaving aside the particulars of Psy, I think we do want more of this kind of thing - people making money in a much more loosely protected copyright environment. I think we need to dial way back on the recent increases in copyright protection. The effective length of a drug patent is seven to twelve years. Why is copyright so much longer?

Bob_R म्हणाले...

By the way "The Knockoff Economy:How Imitation Sparks Innovation" is a good book on the subject. I'd link, but you could use the local portal.

rhhardin म्हणाले...

Imitation doesn't spark innovation so much as competition to improve the product in as many ways as possible, instead of competition in lawsuits for monopoly rights.

Bob Ellison म्हणाले...

I memorized Tennyson's "Charge of the Light Brigade" in fifth grade. That experience cured me of the desire to read poetry.

Patrick म्हणाले...

Minnesota Style

Ann Althouse म्हणाले...

Nothing's stopping Psy from pressing his copyright claims later. He's benefiting from the viral energy now, but when he's done riding that wave, he could move into the field of litigation.

damikesc म्हणाले...

If he shows no attempt to protect it presently, wont that make claims difficult?

Unknown म्हणाले...

I had a teacher in 4th grade who had us learn a poem every month. And not short ones either. The Highwayman, The House With Nobody in It and Jest for Christmas are three that I can remember at the moment. I was a great fan of Eugene Field and Alfred Noyes.
I suppose critics call that kind of poetry doggerel, but I loved it and I still do.

edutcher म्हणाले...

I'm really getting tired of this guy.

jungatheart म्हणाले...

I never got keyed into poetry, that I can recall, until I was in third grade and my sister brought home a poem from second grade,

Little Robin Red-Breast
Sat upon a rail,
Niddle-noddle went her head
Wiggle-waggle went her tail.

which enchanted me.

In fourth grade I loved this from the class English book:

Wind-Wolves

-William D. Sargent


Do you hear the cry as the pack goes by,
The wind-wolves hunting across the sky?
Hear them tongue it, keen and clear,
Hot on the flanks of flying deer!

Across the forest, mere and plain,
Their hunting howl goes up again!
All night they'll follow the ghostly trail,
All night we'll hear their phantom wail,

For tonight the wind-wolf pack holds sway
From Pegasus Square to teh Milky Way,
And the frightened bands of cloud-deer flee,
In scattered groups of two and three.

Megaera म्हणाले...

Eheu fugaces. I memorized poems,long and short, Bible verses, Shakespeare,Kipling, Dorothy Parker (found her poems and short stories in college -- if you haven't run across them, Ann, you might check them out) and still find myself running through some of them at odd moments. Soothing or enraging -- failing memory is extremely frustrating -- but the words coming back in order is a remarkable sensation.

Clyde म्हणाले...

My mother had some of the ancient Childcraft books from which her mother had read to her and from which she read to us, and that poem was among them. Another Eugene Fields poem we liked was "Jest 'Fore Christmas." Mom also read us Kipling's Just So Stories; we got one of our favorte inside sayings, "Won't Painted Jaguar be surprised?" from that one.

Parents, take time to read to your children. They won't forget it!

Conserve Liberty म्हणाले...

Eugene Field!! How exciting!!

Eugene Field House and Toy Museum

I'm a Trustee.