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Music Should Be Heard But Not Understood

Posted by samzenpus on from the dirty-dean-and-the-dunder-cheese dept.

PaxTech writes "Warner/Chapell music has cease-and-desisted a small freeware developer who wrote a Mac OS X lyrics downoading application. pearLyrics in no way contributed to piracy or copyright infringement, it was merely a tool to search for lyrics on public websites and view or add them to mp3 metadata. This is part of a larger crackdown on websites distributing lyrics. Apparently, the labels would like to force us back to a world where Hendrix kisses guys."

5 of 462 comments (clear)

  1. Facilitators by biocute · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Isn't this (linking/facilitating) the reason why Napster and friends got nipped? They are sort of helping illegal (as determined by whoever) activities to gain publicity.

    While I enjoy freely available and searchable lyrics, I must admit 9 out of 10 times I regretted having looked up the lyrics, it kinda ruins my feeling once I understand every single word and can sing-a-long. Am I the only one having this kind of 'empty-yet-lyric-filled' feeling?

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  2. what?!? he doesnt kiss guys... by zxnos · · Score: 4, Interesting

    are you sure about that?

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  3. Forgetting one thing by Lord+of+Ironhand · · Score: 4, Interesting
    While I totally do not condone the activities of the RIAA and similar (to the contrary), you *can* usually read the lyrics when you actually buy the CD, since most of the time it has a lyrics booklet included. Since they want you to buy the CD and not download it, this *does* make sense from their perspective.

    Since I don't want to be on the whole defensive of the RIAA, here's a link to the RIAA Radar to balance things - boycott the RIAA!

  4. And history repeats itself... by John+Whitley · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Some of you here may remember the Vivarin Lyrics Server, the story of which is told here.

    Some of the details of Vivarin's story are *very* interesting. The overall arc is similar to pearLyrics: a new search tool for lyrics is created, then eventually cease-and-desisted. But many of the details, and the early internet era in which they occured, make for a good read.

    It's sad, even pathetic, that in all these years the RIAA and its member companies haven't gotten even the least bit of clue. These sorts of search services add enourmous value. Thousands of people were able to identify and purchase music based on Vivarin's services ("what is that song, I remember a few words..?"). Heck, Warner's laywers called to provide thanks as Vivarin had helped them to win a legal case.

    I seriously hope that the RIAA's stranglehold doesn't let up before they realize that hold is around their collective neck.

  5. Embarrassing by Simonetta · · Score: 4, Interesting

    How embarrassing. Musicians are generally thought of as being cool people. But (I would hope) that they are getting rather uncomfortable being associated with these weirdo-goon squad from the RIAA.
        The RIAA doesn't really help you in your musical career and they act like psychotic creeps. How long before people will stop want to be musicians because they don't want to have to be associated with these RIAA industry people.
        Could music actually become uncool as a result of the RIAA's vulgar actions? (I sound like Carrie Bradshaw there) Or are the people who want to become rock stars so out of it anyway that they couldn't care less?