Re: Felder's Role in Writing Hotel California
Quote:
Originally Posted by
randymeisnerrocks
I was not aware he ever said that. Is there a quote of him saying that he wrote the lyrics?
Please refer to chaim's post just above my response, where chaim quotes Felder as saying:
as Don and Glenn and I worked on the lyrics
which chaim states is taken from a 1980 interview.
Obviously 'worked on' is not the same as 'wrote' but this is the only example of a quote from him I have ever seen which even hints that he had any involvement with the song's lyrics. He no longer claims this in any way.
Re: Felder's Role in Writing Hotel California
Quote:
Originally Posted by
randymeisnerrocks
All this talk about writer's credit and how the actual music doesn't count has me somewhat confused. Here's what I don't get:
- Vanilla Ice was sued by Queen over the use of one single simple bassline from their song "Under Pressure" in his song "Ice, Ice Baby."
- MC Hammer was sued by Rick James over using part of the music from "Superfreak" in "U Can't Touch This."
- Weird Al had to pay Coolio for using the music from "Gangsta's Paradise" in his parody "Amish Paradise."
In all three of these examples, the original songs were recognized by the courts as the original artists' property (and royalties were paid to the owner) based
soley on the music. Lyrics never even came into it! So tell me again how it is that the person who wrote the music of a song should not be given songwriting credit? I really believe that is incorrect.
Clarification: Not saying the person who wrote the music is the COMPLETE owner of the song but a co-owner, along with the originator of the lyrics.
I think if you go back and read the discussion in this thread, what I and others said is that, according to research on the web, legally in the U.S. the writers of the melody and lyrics are entitled to royalties. However, it's pretty much up to the artists' discretion as to who is given songwriting credit. The bottom line is that whoever is given songwriting credit is entitled to royalties and copyright protection.
Re: Felder's Role in Writing Hotel California
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Ive always been a dreamer
I think if you go back and read the discussion in this thread, what I and others said is that, according to research on the web, legally in the U.S. the writers of the melody and lyrics are entitled to royalties. However, it's pretty much up to the artists' discretion as to who is given songwriting credit. The bottom line is that whoever is given songwriting credit is entitled to royalties and copyright protection.
I understand the point you make. I just don't agree with it.
Re: Felder's Role in Writing Hotel California
In your post that I responded to, you said it was incorrect, which is different than not agreeing with it. As I stated earlier in the thread, if that's what the law is, I don't agree with it's premise either. If anyone can find where the facts are misstated here, I hope they will let us know. :thumbsup:
Re: Felder's Role in Writing Hotel California
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Ive always been a dreamer
In your post that I responded to, you said it was incorrect, which is different than not agreeing with it. As I stated earlier in the thread, if that's what the law is, I don't agree with it's premise either. If anyone can find where the facts are misstated here, I hope they will let us know. :thumbsup:
I disagree because I believe that you are incorrect.
Re: Felder's Role in Writing Hotel California
RMR, dreamer is talking about things being factually correct or incorrect when she uses the term in this context.
Re: Felder's Role in Writing Hotel California
This has nothing to do with Don Felder, but it concerns the writing of HC, which has been discussed a lot here. I browsed through old music magazines in (at?) a flea market. I didn't end up buying any, but I read part of an interview with Don Henley. I think the interview was from 2000 or 2001, and it was the Q magazine or something like that. When he talked about Glenn as a writer, he said that Glenn has a great "understanding of street language". And then he mentioned as an example Glenn going "such a lovely face" after Don went "welcome to the Hotel California". Being Finnish, I don't know what that has to do with street language, but that's what he said.
Then he said that he originally went "Welcome to the Hotel California" twice, but Glenn said "You can't sing that twice", so they added "Plenty of room..." and, of course, "They're living it up..." for the second chorus. So to me it seemed like Glenn was kind of overseeing the writing of the lyrics.
Re: Felder's Role in Writing Hotel California
Fascinating! I had not heard this before.
Re: Felder's Role in Writing Hotel California
Thanks, Chaim, that is interesting. To me, more than Glenn overseeing, this is just an example of two great songwriters working together to make their song the best it can be. Good ideas coming from two directions. It's so strange to hear the original version of lyrics to a famous song that end up getting changed to the version we all know. "Livin' it up" and "plenty of room" are such great lines, can't imagine the song without them!
Re: Felder's Role in Writing Hotel California
Very interesting piece Chaim. In a lot of ways it reinforces what I have often felt about the Frey/Henley songwriting partnership. They balance and compliment each other, and magic happened when they partnered. That's why they still have fans discovering this band 40 years later, and that music will stand the test of time for many years to come.