• From: Scotland.
  • Registered: 2006-07-13
  • Posts: 218

Topic: Permission too write about.

I've just been listening to a song 'Mesrine' by an old Oi band from the early 80's, The Blood. The lyrics are all about the Frenchman Jacques Renne Mesrine (a bit of an anti hero).
What I was wondering is this;

Do you need permission from someone if you are writing a song specificaly about them? 
If not, as I suspect is the case, would you be leaving yourself open to court action if your 'muse' took offence to what you had written and recorded about them?
Or could you get away with claiming 'artistic license'?

After all, if someone took offence to an article in the media they would be able to sue for libel (if they so wished). So I daresay it is possible that this could happen over a song and it's lyrical content.

I reckon it would prove to be an interesting case if it ever arose.

Does anyone know of any actual cases of this happening?



Craig.

P.S Anyone thats into Punk could do worse than checking out the aforementioned bands album 'False Getstures For A Devious Public'
Cracking lyrics and fast, powerfull but melodic music.

Blind acceptance is a sign, of stupid fools who stand in line.  John Lydon.

'Mod' is a shorter word for 'young, beautiful and stupid' - we've all been there." - Pete Townshend.
  • From: Starkville, Mississippi USA
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,069

Re: Permission too write about.

Hello Craig - Interesting question.  Here is my underwstanding of this subject:

You can write a song or poem or story about whomever or whatever you want. 

Regarding writing about a living person, generally if that person is a 'public figure' there is not a problem unless you were to maliciously spread falsehoods as fact.  Satirical or allegorical references to a person (living or dead) are 'okay'.

A public figure is somebody who has deliberately sought out publicity (a politician or an artist, actor, or some other type of 'celebrity').  Public figures are 'fair game' for just about any sort of commentary (good or bad) unless the intention of the commentator can be proven to be deliberately malicious. 

A public figure might also be a private citizen who for whatever reason has come to the attention of the general public but did not necessarily seek the attention (for instance, the victim of a tragic accident).

Lots of love (or hate, or love/hate) songs down through the ages have been written about specific individuals.  I guess that somebody could try to sue a songwriter or poet for libel or slander, but let's face it - most songwriters or poets just aren't worth suing!

"That darn Pythagorean Comma thing keeps messing me up!"
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_comma[/url]

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  • From: Berlin
  • Registered: 2007-05-25
  • Posts: 50

Re: Permission too write about.

Boy, just think, if someone who's famous could sue you for writing a song about them, then George Bush would be putting a LOT of people in jail.

  • Registered: 2007-05-02
  • Posts: 70

Re: Permission too write about.

Hey,
Go figure, Billy Joel would be screwed over if that was a law, I mean, how many people and events did he sing about in "We Didn't Start the Fire"?

Jikklop

The Irish gave the bagpipes to the Scots as a joke, but the Scots haven't got the joke yet.