[peel] A new England

[John Gray]

Sorry, I was responding to your remark about the Wedding Present.  I agree - Billy Bragg lifted the lines without permission, and as you say, it's unlikely to be have been Paul Simon personally who objected.

JG

On 20 May 2012, at 12:43, Mike Parker wrote:

> 
> i disagree, if bragg had felt a degree of homage he would have contacted paul simon first before using the lyrics without consent and lets be honest profiteering from it allegedly, who`s going to be pleased about that? paul simon might have been amused by it rather like bono was over the u2/negativland saga but ultimately if your not on your own record label then its your management team that call the shots which they did in the case of paul simon..
> 
> From: John Gray <jt.gray@btinternet.com>
> To: peel@yahoogroups.com 
> Sent: Sunday, 20 May 2012, 12:16
> Subject: Re: [peel] A new England
> 
>  
> Plagiarism? Such a hurtful word!  Tribute, perhaps?  Homage?
> 
> John Gray
> On 20 May 2012, at 10:30, Mike Parker wrote:
> 
>>  
>> 
>> i wonder if the wedding present[nice bloke, shame about the songs] were guilty of shamefull plagarism also; if so i think we need to be told.
>> 
>> From: John Gray <jt.gray@...>
>> To: peel@yahoogroups.com 
>> Sent: Sunday, 20 May 2012, 9:41
>> Subject: Re: [peel] A new England
>> 
>>  
>> I remember hearing him explain once how he thought they were great opening lines for a song, and didn't think anyone would mind if he used them - then he got a letter from Paul Simon's lawyers!  He didn't say how things were resolved though.
>> 
>> john Gray
>> 
>> 
>> On 19 May 2012, at 22:32, lorcan58 wrote:
>> 
>>>  
>>> I'm sure most of you already know this but I never realised that Billy Bragg's iconic opening lines:
>>> 
>>> I was 21 years when I wrote this song
>>> 22 now but I won't be for long
>>> 
>>> were actually lifted from a 1967 Simon & Garfunkel song "The Leaves That Are Green". You can listen to the original here:
>>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeTMPyLP5YM
>>> 
>>> Mind you, I always wondered how he aged a year between the first and second lines...
>>> 
>>> Lorcan
>>> 
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