Friday, December 05, 2008

who stole all the good ideas?
Current mood: meh!
Category: meh! Music

I normally don't bitch about stuff - but I have a gripe to make about the lack of original ideas in the music business. And I have a stellar example for you.

I love a song called 'set fire to the third bar' - a duet between snow patrol's Gary Lightbody and the astoundingly talented Martha Wainwright. It's unique, stunning and utterly compelling with a music video that features the imagery of a couple separated by two way mirrors in a police cell. When I first heard it I remember thinking how I wished I'd written a song just like it.
Seems like someone else had that idea too.

Recently, an artist called James Morrison released a new single, a duet with Nelly Furtado.
When I first heard it on the radio - I thought 'Hmm this sounds like someone at a record company wanted a 'set fire to the third bar' song and suggested James duet with someone like Martha.' It was as if someone had said, 'That Snow Patrol thingy was cool - you should do something like that!'. I made some snippity internal thought about the lack of originality at labels and the sheer laziness of the People In Charge Of Telling You What To Buy.
And then I moved on.

You can imagine my shock tonight when, I turned on the television to see, what I first thought was the video for the snow patrol / wainwright song.
Then I realized it wasn't - it was in fact the video for the James Morrison Nelly Furtado song.

It's a couple, separated by a two way mirror. Although this version is glossy, and highly airbrushed looking. And instead of a prison it's some swanky hotel with exploding plasma screens.

I'm astounded at how easy it is to rip off someone else's ideas in the music business!
It's like robbery in broad daylight.

All I know is, I know which song I prefer

Have a look and see what you think.
Here's the original
And here's its pale imitation.