BLAWG REVIEW #212
By Tamera H. Bennett BLAWG REVIEW #212
"You Don't Have To Call Me Darlin,' Darlin'"
When I teach music publishing classes or seminars I always give an example to explain the difference between an idea and the expression of an idea. The expression of the idea fixed into a tangible medium is what is protected by copyright law.
My favorite example is to tell the class they each need to write a song that includes these ideas: trains, rain, momma, jail and pickup trucks. (Yes, lyrics still count). In the end they may all come up with something completely different and each original work would be protected by copyright law. Even if those same ideas are found in another song … the perfect Country & Western song.
Songwriter Steve Goodman penned the lyrics that singer David Allan Coe made famous in 1974 and turned the classic country song “You Never Even Call Me By My Name” a/k/a “You Don’t Have To Call Me Darlin,’ Darlin’” click to watch the video into a country cult classic. (Country cult is not an oxymoron, is it?)
Verse One Well it was all That I could do to keep from cryin' Sometimes it seemed so useless to remain But you don't have to call me darlin', darlin' You never even call me by my name
Sometimes it seemed so useless to remain… We don’t know for sure if he and “darlin” are married, but in Texas it could have been a common law marriage. Watch out during those divorce proceedings for taped phone calls and emails showing up in discovery says the New Jersey Law Blog. The Alabama Family Law Blog makes it clear it takes two to tango but only one spouse to get a divorce.
You never even call me by my name… As a trademark/branding lawyer one of my clients' biggest concerns is being called by the right name and making sure no competitor is using the same or similar name. Check with the Los Angeles Trademark Attorney Blog to see if it is the "The Girl From Ipanema" wearing that IPANEMA tagged swimsuit. Over at the TTABLOG we can voice our thoughts on Lamb's vs Lam for rum. Las Vegas Trademark Attorney Ryan Giles asks will the real Andre Agassi and Stephi Graf stand up now that their cybersquatters are down? Mr. President, please do not be confused by those pending OBAMA trademark applications in the EU as reported by the IPKAT. And Google, what are you doing now with those crazy adwords? Read the update from IP lawyer Ron Coleman on the Texas class action against Google. This week is the Annual International Trademark Association Convention in Seattle so I am giving a special shout out to Seattle Trademark Attorney Michael Atkins comparing the Space Needle to the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame.
Verse Two You don't have to call me Waylon Jennings And you don't have to call me Charley Pride And you don't have to call me Merle Haggard, anymore Even though you're on my fightin' side
CHORUS: And I'll hang around as long as you will let me And I never minded standin' in the rain But you don't have to call me darlin', darlin' You never even call me by my name
Just make sure she really wants you hanging around because GPS can now be attached to stalkers.
Verse Three Well I've heard my name A few times in your phone book (Hello, Hello) And I've seen it on signs where I've played But the only time I know I'll hear David Allan Coe Is when Jesus has his final Judgment Day
REPEAT CHORUS
Watch out for those signs, too. Like Woody Allen, sometimes your picture might be associated with something you oppose.
RECITATION: Well, a friend of mine named Steve Goodman wrote that song And he told me it was the perfect Country & Western song I wrote him back a letter and I told him it was not the perfect Country & Western song because he hadn't said anything at all about Mama, Or trains, Or trucks, Or prison, Or gettin' drunk. Well he sat down and wrote another verse to the song And he sent it to me, And after reading it, I realized that my friend had written the perfect Country & Western song And I felt obliged to include it on this album The last verse goes like this here:
Well I was drunk the day my Mom got out of prison And I went to pick her up in the rain But before I could get to the station in my pickup truck She got runned over by a damned old train
This additional verse that makes the song the perfect country and western song, also makes it o-so perfect for Blawg Review….
Did he say drunk and prison in the same line? You better see what my Twitter colleagues have to say at the Criminal Defense Blog, the Simple Justice Blog and the Defending People Blog.
Trains, people and trucks rarely make a good combination. See what the Chicago Injury Lawyer Blog has to say about a recent train accident. Read here about the man charged with DUI in a car/train accident. Also, no texting while driving the train.
CHORUS: And I'll hang around as long as you will let me And I never minded standin' in the rain No, you don't have to call me darlin', darlin' You never even call me Well I wonder why you don't call me Why don't you ever call me by my name
Until I re-read this post I thought it was the perfect Blawg Review post. Then I realized it said nothing about...
Fashion and the law Cuban Trade Laws and the impact on music Estate PlanningCopyright InfringementNegotiationsThe TheatreSocial Media in the music businessBranding in the music businessPatents in the music business or Tattoos -- Famous Trademarks as Tattoos, that is
Now I realize I have written the perfect Blawg Review post.
You don't have to call me Darlin,' Darlin' .... just call me lawyer Tamera H. Bennett.
Blawg Review has information about next week's host, and instructions on how to get your blawg posts reviewed in upcoming issues.
UPDATED 5/18/09: American Apparel and Woody Allen settled for $5 Million after this Blawg Review went to press. Read more here.
