Late 70's hard rock is my comfort music. Yeah, I'm weird, I know...

I'm not really a music person.

That's not to say I don't enjoy listening to music, I do, it's just that I don't have the same burning, all consuming love of it that some people seem to have.  I have friends who can name every song or album by a particular artist.  Who can name any song just from hearing a ten second clip of it.

I'm not that person.

When I love a song, it's usually because it's linked in my mind to something.  I'll always love "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" thanks to an ex-boyfriend who serenaded me with it (and by serenaded, I mean warbled all the bits he could remember in a decidedly off-key manner ... but it was still sweet).  And there definitely more songs that have a place in my heart thanks to their connection to a TV show or movie than I'm entirely comfortable admitting to.

See that's the thing, I really only love a song if it prompts an emotional response in me, and that emotional response usually has nothing to do with the song itself.  And the songs that have the biggest responses?

AC/DC.

I know, it's a weird choice.  Late 70's early 80's rock.  But for some reason in my mind they're connected with being little.  I'm guessing they played on the radio a lot when I was a tot and I've subconsciously linked them to being safe and contented.

Because nothing calms a scared toddler more than a good dose of "You Shook Me All Night Long", don't you agree?

So what are your go to comfort songs?

Because second click-clack player is quite impressive...

From the second to last row of the theatre.

Bob: Look at that piano! That's one hell of a big piano for such a small stage. 

Me: I know, and they've got a trumpet, and a clarinet, and an oboe. Ooh, and a piccolo! How cute! 

*orchestra starts to warm up* 

Bob: I was in the band in school, did I ever tell you that? 

Me: Really? Me too! What did you play? 

Bob: The click-clack. 

Me: The ... huh? 

Bob: You know, the click-clack! That hollow bit of wood on a stick that you hit and it went click, clack, click, clack. 

Me: I see ... it wouldn't have happened to be the percussion band, would it? 

Bob: Yeah, how'd you know? I was pretty good too, I even worked out how to do the click, clack, clickclick, clack. 

Me: So were you first click-clack or second click-clack? 

Bob: Shut up! I was brilliant! 

Me: I'm sure you were. Best click-clack player around. 

Bob: Damned straight! So, what did you play? 

Me: (blandly) Second clarinet. 

Bob: Oh, well don't feel too bad. Not everyone can play the click-clack. 

Me: I'll try not to let it make me bitter...

NB.  The name Bob was randomly selected as a generic substitute for all my cohorts.  I'd say to protect the innocent, but then I'd spend the next twenty minutes laughing uproariously over the idea of anyone I associate with being innocent. 

Imitation is the sincerest form of plagiarism...

As a library employee, copyright is always a big issue around here.  Nothing like bringing up the 10% rule to get those librarians all twitterpated!  But something I don't know much about is copyright as it relates to music.

Which is a bit of a shame, given that over the past week a lot of the social networking sites I visit have gone insane about this particular issue.  Specifically, about whether copying the arrangement of a cover of a song is wrong if you have permission from the original artist to use it.

So here's the story.  The show Glee, which I'm a huge fan of, used the song Baby Got Back in its last episode.  But not the rappy Sir Mix-A-Lot version we're all so familiar with, instead they went with a soft ballad arrangement of the song.  It's really quite beautiful ... at least for a song about a guy expressing his appreciation for voluminous rear ends.

The thing is, that particular arrangement was actually created by a singer called Jonathan Coulton who is, quite understandably, upset that his work was used without his permission, without financial compensation, and without any acknowledgement of it being his work.  I mean, wouldn't you be?  You created something, albeit a cover of a song, and then a huge TV company goes and just uses it without so much as a by your leave.

The problem, however, seems to be that JoCo doesn't actually have any legal recourse.  He made a cover of a song, and when he bought his licence it was clearly stated that he couldn't copyright his modifications.  It said so in the contract.  That means that it's up for grabs to whoever else is willing to buy the licence.  It's clear cut, Glee didn't do anything legally wrong.

But what about morally?

Would it really have been so hard to just let the guy know it was happening?  To make sure when it was announced that credit was given to him for the arrangement?  That's what all the JoCo fans are asking right now.  Why didn't the people at Glee, who I'm sure know this copyright stuff backwards and forwards, give him the credit he was due?  Were they even allowed to, or did their contract prohibit them from doing it for some reason?

We don't know, because Glee have refused to comment so far.

I'm finding it all very disturbing.  As I said, I'm a huge fan of Glee.  Hell, anything that's essentially a teen soap opera where they break out into song and dance at every emotional climax gets a thumbs up in my books.  It's like Dawson's Creek meets The Sound of Music.

But I'm also a big believer in respecting the right of the creator.  We're all creators, and if someone took our stuff and used it without our knowledge and without crediting us, even if they were legally allowed to, we'd be gutted.

Ugh, I hate moral dilemmas.  Can't I just go back to thinking Darren Criss is cute?

Pale boy raps so good...

I'll be the first to admit it, my taste in music sucks.  I like far too much pop music to be discerning and I'm too fond of the golden oldies to be edgy.  Seriously, I not only know all the words to "The Way We Were", I know exactly where all the emphasis should be placed and I absolutely insist that it's sung that way whenever it plays on the radio in my car.

My iTunes list is, to be frank, embarrassing.  It's crammed with bad 90's tunes, sixties party mixes and glee songs.  Well, that and racy audio fictions with lots of guy on guy action.  So sue me!  I need something interesting to listen to when I'm doing the housework, and nothing speeds the vacuuming up like a little homoerotic rumpty pumpty.  We're living in the Fifty Shade era, people!

But of all the musical genres out there, the one that I usually try to steer clear of is rap.  I just don't get it.  It's people ... talking really fast ... with music in the background.  Yeah, just not getting it.

But even I had to be impressed by this guy.  As someone who regularly records audio books, I have a hard enough time getting the words out at a normal rate and I get the luxury of being able to stop and start as I need to ... I have no idea how this kid manages it!

Kudos dude, I'm impressed.