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Split Rights to UT and Mermaid Tracks?


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Besides the obvious vocal differences between Farrar/Bragg and Tweedy. I was struck today at an obvious observation that I guess I never grasped...I doesn't seem, by my mild brainstorming, that Tweedy ever seems to play any UT songs solo that he didn't sing on the UT records nor does Wilco play any songs that Tweedy didn't front on the Mermaid Ave. records. Is this because whomever had the writing/arranging credits sung it, and therefore has the overall rights to the song? I always wondered why Wilco never played one of my absolute favorites off of Mermaid Ave..."The Unwelcome Guest"...that may be because they don't have the rights because Bragg arranged it? Maybe...seems wierd that their names are both on the record. Any Intellectual Rights lawyers out there that can explain this to me? Never really gave it much thought until this afternoon.

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I can't say anything about the legality of singing other people songs. But I would imagine Tweedy never plays those songs because they are not "his". With the Uncle Tupelo songs, the ones that he doesn't sing, he probably didn't write or really have much to do with the initial creation of the song. The impression that I get is Jeff wrote his songs and Jay wrote his songs and there was a clear divide between the two song writers. As far as Mermaid avenue stuff, I think the same thing goes. He probably doesn't feel connected to those songs that Bragg sings on because he didn't have as big a part in shaping their direction.

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I don't think he would want to, he was on pretty bad terms with Bragg and Farrar so I wouldn't be surprised if he just didn't feel like singing their songs. But I'm pretty sure Wilco has played Walt Whitman's Niece a few times before.

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I don't think he would want to, he was on pretty bad terms with Bragg and Farrar so I wouldn't be surprised if he just didn't feel like singing their songs. But I'm pretty sure Wilco has played Walt Whitman's Niece a few times before.

 

Well played. That's a nice catch...they have performed that one. All the same, it happens almost never, and wonder if there is a reason other than voice and pride.

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That was part of the initial question. I guess I may not have studied the liner notes on the writer's credits for all the UT songs, but did Jay only sing the songs he wrote and Jeff the songs he wrote?...no collaboration? If that is the case, then it makes perfect sense. Because what he plays now seems to be strictly what he sang on the studio tracks. Plus, I guess it would be weird in a way, but they were the bands songs. Kind of like Jesus, etc. Bennett wrote that, but it is Wilco's song. I don't know, some of those UT tracks would be perfect for his solo sets, and it would be nice to hear them again.

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That was part of the initial question. I guess I may not have studied the liner notes on the writer's credits for all the UT songs, but did Jay only sing the songs he wrote and Jeff the songs he wrote?...no collaboration? If that is the case, then it makes perfect sense. Because what he plays now seems to be strictly what he sang on the studio tracks. Plus, I guess it would be weird in a way, but they were the bands songs. Kind of like Jesus, etc. Bennett wrote that, but it is Wilco's song. I don't know, some of those UT tracks would be perfect for his solo sets, and it would be nice to hear them again.

 

I think they were Jay songs and Jeff songs. I have always looked at Uncle Tupelo that way. I believe the first two albums note the following: All songs written by Jay Farrar, Jeff Tweedy, and Mike Heidorn except as indicated. All music written by Farrar/Tweedy/Heidorn.

 

I think the last two albums have more of an individual credit attached to the songs.

 

I may be wrong.

 

Wilco actually did do a bit of a Son Volt song - at least once that I know of.

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Jesus, don't cry...does it really matter who plays what songs now? Honestly, I can't imagine Tweedy singing Farrar songs. Those early days were magic for Farrar--the only time he really shined. Musically, Tweedy has risen way above Farrar in his career. UT was what it was and is still a joyous experience to listen to and pay attention to. But for what it was, not what it could be rehashed as. Let sleeping giants lay.

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Paul has played the entire Abbey Road suite with John's songs and is recently doing "A Day In The Life". He's also done "Something" dozens of times.

 

Even Paul, for the most part, only plays the songs he wrote.
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Jesus, don't cry...does it really matter who plays what songs now? Honestly, I can't imagine Tweedy singing Farrar songs. Those early days were magic for Farrar--the only time he really shined. Musically, Tweedy has risen way above Farrar in his career. UT was what it was and is still a joyous experience to listen to and pay attention to. But for what it was, not what it could be rehashed as. Let sleeping giants lay.

Hi Jeff! :wave

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Why would Jeff want to sing a song Jay wrote? That does not make any sense to me.
Exactly...I can't even believe we are talking about this. Why on earth would Jeff sing a song Jay wrote, even if they did get along, since he has written a ton of great songs and he has other songs to cover that interest him more....

 

Regarding Paul playing John's songs, even those that are clearly john's are credited to the both of them and frankly if I were Paul I would sing John's songs too.....

 

LouieB

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I have to agree about it being a strange question and about why would Jeff have any desire to sing Jay's songs. If he didn't sing them in the Tupelo days, what would compel him to sing them now? If he sang a Jay UT song, it would, in my opinion obviously, seem so contrived no matter the reason, that Jeff would look like an ass. Jaysus, that's a lot of commas. It can't be grammatically correct, can it?

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Guest Gym Teacher Man
Kind of like Jesus, etc. Bennett wrote that, but it is Wilco's song.

 

Is that true? I'm pretty sure it's not. Those aren't Jeff's lyrics?

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Is that true? I'm pretty sure it's not. Those aren't Jeff's lyrics?

According to Bennett, he wrote some of the lyrics. Not just to that song either. Of course, who actually knows what is going on up in Jay's noggin.

 

(Please, don't post the list again. Not the list). :crybaby

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Guest Gym Teacher Man
According to Bennett, he wrote some of the lyrics. Not just to that song either. Of course, who actually knows what is going on up in Jay's noggin.

 

(Please, don't post the list again. Not the list). :crybaby

 

 

Ha. That list is classic. What a D-bag. Anyway, even if Bennett did have some lyrical input to Jesus, ect., it clearly isn't a Bennett song.

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Besides the obvious vocal differences between Farrar/Bragg and Tweedy. I was struck today at an obvious observation that I guess I never grasped...I doesn't seem, by my mild brainstorming, that Tweedy ever seems to play any UT songs solo that he didn't sing on the UT records nor does Wilco play any songs that Tweedy didn't front on the Mermaid Ave. records. Is this because whomever had the writing/arranging credits sung it, and therefore has the overall rights to the song? I always wondered why Wilco never played one of my absolute favorites off of Mermaid Ave..."The Unwelcome Guest"...that may be because they don't have the rights because Bragg arranged it? Maybe...seems wierd that their names are both on the record. Any Intellectual Rights lawyers out there that can explain this to me? Never really gave it much thought until this afternoon.

 

It's not a rights issue, you're free to play pretty much any piece of music you'd like live without having to pay royalty rights. Though the songwriting in Uncle Tupelo was split three ways on the first two records, I believe like R.E.M. they decided to split the royalties three ways no matter who wrote the song and for the most part Tweedy wrote the songs he sang, Farrar wrote the songs he sang and they didn't really collaborate much.

 

Jay Bennett wrote the chorus of Jesus, etc and most of the music.

 

This is how Jay's interview with Glorious Noise in 2002 ends

 

I hope that answers your questions, and for now, peace, love, and best wishes to all who read this. And to Jeff, John, Glenn, and Leroy, even if you don't ever get a chance to read this, I love and miss all of you...

 

I know he can make it very hard for people to like him, but I just can't dump on a guy who'd end an interview that way.

 

--Mike.

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Guest Gym Teacher Man
I know he can make it very hard for people to like him, but I just can't dump on a guy who'd end an interview that way.

 

i don't buy his sincerity.

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