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No New Thing Under The Sun
By joseexist in Musings On Muses
August 9, 2010

“There is no new thing under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 1:9

That bible passage certainly applies to artistic creation. How many of the songs that we enjoy today are actually re-makes or ‘cover tunes’? Musical historians no doubt take pride in following the life of songs which are firstly born at some point in the past and then end up being released time and time again by subsequent artist. Granted, there are new songs released on a daily basis but, given the nature of music in general, there are only so many ways to string together notes, chords, and progressions. Orchestral knowledge is always an artists’ friend.

A little known trend involves present day artists sitting down to listen to the latest ‘hit’. They dissect it in search for the key elements that make it memorable. Once they identify the magic parts the proceed to dice them up and reassemble them into what they hope will be a new hit. Word cadences are sometimes preserved one-hundred percent while the actual words are completely different. The music might be sped up or slowed down. The order of the notes, chords, and progressions is toggled into something that any artists would hope would stave off charges of copywrite infringement. What we get is something that might sound different yet feel the same or sounds the same yet feels different, or even sounds and feels anywhere from very similar to vaguely similar. It’s no crime to search for inspiration in such a manner but it still feels a bit wrong.

When I first became aware of this practice I had my doubts. I have yet to employ such techniques in my own artistic endeavors but after several conversations with fellow networkers I am leaning that way evermore slightly. I fully realize now that over the years I have been exposed to musicians who do this either on purpose or quite accidentally. Re-wording a song and turning it into a platform as a comedic piece, ala ‘Weird Al’ is obviously not something without precedent. Neither is mutating a song into some other type of tune, especially if that new tune can stand on its own.

Covering other artists’ tunes is a way to display ones talents as a performer. If you can pull it off well enough, you stand to gain notoriety. There are several dangers that might have to be a part of the contemplation of such a feat. Firstly, you will either be capturing the same instrumental tones of the original, or some later ‘cover’ version. Secondly, you might want to step out a bit farther and inject some section of your own originality at some point or points in the performance. Five Finger Death Punch’s recent cover of “Bad Company” is one current pinnacle of how to do the latter with sheer style. However the task is approached it must be done with conviction and an attention to flavor and with the utmost respect for the artist and the tune you’re covering.

I have yet to record a single cover in my musical career. All along I have learned a few of my favorites and jammed them on guitar from time to time. When the day comes that I actually do I am well aware of the legal territory I will have to go through. Getting written permission might be all that is required in some cases. Paying a fee will more than likely be the case. Either way, the original writers, performers, and whoever owns the rights will have to be listed in the liner notes.

Over the last six years or so of writing and recording I have rarely entertained thoughts about how original my material might be. I just keep doing what I like. Perchance something should end up too similar to somebody else’s song, I’ll just cross that bridge when I get there. Until then, my bliss is my heart and soul swimming in an ocean of ‘muses’.

“The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.”