Credit Where Credit is Due

When my "Metallica - Ride The Lightning" cassette tape was new I would read the insert carefully gleaning every fine detail. I'd find answers to various questions. Who were the members? What were the lyrics? What products were endorsed? Who did artwork? Who did they thank? Where was it recorded? Who produced it? Who wrote it? This last question always seemed the most mysterious. It is obvious there are certain attributes each band member possesses defining Metallica as a whole. There's a drummer, a bassist, a lead guitarist, and a rhythm guitarist/vocalist. What seemed mysterious about the song writing credits were that in some cases only a few members received credit even though all had taken part in the recording.

Take for example the song "Motorbreath" from the album "Kill'em All". The writing credit is given to Hetfield and no other members. There is definitely drums, bass, and guitar solos on it. So what gives? I can't imagine Hetfield charted out the drums, bass, and guitar solos and said, "Ok guys play these parts as they are written".

I'm guessing he wrote all the lyrics and rhythm riffs and the other guys came up with parts that fit with what he had arranged.

So what does it take to get a song writing credit? Here's a link to an interesting piece. The author of this article states that song writing credits are often open-ended and not necessarily adhering to a universal standard. Often times credit is given to someone who may have agreed before hand to be a part of a writing group (like an LLC) and then they get credit whenever the group produces something. Other times it may be as simple as being able to convince an artist to change a word in the lyric or title of the song in order to receive credit. This seems the cheapest to me. What really is interesting about this is that if someone is given song writing credit they may also be able to receive royalties from the recording sales. Here's a link on songwriting credit lawsuit involving the Violent Femmes members. As you can see from this when money is involved people can become quite upset about the subject of song writing credits.

What then constitutes ethical song writing credits when dealing with sampled music? Take for example the case against 'The Beastie Boys' where they were sued for using a sample of a flute on a recording.

As thier arstistic style dictates, they often reuse samples of recordings interpolating them into a "new" recording. Does that make them infringers of other artists material when they use samples the way they do? Basically when they sample they are turning the recording into an instrument. So then the question becomes, if someone creates an instrument can they copyright what someone does with that instrument? I think there is a "yes" and a "no" answer to that question, but I'm thinking it has to be handled on a case by case basis.

I think it's interesting to think that it may be the influence on a song that should be also cited in the credits. An etmology of sorts. That if anything would give fans, historians, and academics more to understand about the music itself.

Think if the credits for the "Star Spangled Banner" were: Frances Scott Key, fingernail clippers. That seems unlikely, but why not? Sometimes the strangest of ideas lead to the next, and to the next. Eventually leading to the end. Makes me wonder if sometimes the songs are already written and we are just interpreting them and using them for our own benefit. That'd be sad if it were true.

For Now... (Adam, Scott, Trains)

Here's a song that isn't finished yet, but is something I started over the summer with my friend Scott. I have to put some more lyrics that he wrote to this and record a different arrangement.