I read in an interview with him that after 20 years he got the rights to his masters back from Warner Bros. Before 2004, he said for him to make all the money off Purple Rain he would have to re-enter the studio then re-record it. I just posting what came out of the horses mouth. If Prince was mistaken, then I stand corrected.

I thought Warner Bros. own the right to this song. How can Prince have any say in the matter. Prince if you want to keep your current fan and gain more, cut us some slack. Your name is Prine but with this attitude you are not a Prince.

He doesn't. He's just being a dickhead. Again.

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He is a dickhead because he does not want PR coverd by this guy.

It is his music and I do not want to hear PR in a Opera version so thank god it is not going to happen.

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He is a dickhead because he does not want PR coverd by this guy.

It is his music and I do not want to hear PR in a Opera version so thank god it is not going to happen.

I say well done Prince, the last thing we need is more crap like this.

CO SIGN!!
This dentist is probably another Weird Al Yankovick and who needs that crap! Prince takes his music seriously and doesn't want some nimrod making a characture of it or him. Now if the guy seriously has a bomb ass voice and did the song some justice then maybe its just a record company/royalties type issue.
I don't like dentist anyway! Their magazines suck and make u wait too long!

I bet you were the brightest in your class, weren't you? The article syays the singing dentist does operatic takes on famous songs, he doesn't do parodies. As for Weird Al Yankovic, (there's no k at the end) everyone else he's done parodies of has loved them.

I bet you were the dullest tool in the shed!! What an article says and what is fact aren't necessarily the same thing! I don't give a rat's ass how U spell old dude's name. Like, did his parents name him Weird? Not everyone has loved his parodies. Coolio hated the parody of Gangsta's Paradise. I hate all his parodies except "Like a Surgeon" So now what you got to say beef supreme?

Just as citizens of a nation must be educated about their rights to ensure that they are
protected and upheld, so too must those who compose words and music know the rights that
support their own acts of creation. Without these rights, which directly emanate from the U.S.
Constitution, many who dream of focusing their talents and energies on music creation would be
economically unable to do so - an outcome that would diminish artistic expression today and for
future generations.
At this time, when so many forces are seeking to diminish copyright protections and
devalue artistic expression, this Bill of Rights for Songwriters and Composers looks to clarify the
entitlements that every music creator enjoys.

1. We have the right to be compensated for the use of our creative works, and
share in the revenues that they generate.
2. We have the right to license our works and control the ways in which they
are used.
3. We have the right to withhold permission for uses of our works on artistic,
economic or philosophical grounds.
4. We have the right to protect our creative works to the fullest extent of the law
from all forms of piracy, theft and unauthorized use, which deprive us of our
right to earn a living based on our creativity.
5. We have the right to choose when and where our creative works may be
used for free.
6. We have the right to develop, document and distribute our works through new
media channels - while retaining the right to a share in all associated profits.
7. We have the right to choose the organizations we want to represent us and
to join our voices together to protect our rights and negotiate for the value of
our music.
8. We have the right to earn compensation from all types of “performances,”
including direct, live renditions as well as indirect recordings, broadcasts,
digital streams and more.
9. We have the right to decline participation in business models that require us to
relinquish all or part of our creative rights - or which do not respect our right to
be compensated for our work.
10. We have the right to advocate for strong laws protecting our creative works, and
demand that
[Edited 8/14/08 18:17pm]

Coolio only hated Amish Paradise because he was pissed it made more money than Gangsta's Paradise did. While we're on the topic, did he even pay Stevie for that theft sample?

Reading your oh so factual articles again? Since he and Stevie admire one another - spoken from their own lips - then maybe he didn't pay. Maybe it was a gift, homage, exchange - who the frick knows? I don even know what theft sample U talkin' about and don't really care!
Nice 2 C somebody on Al's jock tho. Carry On!!

The melody and a good chunk of the lyrics to the chorus were ripped from Pasttime Paradise. More than, it's my understanding, can just be given away as a "gift". Considering how many artists of Stevie's caliber have been ripped off and screwed over by rap artists, I think asking whether Stevie made any money off Gangsta's Paradise is a fair question. So too, is pointing out the stupidity of Coolio getting mad about a parody -a parody that he gave permission for, no less -of a song that he borrowed from somebody else.

I'm not "on Al's jock" as so you eloquently put it. I'm asking questions about fair use, which is what this thread is about, innit? You want to start a thread complaining about someone like Weird Al -someone who everyone but Prince seems to like -then by all means.

Weird Al is your idol not mine - So you go start a thread! As for Stevie and this alleged rip of Pasttime Paradise by Prince and all these other rap artists whom you fail to mention ;if he was indeed ripped to the degree that you insinuate then that's his quest and responsibility to deal with. Isn't it? And if you think Prince is some big pimp ass thief then what are U doing in this org? I wouldn't support someone who I thought was a bold faced plagiarist! The way you're writing/thinking, why in the hell are you in favor of this dentist doing his alleged operatic version of Purple Rain to get a record deal? Your circles are dizzying!

Man, I would die for some of whatever you've been smoking, because it sounds like a hoot.

I said COOLIO may or may not have stolen that sample of Stevie's, not Prince. Your argument doesn't work if you refuse to get the names right.

No. He's a dickhead because of how much he has covered throughout his career but now he doesn't want anyone to cover his stuff. Does he owe anybody anything (as the die hard fams that find no fault whatsoever in anything that he ever does love to say...y'all remind of the Repugnantens with the whole "stay the course" cliche on constant loop)? No he doesn't. But what's the point of embracing hypocrisy?
I've heard of at least 2 bands being blindsided when they heard that lil Hitler did their song in a public forum without their permission. Whether he put those covers on a cd or not is irrelevant. The fact is that he performed a copywritten piece without the owners approval.
If this singer, or any other, did it the lil Hitler way then he wouldn't have known about his song being done until one of his lawyers crawled out of his butt and told him about it. Would that have been better?
No matter what you personally think of another version of PR, and I'm sure that lil Hitler can sleep at night now knowing that laurarichardson (whoever the hell that is) didn't personally want to hear that version, it all comes back to treat others as you want to be treated. If your lord and master wants others to come crawling to him to request his approval, then what comes around is that he should be doing the same thing.
Now, with that said...Lil Hitler Fams unite! Avenge your lord and master from this peasants blasphemy.

SO SPANK ME ALREADY,,,I'M TIRED OF YO SHIT!
MAYBE THEIVERY MAYBE NOT...MAKE UP YOUR MIND.

Prince's attitude toward other people covering his work wouldn't be a problem if he'd never covered music himself. But he has, and on more than one occasion completely without permission. It's hypocrisy at it's highest -and unfortunately, is becoming a running pattern for Our Hero.

Increasingly it's simply becoming fact that if anyone wants to be a Prince fan without losing their damned mind they've got to accept the fact that he's a self-absorbed asshole. Prove me wrong.

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Read below since you missed it the first time. You do not have to ask permission to cover a song live. I do not know of any Prince recorded covers were it was not credited.

He has only recorded 3 cover songs that have been officially released and I am sure the publishers were paid for those and the owners of the copyright could have denied him permission or made a public fuss if they choose to do so.

It is not about anyone being a “fam” the reality is he owns his songs and he can do as he pleased with them you don’t have to like it but, he is well within his rights.
I have heard of at least two bands being blindsided when they heard that lil Hitler did their song in a public forum without their permission. Whether he put those covers on a cd or not is irrelevant. The fact is that he performed a copywritten piece without the owners approval.

You do not have to ask the owners permission to do a cover song live.

A courtesy request is just good manners though, even if you don't legally need permission. Foo Fighters, Radiohead, Sly Stone, Stevie, Joni and all the others I'm forgetting. What if someone decides they're not happy Prince did their music without letting them know or asking ahead of time?

The fact still remains though, that Prince is always getting his purple knickers in a twist about others doing covers of his work. Even in instances where they've clearly taken the legal route and gotten proper permission, he's got himself in a snit over it. That he can behave like that, then turn around and cover other artists continually is a bit disappointing. He shouldn't get to have it both ways. Either be for or against cover versions.

I love the little guy's music, but based on things like this I'm glad I don't need to deal with him in person.