NDP Fun Pack Song 'May Have Flouted Copyright Laws'
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Fun Pack Song 'May Have Flouted Copyright Laws'
Source: Linkie
Organizers of this year's National Day Parade (NDP) may have flouted copyright laws after they modified the lyrics of a Lady Gaga hit to create a song about its goodie bag, said lawyers yesterday.
The Fun Pack Song rips off Lady Gaga's Bad Romance by using the tune but substituting lyrics that celebrate the items inside the pack such as Newater, biscuits and sweets.
Lam Chung Nian, an intellectual property lawyer, pointed out that the song has a few lines that duplicate the lyrics of Bad Romance.
If the lyrics of the NDP version were completely different, issues of infringement would have been less clear, said Mr Lam, a partner at a local law firm.
'In this case, they reproduced a couple of lines that remind people of and draw attention to the original lyrics,' he added.
For instance, the lyrics 'you know that I want you, and you know that I need you' appear in both Bad Romance and the Fun Pack Song.
The song was first performed at last Saturday's rehearsal of the parade at the floating platform in Marina Bay.
There were plans to repeat it during rehearsals and on National Day on Aug 9.
On Tuesday, the organizers had acknowledged that while they had permission to publicly perform Bad Romance, this did not include the go-ahead to modify the lyrics.
Yesterday, they confirmed that they have shelved plans to perform the song until they get the go-ahead from music publishing firm Sony/ATV Music Publishing, which owns the rights to the score and lyrics, as well as Lady Gaga's record label, Interscope, which is represented by Universal Music here.
Colonel Ong Tze-Ch'in, chairman of the NDP show segment, reiterated at a media briefing that his team is working to 'secure the rights to modify the lyrics'.
Declining to give details of the negotiations with the other parties, he said: 'They have not gotten back to us yet.'
Lam said that in hammering out a deal, one of the key issues would likely be the popularity of Bad Romance.
'Typically, the more iconic and popular a song, then more licence fees may have to be paid out,' he added.
Bad Romance, from Lady Gaga's second album, was a worldwide hit.
Mr Lam declined to specify an amount, though The Straits Times understands that it can go up to tens of thousands of dollars.
Meanwhile, the YouTube video of the Fun Pack Song has garnered more than 87,000 views, with more than 200 likes and 5,000 dislikes.
The ditty's lyricist, Haresh Sharma, who scripted the NDP musical and three other songs, said he stands by his work.
'It's a tongue-in-cheek parody... I believe it's still fun and still works,' he said.
He added: 'It's a song meant only to introduce items in the fun pack, nothing more, nothing less.'
Lady Gaga is in town to perform in an exclusive showcase for SingTel customers today. Her representatives could not be reached for comment yesterday.******************************
For those who are in the dark about the 'Fun Pack Song'.... here you go:
I couldn't watch it past thirty seconds.
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i don't even dare to click on the link
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shd have used born this way rite........................................
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got money also not like tat throw away de...
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Haiz... Government has seriously killed off all creavity left in us Singaporeans.
First is JJ Lin's Oh yeah x3 YOG cheer. Now the fun pack song.
Pathetic.
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Originally posted by tripsky:
i don't even dare to click on the link
x2 -
Piracy is much ingrained in Singapore commercial practice, culture, and daily life.
Nice to see that even official sectors have yet to learn what life in the world is about, that you cannot do as you please.
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Hitler reacts @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwfaZ8tODCM
in the song, the lyrics of "fun pack pack" sounds like "pepek".
in malay language, it means V*****...haha... lol...
kopi-O oh-oh-oh... and too much kopi-o...
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I feel ashamed to be Singaporean. Once again.
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I watched the whole thing. now i've got nightmares and my skin is crawling with disgust and embarrassment.
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Originally posted by killtheink:
I watched the whole thing. now i've got nightmares and my skin is crawling with disgust and embarrassment.
That's my exact sentiments.
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Originally posted by Nikki tan:
That's my exact sentiments.
lol you should watch the hitler vid in reaction to the song. that helped to take some of the pain away.
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Do you happen to have the link?
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Originally posted by Nikki tan:
Do you happen to have the link?
here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwfaZ8tODCM&feature=share
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Originally posted by Rednano:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwfaZ8tODCM
in the song, the lyrics of "fun pack pack" sounds like "pepek".
in malay language, it means V*****...haha... lol...
kopi-O oh-oh-oh... and too much kopi-o...
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The song is awful. Please dont showcase this during NDP.
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sigh where's the creativity
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Originally posted by killtheink:
I watched the whole thing. now i've got nightmares and my skin is crawling with disgust and embarrassment.
I respect you, brudder.
I couldn't even last thirty seconds.
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Haiz -
Haiz -
Originally posted by killtheink:
here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwfaZ8tODCM&feature=share
Haha it's so hilarious.
Can't stop laughing at all these hitler parodies....
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Originally posted by Nikki tan:
Haha it's so hilarious.
Can't stop laughing at all these hitler parodies....
hahahahaha!
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Originally posted by fudgester:
I respect you, brudder.
I couldn't even last thirty seconds.
haha you mean sister ah?
yeah my symptoms not as bad. my friend got nausea and lost her appetite after she finished watching.
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Originally posted by killtheink:
haha you mean sister ah?
yeah my symptoms not as bad. my friend got nausea and lost her appetite after she finished watching.
Haha. Okay, sister.
Anyway, the original link doesn't work anymore due to a copyright claim by Sony ATV Publishing (i.e. Lady Gaga's parent company).
Bottom line.... yes, there are copyright issues involved, and the cockanaden who didn't realize that rights to air a song != rights to modify the song seriously needs his head checked.
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during lady gaga's press-con yday, when reporter wanna ask her abt this, he was interrupted and had his mic snatched away