Half a Century in a Song

The always interesting Michelangelo Matos has written a terrific history of the shape-shifting song "Apache," a Hollywood throwaway turned surf-rock standard turned underground funk hit turned hip-hop building-block. Then Oliver Wang posted the soundtrack to the story online. I don't know if those tracks will be on Wang's site much longer, so listen while you can…

Comments

[Sp]

"I don't know if those tracks will be on Wang's site much longer, so listen while you can..."

"Hey, everybody, go infringe a bunch of copyrights over here! Go deprive owners of their rightful returns! It's the Reasoned, capitalist way!"

[cdunlea]

Wow...I heard the Incredible Bongo version worked into a mix set a month ago by Susan Moribito at a club here in Boston...had no idea what it was, just that it sounded cool.

[David Rossie]

I think a Hit & Run mention is deserving of Catallarchy's Day of Remembrance, in honor of "May Day."

[David Rossie]

Whoops, I mean:

I think Catallarchy's Day of Remembrance is deserving of a Hit & Run mention.

[fyodor]

I'll take this inopportune opportunity to say rest in peace, Hasil Adkins--well, or whatever state of mind you'd prefer!

[Jesse Walker]

"Hey, everybody, go infringe a bunch of copyrights over here! Go deprive owners of their rightful returns! It's the Reasoned, capitalist way!"

I hope Wang doesn't have to test it in court, but this should be a clear-cut case of fair use: He's quoting music in a scholarly context, the same way you'd quote text in an essay or a review. The facts that the MP3s are only being posted temporarily, that some of them are merely excerpts from the songs, and that the site includes links to buy entire albums by the artists -- I plan to purchase that Incredible Bongo Band CD myself -- makes your objection even less tenable.

[Sp]

I confess to not visiting Wang's site itself. My comment was based solely on your noting that the tracks might not be there "much longer." I figured you were thus conceding there is a question of their propriety.

[Sp]

...And happily delivering visitors that way despite said concession.

[Jesse Walker]

Sp: The site says "Sound files are available for 10 days from posting." As of today, it's been 11 days. That's what I was referring to.

Fyodor: Thanks for telling me the sad news about Adkins. I just posted an obit.

[pigwiggle]

"Hey, everybody, go infringe a bunch of copyrights over here! Go deprive owners ??

Clever ? so how much of those ?rightful returns? you think Moby kicked down to Matos?

[ag]

here's a whole search engine devoted to breaks and samples. for people interested in such shibazz.

[Todd Fletcher]

I'd swear Esquivel did a version of this song, but I can't believe this guy would miss that if he dug up all this other stuff. Anybody know?

[Todd]

Nice article, though there is one mention missing IMHO. The fact that MC Hammer's "Turn this Mutha Out" is not in the list is pretty striking. After all, it was the hit that put Hammer on the map. While he eventually did sell out, the song was HUGE when it first came out, and the video for the song is kind of hot too.

[s.m. koppelman]

MC Hammer eventually sold out?

[Wang]

SP,

The issue is bandwidth, first and foremost. The legalities are always, of course, a concern but technically limitations are actually a far greater issue.