Let's take a look at a range of recent articles on that humble but profoundly powerful art form, the song. While most songs only last a few minutes in performance, some of them have long and interesting histories.
You can read these articles using CPL's Online Resources, but I've also noted if an article is available freely on the web.
"'Blurred Lines' Copyright Verdict Creates Bad Law for Musicians" by Noah Feldman
Chicago Tribune, March 16, 2015 (also available on the Chicago Tribune website)
What with Grammy winner Sam Smith acknowledging a debt to Tom Petty for "Stay With Me" and Mark Ronson extending credit for "Uptown Funk" to the Gap Band, the question of authorship is much under discussion in the music industry (again). Most notoriously, Robin Thicke, T.I. and Pharrell and the Marvin Gaye estate have taken their disagreement to court. Most experts deride the song but argue that the March 2015 jury award went too far and may have grave consequences for the industry.
"Kazuo Ishiguro on Leonard Cohen’s ‘I Can’t Forget'" by Kazuo Ishiguro
Wall Street Journal, April 18, 2015 (also available on the Wall Street Journal website)
Part of a Wall Street Journal series, this short piece by beloved fiction writer Kazuo Ishiguro looks at a song he loves that taps into a theme that resonates in his own novels: memory. While many entries in this interesting series are behind a paywall on the Wall Street Journal site, you can read the whole series on our Wall Street Journal online resource.
"Guy Carawan Dies at 87; Taught a Generation to Overcome, in Song" by Margalit Fox
New York Times, May 7, 2015 (also available on the New York Times website)
"We Shall Overcome" has become a major anthem in American life, and it is usually associated with the civil rights movement, but the long history of its authorship may surprise you. This recent New York Times obituary explores one man's contributions to the song and to history.
"The Life of A Song: Guantanamera" by David Cheal
Financial Times, March 13, 2015 (also available on the Financial Times website)
Like the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times has a series of short articles on the background of notable songs. (You can also read the series on our Proquest Newspapers online resource.) A recent entry takes a look at what is perhaps the most famous Cuban song in history and its long cultural life.
"The Song That Marches On: The Obscure Origins and History of America's Unofficial Anthem" by John Stauffer
The Civil War Times, February 2015
Speaking of anthems, few songs can rival "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" for its place in American life. This gem of a journal article traces its history from the early 1800s to a 9/11 memorial service.
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