I’ve seen audiences get riled up about song contests, but rarely seen an orchestra almost run riot. Italy’s San Remo song contest is a prestigious event that celebrates the classic tradition of Italian canzone. What is surprising is that contestants have to face two juries: the orchestra playing behind the singers and the general public. The 2010 edition, which just closed, witnessed some incredible scenes, when the orchestra started throwing music sheets and booing when one of the contestants got through to the final three. TV presenter (and grandson of Italy’s last king) Emanuele Filiberto had given a comparatively poor vocal performance and should have been eliminated. But the popular vote got him through.

At the end of the day, however, the festival’s honour was saved when Valerio Scanu won the 2010 award, singing the ballad “Per tutte le volte che” (for all the times) written by Pierdavide Carone. The best man won this time at least.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t embed the scene of the musicians letting rip. But you can find a report on Euronews.

I took some time at Midem 2010 to put a question to David Stark, publisher of SongLink. His tipsheet provides some of the best tips in the business, hooking up major artists with songs. The “names” have included Tina Tuner, James Blunt, Kim Wilde and many others. Publishers and songwriters use SongLink obviously to get their songs on the shortlist. So the obvious question was: what does it take to write for a name artist?

You’ll find the answer here.

One of popular music’s most remarkable songs, “Dans le port d’Amsterdam” made famous by Jacques Brel, has now been linked to an old Irish song called “Since Greybeards Inform Us That Youth Will Decay” by T. Toms.

In 1814-16, Beethoven (no less) was asked to transcribe 20 Irish songs (lieders) for the Scottish publisher George Thomson. They include this melody (WoO 153 n°4), which was later recorded by the Music Group of London amongst others. Journalist Serge Llado has created a mash-up of the two recordings, which is quite simply stunning. Listen to it here. Source: Si ça vous chante.

Inevitably, the question of plagiarism arises. It’s hard to defend, as Brel died many years ago. Did he have access to obscure lieders transcribed by Beethoven? What’s interesting also is that both songs stand out by very powerful yet different lyrics. I can’t resist adding them, as they are almost Shakespearian (in a good way):

Since greybeards inform us that youth will decay,
And pleasure’s soft transports glide swiftly away:
The song, and the dance, and the vine, and the fair,
Shall banish all sorrow and shield us from care.
Away with your proverbs, your morals, and rules,
Your proctors, and doctors, and pedants, and schools:
Let’s seize the bright moments while yet in our prime,
And fast by the forelock catch old father Time.

Tho’ spring’s lovely blossoms delight us no more,
Tho’ summer forsake us, and autumn be o’er;
To cheer us in winter, remembrance can bring
The pleasures of autumn, and summer, and spring:
So when fleeting seasons bring life’s latest stage,
To speak of youth’s frolic shall gladden our age:
Then seize the bright moments while yet in our prime,
And fast by the forelock catch old father Time

Incidentally, if you try them over “Amsterdam”, they work perfectly. Wouldn’t “Old Father Time” have been a better title?

If anyone knows anything about T. Toms, I’d appreciate some more information.

The unpredictable nature of plagiarism cases was proved again when it was ruled that Men at Work would have to pay out between 40-60% of earnings from their anthemic comedy song, “Down Under”. The case was brought by the music company Larrikin, which bought the rights to the Australian scout song “Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree”, composed in the thirties. They claim the flute solo in “Down Under” plagiarised their copyright. Given that a song is a combination of the melody and the words, I was surprised they were claiming part of the copyright for what is in fact part of the arrangement – although I’m not a legal expert and it looks as though the court felt otherwise. The ruling notes that the riff “feels different”, which is quite an understatement. Apparently, the song was originally composed without the riff. But the ruling stands.

For those with a legal mind, you can read the ruling here.

The perception of traditional Irish music is that it was all written in the Middle Ages. But that’s forgetting that many musicians write in traditional mode, creating new songs in a recognisable trad style. This is true of Cesaria Evora and indeed of the Stray Cats (jumping genres). This fact was underlined at the recent concert of Shantalla in Brussels on January 30.

Shantalla are a six-piece traditional Irish band that had considerable success across Europe and recently reunited after a gap of several years. From reading past reviews, I can see that what made them stand out then is as true today: their remarkable energy and cohesion. Within the cosy confines of the Théâtre Molière, they played a first half of songs that mixed mid- and up-tempos. Helen Flaherty’s singing was introduced, revealing the stories behind the songs.

This was the revelation of sorts. Many of the songs – even the jigs and reels – are contemporary, written by the members of the band or Irish and Scottish songwriters. They fit seamlessly into the traditional playlist – but then, what does it mean to be “traditional” when you are singing songs that refer to Srebenica? Many of the traditional songs handed down to us covered political issues. So it’s hardly surprising that contemporary traditional Irish music should do likewise.

The group finished with some rousing jigs and reels. They have plans to appear on RTBF’s “Le monde est un village” radio show soon, with an album to follow. Follow our Twitter feed for news or visit Shantalla’s website.

On 25th February Cancer Research UK’s Sound & Vision event will take place at the iconic Abbey Road Studios, celebrating rock, pop, the people who make it and the images it inspires. A range of memorabilia is up for grabs, including lyrics by Biffy Clyro, Tori Amos and a neat drum skin from Kaiser Chiefs with the lyrics of “I Predict a Riot”.

Find out more on the e-Bay page.

Yep, they’ve done it again. Every publishing contract that I have ever signed obliges the publisher to request my permission if the song is to be used in a political campaign. Yet very often, politicians skip over that detail and decide to use music they like or think appropriate.

In a recent spat between The Eagles’ Joe Walsh and a politician of the same name, the composer has asked the politician to desist from using a re-written version of his song “Lead the Way”. The politician claims it is a parody, which I don’t think it is – it’s a clear re-write for political purposes.

It would be interesting to see what a court would say about this, but I doubt it will get that far.

Eminem will be back in the UK for a show in 2010, the first in over 5 years. However, organisers were worried that the shows would be boycotted by the powerful Outrage gay rights group, who protested at previous shows and have been very effective in obstructing shows by Jamaican artists with overtly homophobic lyrics. So an agreement has been reached with the body, in which Eminem agreed not to perform lyrics that promote hate or homophobia and Outrage will not picket the shows or his hotel.

This inevitably raises the issue of censorship and free speech. But not that many poeple seem to be jumping to defend the right to be offensive.

The British have this fixation with the n° 1 Christmas single that is quaint. Very often, a charity record gets the prized position (either that or Sir Cliff Richard). But for some time, X-Factor artists have been dominating the spot. So two fans of Rage Against the Machine are launching a viral campaign to reclaim the n° 1 spot from X Factor. They are asking people to buy a copy of “Killing in the Name” from December 13. It’s cute, but it is of course a blatant case of chart rigging at a large scale.

Do they have a chance? I don’t know, but I can safely say that this one will swamp Twitter and Facebook over the coming week! If interested, wait until December 13 to buy the single. Check the Facebook page. If you’re reading this after December 13, check Killing In The Name

This is the reason it’s such a pleasure working with Perry Rose: his sheer musicality. Over a simple ukulele riff, he builds layers of piano and vocals (bear with him). He will be interviewed on Belgium’s Classic 21 radio on November 18 2009 at midday, with a show on Nov 21 in the Belgian town of Mons.

Perry Rose downloads

Canada-based Serbian rapper Sin, featured on A-Lyric a few months back, has decided to use his real name Filip Filipi to coincide with the release of a new mixtape. “I feel the change is appropriate as I enter a more musically mature and genuine chapter of my career. I’m extremely satisfied and proud of the 10 mixtapes I’ve released as Sin over the last 4 years which include the Sizzerb and Rane trilogies as well as The Supreme Poet and Vijetnam,” he says. “Knowing my real name will be out there for all to see I will be pushed to produce more credible work which isn’t hastily put together.” His site is now FilipFilipi.com.

There is much talk at the moment about the George Harrison “track” that was featured on British radio recently. The story is that Beatle biographer Hunter Davies came across a scrap of paper with some Harrison lyrics, “Silence (Is Its Own Reply)”, speculated to be about his relationship with John Lennon. During a radio show, the presenter Spencer Leigh suggested that Liverpool musician Dean Johnson could provide a melody for the lyrics, that you can find here. There has been considerable talk about this – lots of it pretty negative. Why?

It must be said: Johnson was either naive or brave to take on the task. There is something perceived as sacred about The Beatles, with George in particular seen as Mr Nice Guy. So it would have to be one hell of a melody to live up to the expectation. Based on the one acoustic version sung live on radio, it isn’t. Even though it’s hardly fair to judge it under these conditions, I can’t help wondering what it would have been like if Dave Stewart or ELO’s Jeff Lynn had been given the lyrics.

Yet this is not the first time that a song has been re-constructed from fragments. Woody Guthrie’s family spent considerable time seeking out composers to take Guthrie’s large catalogue of unsung words and make songs out of them. Is it fair to take scraps of a dead man’s song and fill in the gaps? Apparently, the estates of George Harrison and Woody Guthrie think so.

George Harrison: “All Things Must Pass” mp3