That famous refrain you've heard a thousand times (at least) --"Bow wow wow, yippie yo, yippie yeah" -- is at the center of a legal battle involving George Clinton, his copyright owners, and if you can believe it, Shaquille O'Neal.The chorus, originally from George Clinton's 1982 funk classic 'Atomic Dog,' has been sampled numerous times, most notably by Snoop Dogg for his 1992 hit 'Who Am I? (What's My Name?).' Recently, the song turned up again in the song 'D.O.G. in Me' by Public Announcement, a track which features a guest spot by none other than Shaquille O'Neal.
Bridgeport Music, the owners of many of Clinton's songs, have been pursuing infringement actions for years, and this recent case made its way to the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, which upheld a lower court decision that Public Announcement was in fact infringing on their copyright.
The court cited 'D.O.G. in Me''s use of the famous lyrics, as well as the "repetition of the word 'dog' in a low tone of voice at regular intervals and the sound of rhythmic panting" as the basis for their decision.
According to at least one source, Dr. Funkenstein himself won't be seeing any of the $89,000 awarded in the case, as he has been part of an ongoing battle with Bridgeport Music over disputed royalties.
Making this whole ordeal even more interesting is this bit of information regarding the song's origins, courtesy of the Court of Appeals:
"[Songwriter David Spradley] recorded the initial tracks in the studio and recalled that 'when George arrived he had been partying pretty heavily so he was, you know, feeling pretty good,' and was unsteady at the microphone. Spradley and Garry Shider 'got on either side of him. We just kind of kept him in front of the microphone' while Clinton recorded the vocal tracks that same night."
Reader Comments(1 of 3)
itvendingat 11-13-2009
I'M PUZZLED....CAN A FEW WORDS REALLY BE COPYRIGHTED AND PROTECTED ??? ISN'T IT THE SAME AS SAYING "I LOVE YOU" IN EVERY SONG EVER MADE IS A COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT ?????
lucabrocciat 11-13-2009
UUUUUUHHHH,I THINK YOW YOW YOW YIPPIE YO KAIEEE OR WHATEVER IS A BIT MORE DISTINCT THEN "I LOVE YOU" DON'T YA THINK?? AADDDUUUUHHHH
vgkflcat 11-13-2009
No its not the same.I love you has been around longer then any of us has been alive and I really dont think they had copywriten laws then. When George Clinton wrote a song as a smart man he had them copywritten.Its the same thing big wigs did to artist so they could make all the money and leave the artist broke.So I say to big George, Way to go man.
radio1hqat 11-13-2009
vgkflc, The past tense for "copyright" is copyrighted", not copywriten".
emilyat 11-13-2009
The words bow wow are not copywrited by george clinton. As stated in the article above it is,"repetition of the word 'dog' in a low tone of voice at regular intervals and the sound of rhythmic panting". So the combination of the word with the same tone and same rythem. That is much more than just one word. You cannot copyright a word.
vgkflcat 11-13-2009
I'm with George Clinton on this one. How could anyone not be?
batatudeat 11-13-2009
Nevermind the spammers, the samplers are way out of hand. The line was Clinton's, period. Sampling is a way of life for some of these no talent jackasses. If you don't have the ability, then find some other line of work.
ycav4424at 11-13-2009
Darn I don't have any spam to post along with all of the others.
nonphixion79at 11-13-2009
dont you know its a doggy dog world.
ChristyMae02at 11-13-2009
I think you mean a dog-eat-dog world. Careful! Your ignorance is showing.
Bobat 11-13-2009
I can't believe I had to scroll almost to the end of the first page to even see a comment that was related to this post. So many people are ripping off others these days that it is not funny. Even the so called children's cartoons rip off more adult situations and claim it is for children because is is a freakin' cartoon. If you were the first to publish, invent, record, write, etc something, they you have the right to control who uses it and who to punish when they steal it.
Rebeccaat 11-13-2009
only if you copyright it. same as "I Love You." Wasn't copyrighted, so it's public domain.
marciaobeadat 11-13-2009
The music and lyrics of each album-theme originate from a source different than the performers, who can be induced to provide a rendition although some music in general is dedicated to them. The wish to have easy assembly-line employment cannot be underestimated as an impetus to put people on stage who should instead be enjoying the limelight as named dedications. It also should not be assumed that any named dedication or performer is the real owner of any music that has his/her name on it, but rather that factory-employment interests write up paperwork so as to continue the assembly-line lifestyle -- those named will affix signature ("witness my hand...") rather than cause interpersonal conflict.
badleytmcpat 11-13-2009
Didn't George rip this off some cowboy?
hkhodgesat 11-13-2009
Rap is the worst form of music and it is a statement as to where our country is today.
Rap music is the laziest form of art. It takes the arranged and previously written music from another artist and puts a speaking voice overdubbed over the top.
In recording Rap, you don't actually need instruments or a band, or even someone who can sing. You only need someone elses music and a voice to speak rhyming sentences over the top. Some times you don't even need to create your own sentences as you can "lift" these or steal these as well.
When a segment of society can create art by stealing it from others and calling it new, and we reward that segment of society by playing the music and buying the music, we justify laziness. Anytime we support and condone laziness it creates more and more of the same.
The Rap community represents what is wrong with society. Ill gotten wealth, promescuity, violence, obsenity, filth, ugliness, crime, and the reduction of woman into wh0res...