Waxy.org is the sandbox of The undiscovered young talent gets their big break and a record deal, and soon realizes they were swindled by corrupt management and a major label.
It's an old story, and a common theme that pops up in rock songs, often from well-established bands. (Though it seems especially common the '70s.)
After writing about Macklemore's "Jimmy Iovine" for my Indiepocalypse post yesterday, I stumbled on several more great angry songs about record labels. They didn't fit into the post, but I still wanted to share them.
Graham Parker and the Rumour - Mercury Poisoning (1979)
I got a dinosaur for a representative,
It's got a small brain and refuses to learn
Their promotion's so lame,
They could never ever take me to the real ball game
Listen, I ain't a pet, I ain't a token hipster in your Monopoly set.
I've got Mercury poisoning.
It's fatal and it don't get better!
The Clash - Complete Control (1977)
They said we'd be artistically free when we signed that bit of paper
They meant let's make a lotsa money and worry about it later
I'll never understand
Complete control, lemme see your other hand
I don't trust you, so why should you trust me?
Nick Lowe - I Love My Label (1977)
Deeply sarcastic, Lowe tossed off this track to get out of his major label deal with United Artists.
Oh I'm so proud of them up here, we're one big happy family
I guess you could say I'm the poor relation of the parent company
They always ask for lots of songs,
but no more than 2:50 long so I write 'em some
They never talk behind my back,
and they're always playing my new tracks when I come along
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Workin' For MCA (1974)
MCA signed the young band for a seven year deal for $9,000.
Oh, nine thousand dollars just to sow to the wind.
Come to smile at the yankee slicker with a big old southern grin.
They're gonna take me out to California, gonna make me a superstar.
Just pay me all my money, maybe you won't get a scar.
Want you to sign the contract,
want you to sign the date.
Gonna give you lots of money
Workin' for MCA.
Sex Pistols - E.M.I. (1977)
In October 1978, EMI signed the Sex Pistols to a two-year contract, but dropped them only three months later. They were quickly picked up by A&M, and dropped less than a week later. Virgin finally released their debut in May 1977, their third label in six months.
Don't judge a book just by the cover
Unless you cover just another
And blind acceptance is a sign
Of stupid fools who stand in line
Like E.M.I.
The Smiths - Paint A Vulgar Picture (1987)
World tour, media whore,
please the press in Belgium.
This was your life.
And when it fails to recoup?
Well, maybe you just haven't earned it yet, baby.
In one sense, this is the ultimate first-world problem — successful musicians complaining about bad business deals. Then again, for decades, signing with a major label was the only game in town if you wanted to find success in the music industry, and the labels exploited that monopoly.
But overall, I tend to agree with Trent Reznor, who said, "I don't set out to write songs about record labels. Nothing could be more boring—with the possible exception of writing about tour buses."
9:29 AM
The Ben Folds contractual obligation song is hilarious, actually:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_SsWPkIlG4
9:51 AM
Also great are Van Morrison's "contractual obligation sessions": http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2005/09/van_morrisons_c.html
10:00 AM
Cherchez La Femme by Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Ban: "Tommy Mottola...he's on the road."
Tribe Called Quest, Check the Rhime: "Industry rule #4080, record company people are shady..."
10:04 AM
you forgot the Sex Pistols' "EMI".
10:27 AM
Pink Floyd's "Have a Cigar"
Queen's "Sleeping on the Sidewalk"
10:29 AM
GZA's verse on Wu-Tang Clan's "Protect Ya Neck" is about record labels. http://rapgenius.com/9823
10:40 AM
Don't forget Indy 500 by Binary Star:
Song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ociEi0Q1VWs
Lyrics: http://rapgenius.com/Binary-star-indy-500-lyrics
The whole song is about the record industry (tryin' to win the Indy 500) but this bit is especially great:
You put food on your table playin the game wrong
While you dialing that fast food, they eat filet mignon
They applied the pressure, so you gave 'em a song
And if that shit don't hit, the next day you're gone
My copyrights are exclusive, for my uses
They make you a public nuisance, every unit you get two cents!?
I got influence, the underground, the X factor
Record deals' slavery, so when you sign say, "Yes master"
11:47 AM
There's a record label for Irish traditional music called Green Linnet and it's notorious for treating its artists badly.
At some point, someone wrote a tune called "Don't Touch That Green Linnet" which has now become absorbed into the traditional repertoire.
http://thesession.org/tunes/2309
12:48 PM
The Van Morrison songs are required listening. Amazingly dark and funny, they have haunted me for years.
1:13 PM
Let's not forget Cracker's gem, "It Ain't Gonna Suck Itself"
Hey Roy, it ain't gonna suck itself
Ah Virgin Records, it ain't gonna suck itself
And one time for the ladies, It ain't gonna lick itself
Ah Virgin Records, it ain't gonna suck itself
Baby, it ain't gonna suck itself
Everyone at Virgin Records, it ain't gonna suck itself
One for the ladies, it ain't gonna lick itself
What 'chew waitin' for, it ain't gonna suck itself
Mr. Lott, it ain't gonna suck itself
Everyone on Foothill Road, it ain't gonna suck itself
Just so we're not totally sexist, it ain't gonna lick itself
Virgin Records, it ain't gonna suck itself
1:30 PM
These are all great. Thanks, everybody.
5:21 PM
More from Gza, he did an entire track titled "Labels":
http://www.ohhla.com/anonymous/gza/liquid/labels.gza.txt
5:42 PM
Against Me!'s song "Unprotected Sex with Multiple Partners":
http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/3530822107858555353/
8:51 PM
An interesting one comes from Jadakiss's verse on Gang Starr's "Rite Where U Stand", in which J claims his bad contract has forced him to resort to drug dealing:
"You wanna know why I invest all my money into haze and into dope / Cause right now, I'm currently a slave for Interscope"
4:33 AM
I think you forgot the best angry song against the music industry: Dinosaurs will die - NOFX
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPKQSQSVVos
12:17 PM
Some label should collect all of these songs and release them under a purposefully horrible contract/license.
Another: Kevin Gilbert's "Suit Fugue (Dance of the A&R Men)." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5Zx-0om5N0
11:13 AM
Prince Far I
"Branson is a pickle with no place on my plate..."
11:14 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QIaZFp9hbM
12:40 PM
I always thought that Sara Bareilles's "Love Song" was about her label asking for a big hit.
11:48 PM
Buy Me A Pony - Spiderbait.
But don't be scared
Of what we said
'Coz there's no end
To being your friend
But wait out in the hall
We've just received a call
We'll have to dump you all
But don't you try
To pass us by
'Coz we own you
Until we're through
3:51 PM
Here are a couple old tune about bad record companies....They are both about Sol Zantz of Fantasy records.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxVlN-LzIks
John Fogerty Zanz Kant Danz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-Hz7IzLQk8