"You Took Advantage of Me" Lead Sheet
Does anyone have access to a lead sheet for the song "You Took Advantage of Me" Rodgers & Hart 1928, preferably in the key of F or G? I wrote parody lyrics. Do you know if the music is in public domain? Thanks, Susan
Comments
Many choices at:
https://musescore.com/song/you_took_advantage_of_me-2608179
In reply to Many choices at: https:/… by elsewhere
Thanks so much. I transposed “You Took Advantage of Me” to the Key of G.
I don’t dare to criticize the great Richard Rodgers, and maybe there is something I missed.
But some of those chord placements on the first lead sheet seem strange.
For example, the second measure (“sap that’s all”)
puts the chord change on the third beat, which is often right.
But the melody note changes an 8th note before the chord on the word “all”, and the 8th notes is linked to the following half note. I attached a PDF. Should I try to attach a MuseScore file. (I'm not sure how)
Care to comment? Thanks, Susan
In reply to Thanks so much. I transposed… by Singingheart
You write: “But the melody note changes an 8th note before the chord on the word “all”, and the 8th notes is linked to the following half note”. This is the way the ‘swing’ aspect of the song is notated. To put the chord symbol over the eight note would only clutter things.
Also: beware that chord symbols in lead sheets are notoriously poor (usually put there by poorly payed first year students). I attach my ‘jazzy’ version…
You Took Advantage Of Me.mscz
In reply to You write: “But the melody… by elsewhere
Thanks for explaining that this is how the "swing" aspect is notated.
I love your version of "You Took Advantage of Me" ! It plays perfectly!
I wrote my parody lyrics so they fit the music and reflect the saucy, jazzy spirit.
How would you feel about my using your jazzy version and transposing it to the Key of G?
Thanks, Susan
In reply to Thanks for explaining that… by Singingheart
Go ahead! No problem.
I can't speak for other countries, but in the US, anything written in 1926 or earlier is public domain; anything later is usually not unless someone messed up, or deliberately released it.
Next year, songs from 1927 will become public domain, and the year after that, songs from 1928, and so on. So if it was written in 1928, then it should be public domain "relatively" soon.
In reply to I can't speak for other… by Marc Sabatella
In other countries (like the countries in Europe for instance) the rule is "70 years after the composer died" (or 50 years in some countries). And since Richard Rodgers died in 1979, that means all of the songs he composed will go into the public domain in 2049.
In reply to In other countries (like the… by AndreasKågedal
Which is "relatively" late (compared to the US).
In reply to In other countries (like the… by AndreasKågedal
To be clear, that's how it works in the US too - now. But for much of the 20th century, it was different; it was based on the date of publication. Copyright extended a given number of years from then that could then optionally be extended, and then the duration itself was extended by law a few times.
In reply to To be clear, that's how it… by Marc Sabatella
Hmm. Do you mean that a song written in 1928, due to be in public domain in 2023? 2024? can now have its copyright extended beyond these dates?
In reply to Hmm. Do you mean that a song… by Singingheart
As I said, songs written in 1926 are PD in the US today. A song written in 1927 becomes PD in there 2023, and a song written in 1928 becomes PD in 2024.
The ability to extend your own copyright was a one-time only thing; that already would have happened for this song. Any further extensions would need to happen by changing the law. And the only reason the copyright on this song has lasted as long as it has here is that it was already extended several times by law, mostly on account of Disney pushing for copyright law extensions to protect Mickey Mouse - another 1928 creation apparently.
But, the current feeling is, enough is enough, and there seems to be little support for extending the duration of copyright for these older works any further. So unless Disney pulls off with a legal miracle (which they've done before), Mickey Mouse and everything else created in 1928 goes PD in 2024, joining Winne the Pooh who became PD this year.
In reply to I can't speak for other… by Marc Sabatella
Thank you for the info. I cannot outdo Richard Rodgers, but given the 1928 copyright issue, I’ll try my hand at original music. If it doesn’t work, I’ll go back to the parody, which fits perfectly!
In reply to Thank you for the info. I… by Singingheart
I understand that melody and lyrics are copyrighted. Are the chords also copyrighted?
In reply to I understand that melody and… by Singingheart
I can lyrics for many types of music, and I sometimes write tuneful melodies with relatively simple chords. I’m open to working with other creators who can expand possibilities. Susan
In reply to I understand that melody and… by Singingheart
What is copyrighted is the song itself in total - you don't have separate copyrights for its individual component. But, courts have generally ruled that while one song cannot borrow the melody or the lyrics from another, they can borrow the chords. This isn't set forth explicitly in law, but it's a well-established precedent.
In reply to What is copyrighted is the… by Marc Sabatella
Thanks for your knowledge and clarity! I'd rather compose music and write lyrics than pay lawyers. Here's my current solution. I already wrote the parody (most club musicians know the original music). I can borrow the chords (common practice) and write a new melody in the swing jazz style with saucy lyrics :) I may not be Richard Rodgers, but (as Mercutio said about his stab wound in "Romeo and Juliet") "'twill do!"
In reply to Thanks for your knowledge… by Singingheart
FWIW, you don't even need a new melody if you aren't publishing your arrangement. You're free to perform copyrighted music as long as the club you are performing in pays its usual fees for this right (eg, ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and other organization that collect and distribute these royalties. So, any club where it's legal to perform "You Took Advantage of Me" - which is basically any club that advertises live music - then you can legally perform your lyrics as well. The only thing you can't do with your copyrighted arrangement is post publish it or otherwise share it online - other than on websites like musescore.com that also collect fees (from ads, and from Pro accounts) and distribute those to the copyright owners.
In reply to FWIW, you don't even need a… by Marc Sabatella
You are right. I do sing standards and jazz in clubs, and I assume they pay the usual fees for copyrighted material (including the music for my parodies). It's not my business, and I don't ask. I also write original songs and musicals, which I share online and intend to publish. I believe that chord progressions are not copyrightable. Is that correct? If I'm wrong about the chords, I can change some. I like Richard Rodgers' chords, but there are other choices :)
In reply to You are right. I do sing… by Singingheart
See my previous response regarding chords. There's nothing so explicit in the law as written, but so far, the precedent established in courts has been to say, songs can freely boirrow chords.
In reply to See my previous response… by Marc Sabatella
Thanks. :) Stay tuned!
In reply to I can't speak for other… by Marc Sabatella
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries%27_copyright_lengths