This Land

I’m sure you’ve probably already seen it, but if not, you need to visit JibJab and watch the This Land parody. It’s quite funny.

What isn’t funny is the reaction of Ludlow Music, the copyright owner of Woody Guthrie’s song. They want the parody taken down. How ironic, since Boing Boing points out that one of Guthrie’s frequently used copyright statements was:

“This song is Copyrighted in U.S., under Seal of Copyright # 154085, for a period of 28 years, and anybody caught singin it without our permission, will be mighty good friends of ourn, cause we don’t give a dern. Publish it. Write it. Sing it. Swing to it. Yodel it. We wrote it, that’s all we wanted to do.” 

It just goes to show how perverted copyright has become in our country. What started as a means to protect the artist who created, it’s now the means to protect the company that takes control of the creation when the artist dies (Disney, anyone?). And just in case you thought the original This Land was just a cheesy feel-good song, it might be a good idea to re-read the last two stanzas, which are often left out when people sing the tune:

As I was walkin’ – I saw a sign there
And that sign said – no tress passin’
But on the other side …. it didn’t say nothin!
Now that side was made for you and me!

In the squares of the city – In the shadwow of the steeple
Near the relief office – I see my people
And some are grumblin’ and some are wonderin’
If this land’s still made for you and me.