Bob Dylan, Defender Of Strong Copyrights, Once Again Caught Copying Others

from the sing-a-song-of-hypocrisy dept

Thu, Sep 29th 2011 11:40am — Mike Masnick

Bob Dylan has a pretty long history of appropriating works from others, but then going after anyone who has built on his works. He's also been held up by copyright maximalists as someone whose career just wouldn't be the same without strong copyright. So it's somewhat amusing to discover, once again, that he's been caught outright copying others. Emily Goodhand points us to the news that Dylan has a new painting exhibit, and people have started noticing that some of the paintings appear to be clearly copied from old photographs. Take these two comparisons from the NY Times:

The images on the left are from Dylan's exhibit (photographs taken by the NY Times' Marcus Yam). The top photo on the right is by Henri Cartier-Bresson, and the lower photo is by Leon Busy. It would be difficult for anyone to argue that the paintings were not based on these photos. Dylan had claimed that the paintings were all based on scenes he had seen in his travels. I guess he may have seen those photographs during his travels, but that's certainly not the implied origin of the paintings.

Now, to be clear, I actually don't see anything wrong with Dylan making such paintings. Painting from a source photograph is a good way for many to learn how to paint. On top of that, the paintings don't take away anything from the photos, and may actually create more attention for the photos. It does feel sleazy, though, to not credit the source. But the bigger issue is the hypocrisy of it all -- of arguing that others can't appropriate his works, while regularly and directly appropriating the works of others... and then refusing to admit to it.

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team

Filed Under: bob dylan, copyright, culture, ownership

37 Comments

If you liked this post, you may also be interested in...

Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread

The Incoherent One (profile), 29 Sep 2011 @ 11:47am

Well
Do as I say, not as I do.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 29 Sep 2011 @ 11:50am

I gave up on him years ago.His original protesting spirit was cool in the 60's but he became a big Corporate piece of Krap Musician who sold his soul to big money.
I am still a poor punk rocker but would rather be me than any of these RIAA Signing Traitors !!!

Original 1976 punker still playing punk in two bands.
The Lynn Rebels
Big Meat Hammer
I refuse to ever sell out !!!!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
HothMonster, 29 Sep 2011 @ 11:52am

Re: Well
im pretty sure he is rich enough that it goes without saying
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous, 29 Sep 2011 @ 11:54am

Point of order: the opium den photo was taken in 1915, and thus public domain.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Ninja (profile), 29 Sep 2011 @ 11:59am

Re:
That's not what Mike is criticizing. He's criticizing how he blatantly copies (copyrighted works or public domains) and then goes aggressive when some1 does a work derived from his stuff.

It takes a politician to believe the copyright morons when you see so many contradictions and proofs that copyright is broken nowadays.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 29 Sep 2011 @ 12:12pm

Re: Re:
Not to mention that painting from a photograph? What's the matter with Bob Dylan? Why can't he be 100% original, why does he have to steal like that?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
crade (profile), 29 Sep 2011 @ 12:15pm

Re:
I missed seeing Leonard Cohen for Bob Dylan's show, and I don't think I will ever forgive him for how bad he sucked, nor myself for making such a poor choice. I may never get to see Cohen now and I can see rich assholes who think the world owes them every day.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Scooters (profile), 29 Sep 2011 @ 12:16pm

In the words of Dylan...
"Baby stop crying" "All I really want to do" "Gonna Change My Way Of Thinking".

"I Feel A Change Comin' On", "Just Like A Woman", "Life Is Hard" "Never Gonna Be The Same Again"

"Take Me As I Am" "When I Paint My Masterpiece"

Too easy.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Joe Publius (profile), 29 Sep 2011 @ 12:17pm

Re: Re: Re:
Perhaps Dylan just wants to be a great artist?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 29 Sep 2011 @ 12:28pm

Re: Re: Re: Re:
To be a great artist today one the law demands that you be a criminal.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 29 Sep 2011 @ 12:36pm

Someone should take all of the original works that Dylan has copied from, create derivative works from said originals and then see if Dylan sues (he probably will).
[ link to this | view in thread ]
HothMonster, 29 Sep 2011 @ 12:40pm

Re: In the words of Dylan...
'"Just Like A Woman", "Life Is Hard"'

are you hanging out at the gym too much? where are you meeting all these hard women?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 29 Sep 2011 @ 1:01pm

Maybe it is all the drugs, the guy is not right in the head.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Rockon, 29 Sep 2011 @ 1:16pm

Response to: Anonymous Coward on Sep 29th, 2011 @ 11:50am
Awesome-will check it out - from the tween/lost/pseudo-genX rocker who records in the bathroom
[ link to this | view in thread ]
The Devil's Coachman (profile), 29 Sep 2011 @ 1:39pm

Re: Response to: Anonymous Coward on Sep 29th, 2011 @ 11:50am
Unlike what you do in the bathroom, obviously. That is, aside from the two basic biological necessities.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Rikuo (profile), 29 Sep 2011 @ 1:40pm

Hmm, is this the same Bob Dylan who wrote All Along the Watchtowers? Point of Order, Bob, I heard your version and it was crap. I then listened to the Jimi Hendrix and Bear McCreary (the one used in Battlestar Galactica) covers, and they were AWESOME.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
The Devil's Coachman (profile), 29 Sep 2011 @ 1:42pm

Re:
Perhaps that would explain his lack of singing ability, and his demonstrated cognitive deficits, which he inflicts on the populace daily. Just another media Caligula wannabe.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
hmm (profile), 29 Sep 2011 @ 1:43pm

Re: Re: Re:
give it a bit of time and he'll be doing cover versions of Poker Face......
[ link to this | view in thread ]
The Devil's Coachman (profile), 29 Sep 2011 @ 1:45pm

Re:
Nobody ever rendered it better than Jimi!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
S, 29 Sep 2011 @ 1:54pm

Re: Re: Re: Re:
I may not sleep tonight.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 29 Sep 2011 @ 1:59pm

Re: Re: Well
But if it's left up to maximalists like Dylan, we'll no longer have a public domain to steal from.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 29 Sep 2011 @ 1:59pm

Re:
But if it's left up to maximalists like Dylan, we'll no longer have a public domain to steal from.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 29 Sep 2011 @ 2:00pm

Re: Re: Re: Well
*Er, I swear I clicked on that other comment to reply to. Damn flattened view. ignore this)
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Joe Publius (profile), 29 Sep 2011 @ 2:04pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Maybe just a good one then?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
C:\TMP, 29 Sep 2011 @ 2:14pm

I understand maybe Dylan should've mentioned the sources. In a world where artists don't need to worry about the idiotic concept of copyright this should've been just another attempt at art. Van Gogh copied Millet, Picasso copied Braque. You know how it goes - all art is derivative.

Btw, I found this little gem by Jim Jarmusch -

"Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is nonexistent. And don't bother concealing your thievery--celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: "It's not where you take things from--it's where you take them to."

source
http://www.moviemaker.com/directing/article/jim_jarmusch_2972/
[ link to this | view in thread ]
PaulT (profile), 29 Sep 2011 @ 2:28pm

Re:
Perhaps. But, Dylan's works are among those being used to try and stop the public domain from being available in the future. Hence the hypocrisy.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Tom The Toe, 29 Sep 2011 @ 3:06pm

Bob Uses Public Domain and puts his name on it.
For his 2006 album Modern Times he has a song called The Levee's Gonna Break. "When the Levee Breaks" is a blues song written and first recorded by husband and wife Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie in 1929. The song is in reaction to the upheaval caused by the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927. Led Zeppelin recorded it but were nice enough to attribute the song to Memphis Minnie. Bob took it and put his name on it as writer. D-BAG.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 29 Sep 2011 @ 3:09pm

Shepherd Fairey.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 29 Sep 2011 @ 3:44pm

Plagiarize, let no ones work evade you eyes, plagiarize, plagiarize, plagiarize.

The above stolen from some math professor from Yale/Berkly

(yes I do know of whom I type but if you search for him you will feel all superior and shit)
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Donny (profile), 29 Sep 2011 @ 3:52pm

This is Dylan.

Interpret the character behind it however you want, but this is how Dylan makes his art.

So how ought he be dealt with?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 29 Sep 2011 @ 3:52pm

BUSTED

Abolish Copyright and Stupid People
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Scooters (profile), 29 Sep 2011 @ 4:26pm

Re: Re: In the words of Dylan...
LOL!!!!!!!!!!

I think a song fell out somewhere between "preview" and "submit"

I like this version much better. :)
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 29 Sep 2011 @ 6:04pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
To live outside the law you must be honest
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Brian Schroth (profile), 29 Sep 2011 @ 8:23pm

Re: Re:
You chose between Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan? Is there some niche subgenre of great songwriters with terrible voices that you just can't get enough of?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Strawbear (profile), 29 Sep 2011 @ 11:21pm

I'm not sure anything Dylan does would be a worse crime than rhyming Help with Kelp.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
David A Ross, 30 Sep 2011 @ 9:58am

As Picasso and dozens of other artists and writers have (more or less) said : "all artists borrow, great artists steal."
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Herb, 9 Dec 2014 @ 11:11pm

Bob Dylan's Stealing of James Damiano's Songs
Bob Dylan's Stealing of James Damiano's Songs

http://christinejustice.yolasite.com/
[ link to this | view in thread ]