Anti-SOPA/PIPA Protest Songs

from the sing-it dept

Wed, Jan 18th 2012 5:25am — Mike Masnick

Well, well. It looks like the ongoing protests are inspiring some extra creativity from some musicians. A bunch of people have been sending around The Day The LOLcats Died, an obviously play on a song you all know: If you're a bit more into hip hop than rock and roll, there's this song, by Okwerdz, called: The American Government wants to CENSOR the Internet: If there are any others, feel free to leave some comments...

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Filed Under: blackout, pipa, protect ip, protests, songs, sopa

49 Comments

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gorehound (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 5:30am

Great !!!
Being an old punk rocker songs of protest are always a cool thing.At least to me it is cool to write Protest Type Songs.
I have written many Anti-Establishment tunes in my life.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jan 2012 @ 5:33am

xkcd
http://xkcd.com/

Look at it closely.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jan 2012 @ 5:35am

Ah, now I understand
Is this what Congress meant about SOPA/PIPA generating jobs --- that Don McLean and Paper Lace will have their music careers rebooted?

(apologies to Don, he doesn't really need a reboot...)
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Capitalist Lion Tamer (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 5:44am

Re: Ah, now I understand
With no apologies to Don:

[From Futurama episode "The Why of Fry"]

(having been trapped in a parallel universe thanks to Fry's actions)
The Big Brain: Well, here we are. Trapped for eternity.
Giant Brain #1: We could sing 'American Pie'.
Fry: Go ahead. I deserve it.
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Dementia (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 5:50am

Should have put SOPA Cabana by Dan Bull out there again too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1w6GtwOvnWM
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jan 2012 @ 6:06am

Senator's voice mailbox is full
At 9:01am EST, I called my Senator's Washington office.

No opportunity to talk to staff, just voice menu. Chose option to "leave message for Senator". After the tone, got error message: "I'm sorry, but that mailbox is full."

Keep calling. Hopefully, they keep stats on call numbers.
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melissa (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 6:08am

posting on craigslist
If congress gets rid of craigslist, that will be a damaging effect on lots of people. I go on there every single day to look for employment. In the last week, I have gotten 4 responses, and 2 interviews. I feel this is wrong, and this is just another way that congress is trying to control us.
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Capitalist Lion Tamer (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 6:09am

Re: Senator's voice mailbox is full
Senator(s) to staff: "I would imagine the phones will be ringing all day, so let's just take the day off."
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Machin Shin (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 6:38am

Re: posting on craigslist
Maybe should be made clear these laws would threaten Craigslist. Then all those politicians would scatter. They are not going to do anything that might interfere with their ability to order hookers.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jan 2012 @ 6:42am

If you mess with LoLCats, you do so at your own peril.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v71Dtj2W7pw
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Robert (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 6:43am

Re:
XKCD was almost poetic, here's what I was thinking

"I make my living drawing XK-CD,
Just give them something, something for free
They're all people just like you and me
We need open web

Well I coulda been a failure drinkin' plenty beer
Sued by corporations, it's totally clear
Lawyers try to fill us with fear
We need open web"

Sue 'em 'cause they're poor
Sue 'em if they're dead
Sue 'em for competition
Sue 'em enough said"

Well you get the idea, it made me think of Dirty Laundry.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jan 2012 @ 6:43am

Re: posting on craigslist
Ummm. Melissa, have you read the law. (psssst: it doesn't apply to domestic sites like craigslist)
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E. Zachary Knight (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 6:45am

Re:
The title tags are always the best part of XKCD.
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Dustin (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 6:50am

Re: Re: posting on craigslist
I beg to differ. The bills can clearly be used against US based websites. You're spreading propaganda.
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Jeff (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 6:51am

Re: Re: posting on craigslist
Wrong again... it may be *intended* to apply to domestic web sites, but make no mistake - it *will* be abused to shut down domestic web sites that somebody, somewhere disagrees with...
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E. Zachary Knight (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 6:51am

Re: Re: posting on craigslist
While domestic sites will not be blacklisted, they will be burdened with massive liability.
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Dustin (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 6:51am

Re: Re: Re: posting on craigslist
You mean foreign websites, right? Lol.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jan 2012 @ 6:52am

Re: Re: posting on craigslist
Here we go again...

The definition of "domestic" vs "foreign" is based only on where the site is registered. That means that craiglist could be targeted if any of it's domains was registered outside the US.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jan 2012 @ 6:54am

Re: Re: posting on craigslist
Oh, just www.craigslist.not.us? All those sites?
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Shaggydabbydo (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 6:54am

Why not route traffic outside US juristiction?
I'm wondering why SOPA matters.

Cannot internet traffic be routed outside of US jurisdiction?
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Drizzt, 18 Jan 2012 @ 6:55am

SOPA/PIPA blackout gallery
The German blog netzpolitik.org has compiled a blackout gallery: http://netzpolitik.org/2012/sopa-blackout-gallery/ (the comments under the blog post have a lot more).
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Drizzt, 18 Jan 2012 @ 6:56am

Re: Why not route traffic outside US juristiction?
Because several central parts of the Web/WWW reside under US jurisdiction. They control the DNS and have shown little restraint in the past to abuse that power.
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Shaggydabbydo (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 7:08am

Re: Re: Why not route traffic outside US juristiction?
Can't people just point to DNS servers outside of the United States jurisdiction?
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demented, 18 Jan 2012 @ 7:09am

Re: Re: Re: posting on craigslist
Yes, all those sites... craigslist.ca, for instance. craigslist.co.uk. craigslist.fr. And so on and so forth.

so yes, they would be attacked.
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Viln (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 7:09am

Congrats
There were some who pegged Techdirt as a converted copyright activism website over the past few years, but we all know it was a conversation well worth having and now we're seeing the fruits of the labor. The ongoing assault on personal freedoms (and the Bill of Rights in general) is by no means limited to the internet, but if we can preserve this bulwark as best as we're able there's at least some hope of a digital world worth participating in a few more years down the road.

Next stop... Lamar Smith's involuntary retirement.
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Shaggydabbydo (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 7:10am

Re: Re: Re: Why not route traffic outside US juristiction?
An example of a DNS route server(s) based outside the US: http://www.netnod.se/dns/iroot
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demented, 18 Jan 2012 @ 7:10am

Re:
I bet a bunch of psychotic enraged people storm the Capitol if this passes. Lolcats and other cute adorable things are our last refuge in an ugly, oppressive world right now.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jan 2012 @ 7:13am

Re: Why not route traffic outside US juristiction?
Cannot internet traffic be routed outside of US jurisdiction?

There's a massive infrastructure in place, and a lot of it routes through the U.S.

Sure, you can route around the U.S. Just convince your telecoms and ISPs to do it. Or resort to vpns and overlay networks.
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Nina Paley (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 7:15am

Infringement
I love The Day The LOLcats Died video. It is totally infringing copyright. Some people are saying it's Fair Use because it's "parody," but legally it's not parody, it's satire, and satire isn't covered by Fair Use. If distinguishing between parody and satire sounds idiotic, it is, but that's what our brilliant courts have determined. According to them parody uses the work to comment on the work itself (changing the lyrics to make fun of the song American Pie itself), while satire uses the work to comment on another issue (using the melody to talk about SOPA).

I mention this because SOPA and PIPA are merely results of our copyright laws. Let's not forget that as long as we have our copyright laws, we'll keep getting things like SOPA and PIPA. Stop cutting of the Hydra's heads and drive a stake through its heart instead.
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Machin Shin (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 7:23am

Re: Re: Re: Why not route traffic outside US juristiction?
Yes people can just point to DNS servers outside the US. Although this also causes problems because crooks will setup shady DNS servers and other such issues.
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Drizzt, 18 Jan 2012 @ 7:31am

Re: Re: Re: Why not route traffic outside US juristiction?
Theoretically (to some extent): yes. In practice you'd really need a DNS root zone outside the USA � and that better includes a replacement for IANA and ICANN otherwise some politician might have the idea if the DNS isn't enough you can always go after the net blocks. And that DNS root zone (plus the rest) needs to be secured and accepted by all providers. Otherwise you'd segment the internet into national networks (not that governments and certain big corporations wouldn't like that idea...). So while you can use an alternative DNS server you can trust(!), those still rely on the root DNS servers and the root zone administration under US jurisdiction.
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Jeff (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 7:32am

Re: Re: Re: Re: posting on craigslist
interesting freudian slip I made there... but yes I did intend to say foreign...
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Richard (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 7:34am

Re: Infringement
but legally it's not parody, it's satire, and satire isn't covered by Fair Use.

Maybe - but if the rightsholder (for the original song) were to sue then would it not become parody by virtue of that very action?

(The distinction being: parody - targeted at the original work/author vs satire - targeted at a 3rd party - by suing the rightholder would become part of the target and thus it would be parody!)
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Richard (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 7:45am

UK
If you're in the UK and frustrated that you can't do anything directly about SOPA - consider backing this move to make our MPs more accountable.

http://www.38degrees.org.uk/page/speakout/voters-in-charge

It could be a step towards avoiding more of this type of problem in the UK.
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sicoy, 18 Jan 2012 @ 7:46am

SOPA/PIPA
SOPA / PIPA is a disaster for the Internet world, the resistance needs to be done by each element and the side so that policies that endanger this creativity to fail.
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Hamada Mido, 18 Jan 2012 @ 7:47am

Dealinity.com Protesting Against SOPA
Dealinity.com also Protesting Against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)
http://www.dealinity.com/
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jan 2012 @ 8:04am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Why not route traffic outside US juristiction?
Otherwise you'd segment the internet into national networks (not that governments and certain big corporations wouldn't like that idea...)

Once the U.S. starts segmenting the internet, firewalling it's own national network... well, at that point, there's no doubt, the internet is segmented, with national networks.
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Jeff Rivett (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 8:11am

Anti-SOPA lyrics for The Battle Hymn of the Republic
My sister wrote the following in response to SOPA (sung to the tune of The Battle Hymn of the Republic):

Mine eyes have seen the glory of an internet that�s free
� free in Yemen, and Oaxaca, also free to you and me
Not speaking of who pays for it, but human liberty
The Internet is free!

Lobbyists take sand and pound it
Leave the net the way you found it
We will learn to route around it!
The Internet is free!

You�ve woken up a Golem you will never ever stop
When under-20s get it they will fight you till they drop
What kind of harvest will you get with ignorance the crop?
The Internet is free!
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Nina Paley (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 8:16am

Re: Anti-SOPA lyrics for The Battle Hymn of the Republic
That's great!!
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ChurchHatesTucker (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 8:42am

Re:
And "Fuck SOPA" by Adam Warrock

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfN287rHsXU
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duffmeister (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 9:00am

Perfect!
http://theoatmeal.com/
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Gino, 18 Jan 2012 @ 9:24am

Hip-Hop & Politics
I think it's beautiful how people from all walks of life; in different circumstances are uniting together against the atrocity these politicians are doing to our constitution. This open's up a Pandora box for not only future legislation further degrading our liberates but for copy-cat governments across the world who would like nothing better then to censor anyone for any reason. We have to stop these last minute protests. Be vigilant, something sinister is looming ..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZRzFQfZdkc

"Simple" is a take on this political climate through the lens of revolutionary Hip-hop. Share and keep others informed!!!
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Zos (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 10:14am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnLB8wysMbY Fuck the MPAA by futuristic sex robotz. nerdcore 4 lyfe

"Yelling 1337 on a mutherfuckin fed"
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artp (profile), 18 Jan 2012 @ 10:32am

The Day the LOLcats Died
This clip had a very effective use of silence at 2:06 ... right where he stopped, trying to figure out a word that rhymed with dump truck that he could sing out loud. He got his point across, I understood what he was saying, and I knew which word he didn't say. But he didn't have to smear up the airwaves with it.

It was even funny!

I say this not because I am a prude who doesn't like people to use anatomical words, but because I am a person who has struggled with keeping my language family-oriented from time to time. When people around me talk like that, my language eventually just goes to pot.

So it isn't really a matter of personal expression. It's a matter of what kind of community culture we generate with our actions. The people who are promoting SOPA are probably (mistakenly) thinking that what they are doing is just their own business. Their short-sightedness and self-centeredness is impacting us all.

The country that we generate is also a result of all the things that we do that nobody has ever found out about. It's easy to forget that in an urban culture, but it is very apparent in a rural culture, or even in an smaller urban neighborhood. TANSTAAFL.

It's the same with profanity. Next time, please keep in mind that I'm not real good at controlling my language, and give me a break, OK? Thanks!

[Looking for asbestos underwear.]
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DogBreath, 18 Jan 2012 @ 11:32am

Re: Infringement
Whenever Congress gets their grubby little hands into changing laws, no matter how "well intentioned" they may say they are, it never turns out the way it was planned... or does it?

Satire + "American Pie" = Magic

"The Day the Bell System Died"

Lyrics by: Lauren Weinstein
Tune: American Pie (Don McLean)
Date: 1983

Long, long, time ago,
I can still remember,
When the local calls were "free".
And I knew if I paid my bill,
And never wished them any ill,
That the phone company would let me be...

But Uncle Sam said he knew better,
Split 'em up, for all and ever!
We'll foster competition:
It's good capital-ism!

I can't remember if I cried,
When my phone bill first tripled in size.
But something touched me deep inside,
The day... Bell System... died.

And we were singing...

Bye, bye, Ma Bell, why did you die?
We get static from Sprint and echo from MCI,
"Our local calls have us in hock!" we all cry.
Oh Ma Bell why did you have to die?
Ma Bell why did you have to die?

Is your office Step by Step,
Or have you gotten some Crossbar yet?
Everybody used to ask...
Oh, is TSPS coming soon?
IDDD will be a boon!
And, I hope to get a Touch-Tone phone, real soon...

The color phones are really neat,
And direct dialing can't be beat!
My area code is "low":
The prestige way to go!

Oh, they just raised phone booths to a dime!
Well, I suppose it's about time.
I remember how the payphones chimed,
The day... Bell System... died.

And we were singing...

Bye, bye, Ma Bell, why did you die?
We get static from Sprint and echo from MCI,
"Our local calls have us in hock!" we all cry.
Oh Ma Bell why did you have to die?
Ma Bell why did you have to die?

Back then we were all at one rate,
Phone installs didn't cause debate,
About who'd put which wire where...
Installers came right out to you,
No "phone stores" with their ballyhoo,
And 411 was free, seemed very fair!

But FCC wanted it seems,
To let others skim long-distance creams,
No matter 'bout the locals,
They're mostly all just yokels!

And so one day it came to pass,
That the great Bell System did collapse,
In rubble now, we all do mass,
The day... Bell System... died.

So bye, bye, Ma Bell, why did you die?
We get static from Sprint and echo from MCI,
"Our local calls have us in hock!" we all cry.
Oh Ma Bell why did you have to die?
Ma Bell why did you have to die?

I drove on out to Murray Hill,
To see Bell Labs, some time to kill,
But the sign there said the Labs were gone.
I went back to my old CO,
Where I'd had my phone lines, years ago,
But it was empty, dark, and ever so forlorn...

No relays pulsed,
No data crooned,
No MF tones did play their tunes,
There wasn't a word spoken,
All carrier paths were broken...

And so that's how it all occurred,
Microwave horns just nests for birds,
Everything became so absurd,
The day... Bell System... died.

So bye, bye, Ma Bell, why did you die?
We get static from Sprint and echo from MCI,
"Our local calls have us in hock!" we all cry.
Oh Ma Bell why did you have to die?
Ma Bell why did you have to die?

We were singing:

Bye, bye, Ma Bell, why did you die?
We get static from Sprint and echo from MCI,
"Our local calls have us in hock!" we all cry.
Oh Ma Bell why did you have to die?
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jan 2012 @ 2:00pm

Re: Perfect!
that. is. the. awesome.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jan 2012 @ 4:59pm

Re: UK
Recalls
an incredibly bad idea with a FPP system.

If that were available, almost every elected MP would be constantly being recalled as only a handful actually have more than 50% of the vote.
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Anonymous Coward, 19 Jan 2012 @ 2:50am

Of course the best part is that all this is happening while the trolls in other threads are gleefully pointing out that all this protesting did was to piss off content creators.
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Jeff Rivett (profile), 19 Jan 2012 @ 3:15pm

Re: Re: Anti-SOPA lyrics for The Battle Hymn of the Republic
Nina, you just made my sister's day! By the way, you rock.
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