The parties are advised to chill
Oct. 4th, 2009 10:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
astroaztecThose are the words of US 9th circuit judge Alex Kozinski from the 2002 decision regarding Aqua's hit single Barbie Girl.
Why here now? The girls were engaged in a contest about the lyrics of the song, and they wanted to know the authoritative words. Thanks to Wikipedia the whole story is available. There is more than one version -- the original to which Mattel objected and one of the most viewed videos on Youtube, and Mattel's own version on the Barbie website.
This ended up with me pondering in front of the girls about whether Mattel has negotiated the use of the tune and partial lyrics from Aqua, or whether they simply pay Aqua the ASCAP/BMI/whatever royalty every time somebody clicks the link on the Mattel web page.
Why here now? The girls were engaged in a contest about the lyrics of the song, and they wanted to know the authoritative words. Thanks to Wikipedia the whole story is available. There is more than one version -- the original to which Mattel objected and one of the most viewed videos on Youtube, and Mattel's own version on the Barbie website.
This ended up with me pondering in front of the girls about whether Mattel has negotiated the use of the tune and partial lyrics from Aqua, or whether they simply pay Aqua the ASCAP/BMI/whatever royalty every time somebody clicks the link on the Mattel web page.
