Bob Dylan And Plagiarism

July 10, 2003 6:46 AM

So That's Why It's Called Love... And Theft: if plagiarism, even more than imitation, is the sincerest form of flattery and great artists steal while minor artists merely borrow, then thievin' Bob Dylan is a great artist who obviously loves Japanese author Junichi Saga. Who wins my Gentleman's Lifetime Award for Being Big About Things. So I guess the question is: when is unacknowledged plagiarism acceptable? When it's Art? Isn't there something slightly elitist and incoherent about this? Are double standards at work?
posted by MiguelCardoso (19 comments total)

Did you plaigarise this post?
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 6:47 AM on July 10, 2003

Yes, I did. It just goes to show most plagiarism is unconscious.

*gets his coat*
posted by MiguelCardoso at 6:50 AM on July 10, 2003

Pay attention at the back there, Cardoso.
posted by Joeforking at 6:53 AM on July 10, 2003

This is why Miguel is glad most of us can't read Portuguese.

/piling on
posted by yhbc at 6:53 AM on July 10, 2003

Did you plaigarise this post?

*snicker*
posted by dgaicun at 7:05 AM on July 10, 2003

This is one of the funniest things I've seen on MeFi in a long time.
posted by Ufez Jones at 7:06 AM on July 10, 2003

that's exactly the problem, ufez
posted by matteo at 7:14 AM on July 10, 2003

yeah, matteo, there was some double-entendre there. ntm some Schadenfruede.
posted by Ufez Jones at 7:27 AM on July 10, 2003

Wow. So it's come to this. Say it ain't so, Migs!
posted by soyjoy at 7:31 AM on July 10, 2003

As Mr. Saga, I will say that I expect no remuneration from Miguel for his appropriation of my obscure post. In fact, I appreciate the exposure!

As myself, if this thread gets more comments than my original, I'm going to take my own life.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 7:37 AM on July 10, 2003

Listen up:
"Why would I sue? To take something that made people around the world happy and try to exploit it for money - that's poverty," he said.

Many people could learn a thing or two from this.
posted by Fabulon7 at 7:37 AM on July 10, 2003

If it's any consolation, everyone here has probably written something Miguel's already written merely by sheer process of elimination. ;)

*pictures a million MCs at a million typewriters, shudders*
posted by gottabefunky at 7:43 AM on July 10, 2003

the irony, excellent, now miguel you didn't do this on purpose?
posted by johnnyboy at 7:47 AM on July 10, 2003

Combined with yesterday's cricket-izer, I think MC is in a slump.
posted by norm at 7:51 AM on July 10, 2003

Having been sued by Bob Dylan for my work on the programming language Dylan (Dynamic language), I find this highly ironic. Perhaps he will learn something from Mr. Saga's generosity. Back in 1994 he couldn't fathom that anyone could hear the word "Dylan" without immediately having the positive associations of his sweet self. The judge in the case asked Mr. Zimmerman's lawyer whether the fact that his (the judge's) grandson was named "Dylan" was potentially difficult. Apple still settled out of court for unnecessarily compromised terms.
posted by alms at 8:19 AM on July 10, 2003

Well, that's an interesting tidbit, alms.

stupidsexyFlanders--No-o-o-! Don't do it!

Change that to gets more links than your original.
Then I can feel that, at least, I have done my part to spare your life.
posted by y2karl at 10:13 AM on July 10, 2003

If it's any consolation, everyone here has probably written something Miguel's already written merely by sheer process of elimination. ;)

And yet no one here has bothered to realize or note that Cardoso is idiomatic Portuguese for the sound of a thousand monkeys typing?
posted by y2karl at 10:49 AM on July 10, 2003

Miguel Cardoso
Parabola Paratroopers
Buy this LP

1998
1/2

Fans may say otherwise, but the sensitive "The Lost Art Of Keeping A Secret" is virtually a rewrite of "Parabola Paratrooper."
Most of the time, Miguel Cardoso can't shake a reputation for being ho-hum.

No surprises here. When I was in high school, everyone I knew listened to Miguel Cardoso. Miguel Cardoso offers more of the usual loud, from-the-heart melody on this one.

Call it a tragical history tour.

Never before has an artist taken as many chances in the studio as Miguel Cardoso.

Miguel Cardoso's attempt to broaden his sound -- even integrating Serbian war hymns with the vocal interplay of the faux-Quincy Jones "Not the Way It Seems" -- isn't entirely an artistic success.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Our readers respond

Dear Robot,

Your review of Miguel Cardoso was dead wrong. Sometimes you just have to enjoy a good rock album for what it is. Parabola Paratroopers is the record of the year. Your magazine sucks.

Miguel Cardoso forever,

-- Miguel Cardoso fan
posted by 111 at 11:44 AM on July 10, 2003

Parabola Paratroopers is the record of the year. Your magazine sucks.

pure comedy gold
posted by shadow45 at 9:15 PM on July 10, 2003