Yahoo launches online song-lyric database (Most sites publish words w/o permission from owners

MSNBC / AP ^ | Aprile 24, 2007 | Michael Liedtke

[Stoat]

I would just like to see a site where they have quality-control and the lyrics are accurate. For probably 30% or so of the songs I’ve needed lyrics to, I’ve found errors.

Agreed; my experience has been the same.  I've even found errors in the lyrics printed on record album jackets.  The accurate reproduction of lyrics appears to be a very low priority to everyone in the music supply chain except for the end consumer and perhaps the artist.

Sadly, I've found no link at the Yahoo site for people to report errors or submit comments.  About the best I've come up with so far is a Gracenote address (they are the firm supplying Yahoo with the lyrics:

Contact Us - Gracenote

Richard Van Geilswyk
Lyrics Project Manager
CMRRA
56 Wellesley St W, Suite 320
Toronto, Ontario
M5S 2S3  CANADA
Office phone: +1 (416) 926-1966
Office fax: +1 (416) 926-7521

 

 

 

Somehow, I don't get the impression from the layout of the Gracenotes site that they will be very interested in hearing complaints about inaccuracies from consumers.  Probably the only way to get changes made is for the artist to complain....that is someone whom they would listen to.

[Stoat]

but it's interesting to see the original which is quite different

Those are indeed quite substantive differences, and it would be nice to be able to see the different lyric versions as you say.

The Yahoo site isn't terribly helpful in this specific instance, leading me to Colm Wilkinson lyrics for Phantom of the Opera when I searched for Les Mis.

Hopefully the site will be improved upon in time, as such questions do matter for many people, including myself.

[Stoat]

But does it include doug’s lyrics?

If it doesn't, then the site has little value.

[supercat]

Those are indeed quite substantive differences, and it would be nice to be able to see the different lyric versions as you say.

I've found a web site with translated Les Mis OFCA lyrics; the translations above are my own. A few other items of note:

-OFCA- (young Cosette singing)
My prince is on his way already.
I don't know how he'll appear.
But I know he'll come tomorrow.
My prince is already on his way

-ENGLISH-
There is a castle on a cloud.
I like to go there in my sleep.
Aren't any floors for me to sleep.
Not in my castle on a cloud.

(later...)

-OFCA-
Older Cosette:
In my life, He misses nothing, but He misses someone of my age.
Is he far, still far, my handsome prince-on-his-way of my childhood dreams, in his cage.

Jean-Valjean (adoptive father):
My child, and I believe you are a child,
There are no handsome prince-charmings on this earth.

Cosette:
But you have been the prince of my childhood.
Another should come in my adolescence.

The English version has no reference to 'princes' in the corresponding song (which is structured too differently for line-by-line comparison).

Another interesting note: the lyric sheet that comes with the OFCA omits the lyrics for what would become the song "Lovely Ladies" in the English version. I forget the first two lines, but the remaining five are IIRC:

At night, at night, I (?) my body.
And I abandon myself to sinister body-to-body.
At night, at night, for two pieces of gold.
When they spout in me their pitiful effort
they know not that they are making love with death.

The last line appears in the English version as "Don't they know they're making love to one already dead," but the preceding lines don't appear.

[Stoat]

Well done! Have you ever thought of launching a Les Mis fansite of your own, specializing in different lyric versions and translations? It it seems to be an untapped area of cyberspace. Perhaps the copyright holder would even give you a blessing on it, considering that you would be providing a unique service.

[supercat]

There already exists a pretty good site, though it's bounced around a bit. Try This link

[Artemis Webb]

“Since I have recording musicians in the family, I’ve always wanted their interests protected. It’s a tremendous temptation, however, with the ease of copyright infringement that the internet and associated technologies provide balanced against the high cost of music on CD. I can easily understand why kids with only a few dollars a week in allowance as income would be tempted.”

It’s not just kids. I am 46 now and was in my 40’s when I started downloading songs illegally. In retrospect my excuses were lame and really could be summed up as “too cheap and too selfish to pay instead of steal”. It is a big temptation, but one the law has slowly been getting a handle on.