Weird Al lashes out against copyright scofflaws
Unrepentant MP3 pirates beware: Weird Al Yankovic, the original melody rip-off artist, has released a song about copyright infringers. Among the more amusing lyrics of "Don't Download This Song," are the following: "Cuz you start out stealing songs, then you're robbing liquor stores, and selling crack, and running over school kids with your cars."
The irony of Weird Al poking fun at overly strict copyright enforcement is not lost on Slashdotters, who are all over the song: ""Weird Al is distributed under a faux independent label, Volcano Records, which is owned by Sony BMG, who brought us intrusive DRM and is a proud part of the RIAA intellectual 'property' lawsuit cartel. Now I have to get a new goddamned movement for my irony meter!" I take exception to your characterization of Weird Al as as the original "melody rip-off artist". He has always received the permission of the artists he parodies (except for Coolio, in which case he believed he had permission).
Even if Wierd Al had permission from the artists he parodied, he did not need it. The parody is protected free speech.
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