January 22, 2005

6:58 PM

Sci-fi story identification filter. I'm trying to remember one about copyright and musicians in the future... I swear I didn't just make it up after reading Lessig. [MI]
posted by easyasy3k to (5 comments total)

I think it was written by Issac Asimov or Arthur C. Clarke, probably Clarke. It goes something like this:

Musician pleads to a high government official to eliminate infinite copyright, since melodies are discovered not "made". Friend of musician committed suicide when song he wrote for his girl after 20 years of failing to discover new melodies was actually under copyright already (was "saints go marching in" or something along those lines). The rest I don't remember.

Bonus points if you find a copy of it online somewhere.
posted by easyasy3k at 6:59 PM on January 22, 2005

Sounds a lot like "Melancholy Elephants" by Spider Robinson.
posted by QIbHom at 8:31 PM on January 22, 2005

That's it. Thanks!
posted by easyasy3k at 9:16 PM on January 22, 2005

QIbHom beat me to it - and it is, indeed, melancholy.
posted by Space Kitty at 9:38 PM on January 22, 2005

Glad to be of assistance, easyasy3k.
posted by QIbHom at 9:45 PM on January 22, 2005