# Amish Paradise: Why was Coolio so mad? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 6, 2006, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amish-paradise-why-was-coolio-so-mad/375475 "2006-10-06T07:10:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amish-paradise-why-was-coolio-so-mad/375475/1 "2006-10-06T07:10:29Z")
Could it be because Al’s version is about 50 billion times better than Coolio’s tired derivation of Stevie Wonder’s song? I’ve been reading some Weird Al threads, and it’s really reminded me again how brilliant Weird[del]dave[/del] Al is. Something reminded me of the flap surrounding Amish Paradise, and it got me to thinking. Coolio didn’t like Al parodying his work. Why? Could it be because 100 years from now people will still appreciate Weird Al and Coolio will be no more than another wanna be gangsta rapper in the trash heap of artistic history? I think it might. Do you think that Coolio actually believed he was writing something _meaningful_? As if! Personally, if I had the ability to write music, I’d consider it an honor to be parodied by Al. ---
**Author:** ![Khan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3ab097/32.png) [@Khan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khan)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amish-paradise-why-was-coolio-so-mad/375475/2 "2006-10-06T07:38:31Z")
[QUOTE=Weirddave] Personally, if I had the ability to write music, I’d consider it an honor to be parodied by Al. [/QUOTE] That’s the thing: a lot of artists DO feel that way. I remember from his Behind the Music episode that one of the members of Nirvana said that they knew they’d made it when Weird Al parodied them. As for the Coolio issue, Wikipedia doesn’t offer anything more than what I remember him saying during an awards ceremony when asked about the parody. I suppose it just boils down to Coolio feeling that the song had too important a message to be parodied. Personally I don’t think the song was all that sacred.😉 ---
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amish-paradise-why-was-coolio-so-mad/375475/3 "2006-10-06T07:57:06Z")
I’d heard that Al always tries to get permission from the artists whose songs he parodies. Was I misinformed, or did Coolio just reneg once he heard how great Al’s song turned out. ---
**Author:** ![Khan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3ab097/32.png) [@Khan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khan)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amish-paradise-why-was-coolio-so-mad/375475/4 "2006-10-06T08:08:54Z")
Weird Al got the ok a rep from Coolio’s record company and assumed that meant Coolio approved too, but that apparently was not the case. According to Wikipedia, because of this he only went ahead if he got permission from the artist personally. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amish-paradise-why-was-coolio-so-mad/375475/5 "2006-10-06T10:29:27Z")
> [@](#): > > I remember from his Behind the Music episode that one of the members of Nirvana said that they knew they’d made it when Weird Al parodied them. I remember Weird Al describing his conversation with Kurt Cobain as: Cobain: _“Um, its not gonna be about food, is it?”_ Al: _“Ah, no. Actually its about how no one can understand what you’re saying when you sing”_ Cobain: _“Oh. Ok…”_ ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amish-paradise-why-was-coolio-so-mad/375475/6 "2006-10-06T13:17:57Z")
Supposedly Coolio thought the song was too “serious” :rolleyes: to be parodied. He probably thought it would be cool to act offended at the parody, when obviously he gave permission, or else why wouldn’t he have sued? ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amish-paradise-why-was-coolio-so-mad/375475/7 "2006-10-06T14:21:49Z")
To be fair, there are all sorts of reasons why one might not sue, despite not having granted permission. Legal hassles and expenses, for example. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amish-paradise-why-was-coolio-so-mad/375475/8 "2006-10-06T14:57:06Z")
As I understand it, no permission is necessary to do a parody song as long as appropriate royalties are paid. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amish-paradise-why-was-coolio-so-mad/375475/9 "2006-10-06T14:58:05Z")
[QUOTE=JThunder] To be fair, there are all sorts of reasons why one might not sue, despite not having granted permission. Legal hassles and expenses, for example. [/QUOTE] Not to mention that parody is covered under the Fair Use Act. (You know, I’ve never actually read the act, but it’s been cited so many times regarding parodies, I figure what the hell.) Al asks permission and respects artists’ wishes because it’s the nice thing to do, but if he knowingly ignored someone’s request, AFAICT they wouldn’t have a leg to stand on. Not that Al can’t get upset, of course. There’s a video floating around on YouTube from the last edition of AlTV where Al stages a mock interview with video recordings of Eminem from _another_ unrelated interview and tears him apart for not letting Al film a video of Couch Potato. Hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amish-paradise-why-was-coolio-so-mad/375475/10 "2006-10-06T15:13:45Z")
[QUOTE=Otto] As I understand it, no permission is necessary to do a parody song as long as appropriate royalties are paid. [/QUOTE] I remember watching one interview, and Al mentioned that Coolio wasn’t so offended that he returned the royalty checks. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amish-paradise-why-was-coolio-so-mad/375475/11 "2006-10-06T15:58:01Z")
[QUOTE=BayleDomon] Not to mention that parody is covered under the Fair Use Act. (You know, I’ve never actually read the act, but it’s been cited so many times regarding parodies, I figure what the hell.) Al asks permission and respects artists’ wishes because it’s the nice thing to do, but if he knowingly ignored someone’s request, AFAICT they wouldn’t have a leg to stand on. … [/QUOTE] If Al gets permission, he can list himself as a writer of new lyrics and get a bit more money. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amish-paradise-why-was-coolio-so-mad/375475/12 "2006-10-06T16:03:06Z")
The way I heard it (which means it’s probably not true) is that Al asked Coolio’s permission, and it was granted. Coolio was under the impression that the parody would be much like Al’s other work. What upset him was the actual rendition that was done. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amish-paradise-why-was-coolio-so-mad/375475/13 "2006-10-06T17:03:21Z")
[QUOTE=Weirddave] Could it be because 100 years from now people will still appreciate Weird Al [/QUOTE] I’ll ask a psychic, 'cuz I’m not sure about this one. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amish-paradise-why-was-coolio-so-mad/375475/14 "2006-10-06T17:32:43Z")
[QUOTE=tdn] The way I heard it (which means it’s probably not true) is that Al asked Coolio’s permission, and it was granted. Coolio was under the impression that the parody would be much like Al’s other work. What upset him was the actual rendition that was done. [/QUOTE] I don’t understand what that means. Was it really such a departure from his other work? (It didn’t seem to me to be, I just thought it was great.) Was Coolio expecting a polka version? Was it the Amish theme? But as you said, it’s probably not true anyway–I just don’t understand what it’s supposed to mean. ---
**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amish-paradise-why-was-coolio-so-mad/375475/15 "2006-10-06T17:48:04Z")
Wonder if Coolio got personal permission from Stevie Wonder to remake “Pastime Paradise”? :rolleyes: :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amish-paradise-why-was-coolio-so-mad/375475/16 "2006-10-06T18:01:32Z")
Maybe Coolio’s problem is that he was, up until “Gangster’s Paradise,” a clown. He was a novelty act (Exhibit A: his hair) who hung on the fringes of the gangster rap subculture, making good-time, humorous songs that consisted of him rapping (poorly) about beaches and barbecues over NOT EVEN CHOPPED UP samples of 70s funk. I mean, he was to the 90s what Tone-Loc was to the 80s. Then came GP, his too-earnest, overproduced attempt at a serious message, and what happens? Weird Al comes along and totally takes the piss out of it. No wonder he was upset. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amish-paradise-why-was-coolio-so-mad/375475/17 "2006-10-06T18:08:41Z")
I remember an interview where Al discussed how he met Paul McCartney, who immediately asked him why Al hadn’t parodied one of his songs. Al mentioned that he wanted to do a parody of Live and Let Die called “Chicken Pot Pie” and Paul said he’d prefer Al didn’t because he (Paul) is a vegetarian. Al closed the story by saying that he (only does? prefers? can’t remember) parodies where he has the artist’s blessing so he didn’t do the Wings song… Woulda been funny! ---
**Author:** ![Dragwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dragwyr/32/2855_2.png) [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amish-paradise-why-was-coolio-so-mad/375475/18 "2006-10-06T18:33:08Z")
[QUOTE=WordMan] I remember an interview where Al discussed how he met Paul McCartney, who immediately asked him why Al hadn’t parodied one of his songs. Al mentioned that he wanted to do a parody of Live and Let Die called “Chicken Pot Pie” and Paul said he’d prefer Al didn’t because he (Paul) is a vegetarian. Al closed the story by saying that he (only does? prefers? can’t remember) parodies where he has the artist’s blessing so he didn’t do the Wings song… Woulda been funny! [/QUOTE] He actually did do that song, but it never was released on an album. I think he actually perfomed it live a few times though. Lyrics can be found [HERE](http://www.elyrics.net/read/w/weird-al-yankovic-lyrics/chicken-pot-pie-lyrics.html) ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amish-paradise-why-was-coolio-so-mad/375475/19 "2006-10-06T18:35:04Z")
[QUOTE=Wee Bairn] He probably thought it would be cool to act offended at the parody, when obviously he gave permission, or else why wouldn’t he have sued? [/QUOTE] What would be his cause of action? Under _Campbell v. Acuff-Rose Music_ (Campbell is Luther Campbell a/k/a Luke Skyywalker of 2 Live Crew), parody is fair use. Coolio would have no claim of copyright infringement. [QUOTE=BayleDomon] Not to mention that parody is covered under the Fair Use Act. [/quote] There is no Fair Use Act. The Copyright Act of 1976 does have a provision, Section 107, regarding fair use. > [@](#): > > (You know, I’ve never actually read the act, but it’s been cited so many times regarding parodies, I figure what the hell.) Well, if you want to read 17 U.S.C. Sec. 107, it’s not long. In fact, here it is in toto: > [@](#): > > § 107. Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use > > Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use the factors to be considered shall include— > > (1) the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes; > > (2) the nature of the copyrighted work; > > (3) the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and > > (4) the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work. > > The fact that a work is unpublished shall not itself bar a finding of fair use if such finding is made upon consideration of all the above factors. [QUOTE=garygnu] If Al gets permission, he can list himself as a writer of new lyrics and get a bit more money. [/QUOTE] He doesn’t need permission. If he wrote new lyrics, he wrote new lyrics and they belong to him. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amish-paradise-why-was-coolio-so-mad/375475/20 "2006-10-06T18:53:15Z")
Good times. Thanks for indulging my laziness. 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amish-paradise-why-was-coolio-so-mad/375475.md?page=2)