“Song sites face legal crackdown”

BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Song sites face legal crackdown

Before you act: there’s no point in writing comments like: Where’s the zip file? I want the zip file. Can you please send me the zip file?

well well… What can I say? Several people have sent me links to this and other similar news reports, concerned about what is going to happen to dylanchords.
I understand the concern — I share it, and I don’t know what’s going to happen.
On the one hand: I don’t want to go to jail, and I can’t afford a 500,000$ lawsuit. Those are two good reasons to shut down the site right now.
On the other, I keep telling myself that I don’t have much to worry about: all the lyrics are already freely available from bobdylan.com; all the tabs are my own interpretations and “intellectual property” in some sense of the word, I haven’t copied them from anywhere, and god knows I haven’t cast so much as an eye on the official chord books — heaven forbid! (in fact, had the publishers done a decent job on those, I would never have started this site); to my knowledge, chord charts in the form and with the contents you will find on dylanchords.com have not been copyrighted; etc. All in all, if I were the judge, I couldn’t really say that the site is much of an infringement.
Then again, I ain’t the judge.
The Australian Copyright Council writes:

If you own copyright in a musical work or lyrics, you are generally the only person who can:

  • reproduce it: for example, by recording a performance of it, photocopying it, copying it by hand, or scanning it onto a computer disk;
  • make it public for the first time;
  • perform it in public;
  • communicate it to the public (including via radio, television and the internet);
  • translate it (for lyrics); or
  • arrange or transcribe it (for music).

That would mean that I would need Dylan’s permission to arrange the songs, even though the “arrangements” (i.e. tabs) are my own.
However:

Unless a special exception applies, copyright is infringed if someone uses copyright material in one of the ways set out in the Copyright Act without the copyright owners permission. The special exceptions include fair dealing with copyright material for research or study, or for criticism or review.

The disclaimer about “research, study, personal use” etc. is a standard mantra in headers of tab pages, which I’ve never really taken seriously, and I doubt that anyone has — especially not the publishers and copyright holders. Whether or not a use is fair depends on four factors, listed in the US Copyright Act:

• the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;
• the nature of the copyright work;
• the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyright work as a whole; and
• the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.

I’d say I score a point on #1, but I lose on the other three.

All in all, the situation is too unclear for me to see through it, but also to just sit and wait. I have therefore decided — actually while writing this — to take down the potentially offensive parts of the site until the situation has become clearer. There will be a solution, I’m sure, but until then: have patience! This is not a goodbye, but a “We’ll meet again”

And — not that I think it will have any effect whatsoever, but there’s a petition one can sign at http://www.petitiononline.com/mioti/petition.html

405 thoughts on ““Song sites face legal crackdown””

  1. Well, thank you for what you have done. You’ve helped me out a lot and saved me a lot of time. I’ve got a pretty kickin’ version “It’s All Over Now Baby Blue” that I probably wouldn’t have bothered to make if not for your site.

  2. I miss this site and the chords. It helped me into Dylan music and lyrics, and I never would heve started playing the guitar, if not for you.

  3. Just wanted to say thank you for one of the greatest sites ever. And that it is outrageous if it isn’t legal. Can’t somebody call Bob, I don’t think he would mind…

  4. Whatever comes of all of this, “thank you!” This has been an incredible academic and musical resource, and I hope it is allowed to expand and grow without such irrational boundaries. Anyone who argues that the existence of this site hurts either the record companies or Dylan himself is an imbecile. I have bought 15 or so Dylan albums in the last year, in part because of this site; I would not buy authorized Dylan transcriptions anyway because it seems sacrilegious to me; it seems this site serves to promote Dylan’s music and in turn, helps the record companies who distribute it. Enough about that though…really I just wanted to say “thank you.”

  5. Please send me the ZIP. I dont even know how Im supposed to get in contact of you, or if you are the right person, but I need the ZIP file. I’ll tell it and show it and speak and breathe it. I vist the site daily, and you can imagine how upset I was when i was actually reading tab on the sight when you took it off. I click on another song and could’nt believe what had just happened. I could have downloaded the zip any day, but for some reason i thought the site would always be there. I figured they’d crack down on those big boys like tabcrawler or guitartabs.cc PLEASE PLEASE give me the ZIP.
    Cbrizendine@myvu.vinu.edu

  6. New Year 2005 myself and other musicians from the north east of England (some of whom had even shared a stage with the man himself) held a “Dylan Day” and raised a great deal of doe for a newcastle neurosurgical unit.
    The concept was simple, provide a great house band and invite all and sundry to front it and perform a Dylan song – from 3pm till midnight and NO repeats. Dylanchords was the standard backing sheet for each number.
    Some of the performers were in their teens some in their sixties but all had love and respect for Dylan’s music which is only enhanced by your superbly scholarly site.
    Music publishers just don’t get it,you might as well talk about closeing public libraries.
    I hope sense prevails (and would very much appreciate the zip file)
    Good Luck
    Pat

  7. Found your site a few months ago and have been a regular visitor since. I am heartbroken to find out that you can no longer provide the tabs to Dylan’s songs. His music and your tabs have brought me out of the my musical dolldrums. Please send the Zip file!

    Ron

  8. What a shame for the chords to longer be available to amateurs like myself who benefit so much from the sites that put the chords to the songs on line. Books are wildly over priced and I can’t tell you how much I’ve been able to learn as far as playing from sites like this. What a bummer. I hope someone thinks of a way to get around this.

  9. Sorry my SN makes me look like a spammer but I DO seriously mean everything I said in my post. I understand copyrights and all that stuff but for someone to figure out the chords and put them on line for those of us needing the inspiration and a little insruction is awesome. Generous too. The musicians and all the middle men make plenty on CD’s, DVD’d, and the very expensive books they try to sell. Don’t forget all the people involved in the concert scene. Just posting tabs or chords that you figured out is nothing less than sharing. It’s a good thing Vixen

  10. I don’t think dylan would have wanted it this way. Your site increased my appreciation and enjoyment of dylan music dramatically. Your tabs are sorely missed

  11. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU GAVE TO US.

    I never thought that music, the thing thats supposed to be free for all, would ever come to means such as this.

    The next time any of you play a show play a dylan song EXTRA LOUD for those assholes. Lets show them who this all belongs to.

  12. I thought this site (and tabs) would be here forever, however thanks for all you have done, if any one has the zip file please please copy it to me

  13. Totaly agree with the person above, you should ask Dylan, because this site was awesome. There are not too many Dylan song books out there and your site had most of the songs he ever recorded including the bootleg series which are some early songs that are not on any other records that I would like to learn.

  14. I basically learned both the guitar and the harmonica from this site. Thankfully the key list for the harmonica is still available.

  15. That is complete bul#@!#T. tabs should be public. Could I get a copy of them. is there anyone who I can write to to complain

  16. During this winter break from school I bought Nasville Skyline and was eager to check out your tabs on it as I have with every other Dylan record I’ve gotten. That’s when I saw that you have removed your tabs.

    With that being said, I would like to thank you for all of the work you have done making this site up until now. As a few people have said before, I too credit this site in helping me develop into the guitar/harp player that I am now. It is a shame, but rest assured that all your hard work was not wasted. Thanks again for everything.

  17. I am so bummed out. I came upon the site a couple months ago, and have been waiting to get my guitar sent away to me at school. I just received it, and no Dylan chords anymore. Can anyone please send me the zip to the chord files? The other stuff out there just isn’t right. I like your details with chord tunings and for specifity. Keep up the Great Work in whatever forum! Please send me the zip files Please!!!!!!! Cheers, Chris

  18. Thanks Eyolf for your extraordinary work with the site. It has probably given me more joy than any other site on the web. The tabs are accurate and are playing in their very own division compared to other sites. As a true Dylan fan it’s really hurting that commercial fools and capitalistic money makers are trying to stop us from playing his songs for their own gain. Well… enough about that I guess.

    Anyway. You would do me a great favor if you could send me the zip-file. Thanks!

    Calchenman@hotmail.com

    /Carl

  19. Wow. I just checked the site for the first time in a few weeks and noticed…the tabs are gone! I’ve been coming to this site for years now and not only learned a lot about the music of BD, but also a lot about guitar playing. I wish you the best in getting it back up and running in a safe and legal fashion! We’re all out here rooting for it!

    And of course, if anyone has the zip file and would be willing to email it to me, I’d be thrilled. THANKS! rhum55pitt@aol.com

    LONG LIVE DYLAN CHORDS!

  20. I keep coming back to the site, hoping the archive will be back up. I’m just devastated!

    First of all, I’d like to thank you SO MUCH for all the time & effort you’ve put into this site over the years. YOU TAUGHT ME HOW TO PLAY GUITAR!Again, thank you so much!!
    Next I’d like point out the fact that as an Artist, I can assure you that your interpretation of any song in the world is MOST CERTAINLY your own intellectual property, of which you are the sole owner. Copyright infringement only occurs when/IF an Artist attempts to market their interpretation of another Artist’s copyrighted material.

    Next I’d like to point out the fact that many members of the music publishers association FALSELY claim rights to songs that are in fact PUBLIC DOMAIN, ie man of constant sorrow, house of the rising sun, little maggie, silver dagger, fennario, the list goes on & on.
    In any event, I can’t help but wonder if certain artists aren’t in fact cutting off the nose to spite the face, as far as “reigning in their fans”. At this point, I wouldn’t go to a grateful dead show if somebody offered to pay me. I am SO pissed!
    Ok, well anyway, I hate to end what was intended to be a nice thank you on a negative note, so again, THANK YOU SO MUCH for teaching me to play guitar! I feel terribly indebted to you. I only wish I’d have taken the time to write earlier.

    I do hate to bother you, but if it isn’t too terribly much trouble, I would REALLY appreciate it very much if you would send me the zip.

    Thank you again so much for sharing your site, I’m sure it touched many other people’s lives just as deeply as it touched my own.

    zuluindiakilo@yahoo.com

  21. This is the best site, bar none, for anyone interested in Bob Dylan and his music. Eyolf’s work is amazing in its detail and there isn’t a music publisher in the whole world who can come close to his attention to detail, and his obvious devotion. I put up a link on my site to dylanschords.com and have told so many people about it, that I’m sure Dylan’s music is being discovered and redisovered all over the world because of Eyolf’s work. And I’m quite sure sales are doing just great.

    Keep the fire burning Eyolf!!!

    Don’t think twice, its alright!!

    all the best,
    guy

  22. Dear tributing factor,
    I am so sorry to find that you have taken down big parts of the site. I am an fourteen year old girl from Norway and quite few of my friends has decent knowledge of Dylan’s work. It has been a great relief and joy to find tabs for all of my favourite songs here.

    Knowing I’m able to find his lyrics on bobdylan.com it is still much more fun when I’m able to play along. My viewpoint stands not alone. It’s a great site you’re distributing and it would be sad to have lost it. Keep going. And know that someone cares for and apreciates what you’ve done. Again I know I’m not alone. Thank you for your previous work and so long.

    Dedicated greatings,
    Vilde

  23. Agreed. Capitalism keeps on impressing, doesn’t it? Kind of makes you dream you’re walkin’ into the world war three just watching it’s aproach to the rest of the world.

  24. Dear Eyolf,

    I’ve read all the above, and realise that this has been said many times over, but I just felt I had to say something in support. I’ve been visiting your site for several years, and I’ve very much appreciated the efforts you’ve put into creating it – not just the tabs, but all the other good stuff that’s helped both my guitar playing and my enjoyment of Bob’s music.

    I’m 56, first got into Dylan when I was 16 – maybe I’ll do a 40th anniversary concert featuring the songs I’ve learnt from you!!!. I’ve got all his albums, saw him at the Isle of Wight in 1969, and in Manchester this year.

    I’ve seen a few helpful suggestions in the comments above (e.g. ask Bob’s permission, register the site in a country where it’s legit) – might be worth putting something on here to say what you’ve considered, and what the outcome was. If nothing else, it might stop your fans repeating the same things – although maybe not, given the number of people that are still asking you to send them a zip file, without bothering to read through the comments!

    Anyway, I wish you every success, and hope to see your site restored to its former glories before too long.

    Kind regards,
    Dave

  25. I guess you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone. I feel violated. This site has been like a good fiend to me. Thank-you for the hard to imagine number of hours you undoubtedly spent creating this site and researching the material. My heart aches for everyone.

  26. Oh no!!! i was all ready to get me the tabs for the songs on bob’s first album cos i’ve just bought it….noooooo…i’m really going to miss this site. thank you so much anyway, i have loved loved loved this site to death! XXxxx

  27. Bing it back! Bing it back! Bing it back!
    It was awesome – Damb big brother -Please send Zip file.

  28. One thing I’d like to add – isn’t folk music all about the handing down of songs from one generation to another? I admit, we live in a different world now and aren’t all singing and playing and learning songs with our families, but this was (in a way) a continuation of this tradition – learning from others and passing the songs along. I’m sad and angered to witness any effort too squash this tradtion and to discourage this heritage. And alhtough Dylan is not at risk for seeing his songs die, performing is what keeps songs alive. Thanks for a great site!

  29. I think the American Music Publishers Association is bullshit! A guitar tab site is not taking any money from anybody. Like someone else said they bought a few records because of it. Putting tabs on the internet is nothing like bootlegging music, all the songs are copyrighted in the first place. This sort of thing just enrages me. Greedy suits trying to destroy anything they can’t make a dollar on. It absolutly does NOT hurt the artist. It helps them. I really hope you will be able to put this great site back up in its entirty.

  30. I was just a “Greatest Hits” fan until I visited this site and was inspired to round out my exposure to Dylan’s music. That has involved spending quite a bit of money on CD’s but I guess the peddler’s of inaccurate tab books don’t care about that. Yet another request for the Zip file.

  31. I’m 37. When I was in my late teens and early twenties I was obsessed by music but grew ever more cynical about the industry as I grew older. I stopped buying records altogether by the time I was 25 because most of the music I came across was rubbish.

    7 years ago (when I was 30) I got broadband internet and discovered Napster. First I started downloading old tunes I’d heard from my childhood. I came across loads of fantastic country, bluegrass and folk music by accident. This led to the discovery of many artists that just don’t have an outlet for their music on the radio in the UK.

    Since this rediscovery of music via the mp3 revolution started I have purchased more legitimate music cd’s than ever – i now spend a fortune on the damn things. The difference is now I buy exactly the music I like from Amazon or iTunes and not whatever the record companies think I ought to like and can be bothered to stock my local CD store with.

    The parallel with the Tab sites is uncanny. Do they really think people buy less Bob Dylan records and merchandise because of your site?

    I agree with much of what has been written. I definately think you should ask Bob what he thinks.

    Lastly, like everyone else I thought the site would be around forever but it seems, as with altcountrytab.com I’ll have to plead with you for the zip file and if there is anything a web developer from Sussex, UK can do to help then please let me know.

  32. Just checked back on this site for the first time in a while. Im 22 and am learning to play guitar, used to search this site for easyish songs, but now I can finally play an F chord, im back for more, but they have gone! Ive found the zip file and can only wish you all the best for your site, ill miss it. The help section and your blog are still well worth returning for.

  33. This is an absolute disgrace – how can people think that educating others is a criminal offence. Like you said – number 1. these are your own interpretations and therefore the copyright material does indeed belong to yourself, and number 2. theres no ground for criminal prosecution. These are the greedy record companies who are simply after their fat pay cheques! Everyone has the right to play their favourite dylan song on guitar! Good Luck and all the best!

  34. You had such a great site. Hope it comes back soon. Please send zip file if you have the time. Thanks, Joe

  35. Just want to say how great this site was (and hopefully will be again). Any time I felt like strumming a Dylan song on guitar, this was the place I’d come (not good enough to play any of the songs from memory!) and I’ve spent many hours using these tabs to play along to Dylan’s CDs. Anybody that thinks this site will affect music record sales is a fool, in fact as many people have already said it almost certainly does the opposite. I seriously wonder how Dylan feels about this whole thing. I would like to think if (and when) he hears about it he will do what he can to help get this site back up and running – surely he knows the importance of music being shared and played and loved by others. After all, he started off as a someone playing covers of old folk songs. Hope to see the site back up + running soon!

  36. is the january zip file to most recent one, because i have that one and some old one?

    oh and i dont think dylan would care about this.. at first.. then maybe he would.. only after he would care to care a little more

  37. It’s such a tradgedy.

    I’ve practically learned how to play guitar from your site Eyolf! From the first simple stuff like Loansome Death, to fingerpicking Don’t think Twice (which incidently was the only reason i wanted to play guitar, to play hat song, and you made it easy in a few months).
    I owe you so so much.
    I’d love the Zip file :)

  38. Hi! First I want to thank you for a great site! When I saw that the tab section was shut down I was really devistated and I hope you’ll find a sollution. Have you seen springsteen-chords.com? They have something called Creative commons-license maybe that something you could get too? You should check into it at least.. Good luck!

  39. Hi, Eyolf. Just clicked over to the site for another dose of Dylan, saw it is down, read your explanation and have been reading thses comments. As we say in Wisconsin (USA) “Uffda.”

    Your site is/was the best Dylan site on the ‘net. Your chord arrangements were by far the best available — for free or for money. Right now, there is a huge, fat Bob Dylan song book down at my local public library. It has virtually all the Dylan songs in it, chords and lyrics. But I came HERE, because your chords were better. And your comments and analysis helped me understand and appreciate Dylan and his music more.

    By the way, according to your posting of the Australian copyright people, I can’t “perform it in public.” So — No singing of the songs in public? I can’t play Blowing in the Wind in a coffeehouse, or play Like a Rolling Stone at the local bar with my band?

    You know, they that that “those whom the Gods would destroy, they first make mad.” I think the greed of the music industry is causing them to lose their basic good sense. They are trying to prevent people from using and participating in their culture. If they persist, people will simply replace commercial music in the culture with something else, because people WILL NOT agree to give up their culture to others.

    If we can’t play and sing the songs distributed by the music industry, we will sing and play what we CAN sing and play. Simple. That is not a threat, it is a description of human nature!

    I won’t ask for the zip file. I will say, rather, that I’ve enjoyed your site hugely and I thank you for it. You did wonderful work. I often checked your site simply to determine if Dylan wrote a particular song or if he covered it, or if it was traditional.

    Enough. I’ve been brought closer to Dylan’s work by your work — thank you.

    – Ned

  40. Eyolf,
    Thank you for building up this site. It is the best Dylan’s site around, and made rediscover the lost passion of guitar playing. It will be a huge loss to see it fade away..
    Have you thought of writing to Dylan’s himself (his office)about half-cracked prejudice that leaped forth and forced you to take the site down?

  41. g’day mate. i’ve just come back from 9 months in Romania where i was learning some of their traditional music, and was keen once i arrived back home in oz to hit the road again playing some dylan stuff as well. i’ve always used the sight which was great and was stunned to see it gone. i’d love a version of the zip if possible, just so i can spread more of the dylan gospel.

  42. Clearly it would be difficult for me to add anything much new to the comments at this stage.
    I would, therefore like to say a big thanks to you for the huge ammount of time and effort that you must have put into this site and how much I’ve enjoyed visiting it and watching it grow – and not only the tabs, I’ve enjoyed the other essays like ‘Dylan’s Guitars’.
    I’ve been a Dylan fan since I was 12 in 1965 and I love to pick up a guitar and delve into his massive catalogue of songs.
    I’m afraid it looks like what we have here is a classic case of little guy vs the huge corporation and unfortunately, despite what we see in the movies, the little guy seldom if ever wins.
    I think it’s a great shame, particularly after a year of more openess and access from Dylan than I’ve ever known.
    If there is a zip fo the tabs, I would love to receive it.
    Good luck!

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