robb_k
07-12-2012, 01:30 PM
5143
The song that they "supposedly" wrote for Marv Johnson in late 1959 or early 1960, and was published by their own Fidelity Music, was almost a carbon copy of "You Got What It Takes" by Bobby Parker, which was released as Vee Jay Records 279 and published by their Conrad Music, more than 2 years before, in 1957. It had the same exact words, almost the same melody[[except a little bluesier and had a featured guitar solo in the break).
Did that trio BUY the rights to that song from Parker and Conrad? I find it hard to believe that the [[at that time) thriving business of VJ Records, in their heyday, would sell a song that had done well, to an up-and-coming smaller music company. But, I also find it very implausible that Berry, Gwen and Billy, "smart cookies" as they were, would boldly STEAL a song from a firm with money that could hire decent lawyers, and from a company in a nearby city, who was well-known in the business, and steal a song that charted on various R&B radio stations and sold fairly well around the country.
Does anyone know the story of this situation?
Here is a link to Parker's version:
http://www.freedrive.com/file/539219,023_bobby-parker-op---you-got-what-it-ta
The song that they "supposedly" wrote for Marv Johnson in late 1959 or early 1960, and was published by their own Fidelity Music, was almost a carbon copy of "You Got What It Takes" by Bobby Parker, which was released as Vee Jay Records 279 and published by their Conrad Music, more than 2 years before, in 1957. It had the same exact words, almost the same melody[[except a little bluesier and had a featured guitar solo in the break).
Did that trio BUY the rights to that song from Parker and Conrad? I find it hard to believe that the [[at that time) thriving business of VJ Records, in their heyday, would sell a song that had done well, to an up-and-coming smaller music company. But, I also find it very implausible that Berry, Gwen and Billy, "smart cookies" as they were, would boldly STEAL a song from a firm with money that could hire decent lawyers, and from a company in a nearby city, who was well-known in the business, and steal a song that charted on various R&B radio stations and sold fairly well around the country.
Does anyone know the story of this situation?
Here is a link to Parker's version:
http://www.freedrive.com/file/539219,023_bobby-parker-op---you-got-what-it-ta