JPF Home Page Forums General Messages Mentor Questions Forum Can a Song be Cut by More Than One Artist?

I've never encountered this topic anywhere. I remember Lee Ann Rimes and Trisha Yearwood both cut "How Do I Live Without You" together. That was a bit ackward. So I'm assuming that more than one artist can cut the same song?

Hey Donna,

Yes, The Beatles' Yesterday was covered by 3,000+ artists. A mechanical license is required. Marc Barnette (MAB) is better qualified to give you the specifics.

John

Yes, I've had a song cut by two artists. It's common.

Yes, the more the better.

Donna,

The short definition is "yes." Technically, once a song has been recorded, anyone can record it, would just need to pay licsncing fees or get permission from the publisher for a "major release." Now, if a hit song comes out, thousands of Karaoke cowboys and girls, will do versions on their camera phones on YOU TUBE and elsewhere on the Net. Pretty common.

At one time it was very common. They were called "STANDARDS". Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, etc. would all record versions of things like "LEFT MY HEART IN SAN FRANSISCO." Was very standard.

As the 60's and 70's came in, where the song was identified more with one group or singer, it more or less faded out. It has happened over the years, with songs like BLACK VELVET being cut by a country and a rock artist, and if a song is big enough, you might get it done by several people, just like the old days.

The case you mention, Trisha Yearwood and Lee Anne Rhymes doing versions of "How can I Live Without You" was an interesting event in that Trisha's was released for the actual country market, and Lee Anne's version was released for a younger audience as part of the soundtrack of "Armagaddon", a Bruce Willis movie.

And then of course you have the "AMERICAN IDOL/THE VOICE" shows where ALL the artists did versions of other songs. An artist I worked with, Megan Lindsley, did a version of "Little Big Town's" "GIRL CRUSH", not long after they had had it out. It became the best selling song on I TUNES, outselling Little Big Town, itself, For the next day. Such success can be fleeting.

So yes, it can be done. There are many examples of songs being recorded many times BEFORE it actually became a hit. Kenny Rodgers and THE GAMBLER was like that. It was recorded ten times, before it made it to Kenny by people like Charlie Pride, Ronnie Milsap, Bobby Bare, and several others, before it finally got to Kenny, who made it a standard.
There are also examples like my friend and co-writer Jim Peterek, whose song EYE OF THE TIGER has been recorded in pop, rock, country, and many commercials, many times by different artists. A few days ago I was watching reruns of my favorite television show, MODERN FAMILY, and there was a scene on the beach in Hawaii, where the characters were doing a wedding. Playing for the wedding was Hawaiian guy, with a Ukelale, playing "EYE OF THE TIGER." A song that keeps on giving.

Now, you just hope one person at a time wants to do it.

Good luck,
MAB