Stanford CIS

Dylan Hears A Who -- And Gets A Cease And Desist Letter Too

By Anthony Falzone on

As detailed in this article from Salon, the the Estate of Theodor Geisel (better known as Dr. Seuss) was not amused when somebody decided that Green Eggs And Ham is really best when reinterpreted by Bob Dylan -- or at least a good impersonation of him -- and set to music.

The song itself is brilliant.  You can learn more about it and hear it here, at least for now.

The Estate's response was irresponsible, if not simply abusive.  Parody and satire, whether obvious or subtle, lie at the heart of Fair Use.  So does this song.

I think Jennifer Rothman got the Fair Use analysis wrong, at least as it was presented in Salon.  I would be eager to hear what others think, and why.

Published in: Blog , Copyright and Fair Use