Johnny Depp and Jeff Beck accused of stealing lyrics from jailed man – National

Johnny Depp and Jeff Beck have been accused of stealing a man’s poem in custody to make their lyrics. Parade of the sad mother – relatives, fourth track from their collaboration album, 18.

Rolling Stone first reported that the song appears to have many of the same phrases as the poem Hobo Ben by Slim Wilson, the pseudonym of a self-proclaimed “scam” and “pimp” who served time in prison for murder and armed robbery in 1960.

A spokesperson for Depp and Beck told Rolling Stone that they are assessing the validity of the claims regarding the Motherf’s parade – sad relatives.

“We are looking into the question regarding the song Sad Motherf — kin ‘Parade above 18 album by Jeff Beck and Johnny Depp. Where appropriate, additional copyright credits will be added to all forms of the album,” the statement said.

Wilson, whose true identity is unknown, met folklorist Bruce Jackson at the Missouri State Prison in 1964. Wilson is said to have shared several poems and toasts – a historical form of poetry by Black people tell heroic stories in a often humorous way – with Jackson.

In Jackson’s 1974 book on toasting, called Get your butt in the water and swim like me, he includes many works attributed to Wilson. In 1976, Jackson recorded an album based on the book, in which Wilson performed several toasting scenes.

Toasted bread Hobo Ben describes the main character at a party, where he says, “Ladies of great culture and beauty, any of you will give me wine? / I know I’m ragged, but I’m not smell / and God bless the lady That will buy me a drink.” / Hattie turned heavily to Nadine and laughed / and said, “What a funny mom—ker really needs, baby, is a tub.”

The song Sad Motherf — kin ‘Parade there are many similar lines. On the track, Depp said “I know, I’m ragged, but I don’t stink”, “God bless the woman who’ll buy me a drink” and “what that funny mom-ker really needs, child, is Bath.”

Depp and Beck are the only musicians credited on the track.

“The only two lines I can find in the entire work [Depp and Beck] Jackson, who is now a professor at the University of Buffalo, told Rolling Stone.

“Everything else is from Slim’s performance in my book,” he continued. “I have never encountered anything like this. I’ve been publishing content for 50 years, and this is the first time someone has ripped something up and put his or her own name on it. “

Jackson’s son, Michael Lee Jackson (who is an attorney), said they were considering the possibility of pursuing legal action, although no such application has been made.

“In my opinion, it doesn’t make sense that Johnny Depp or anyone else could sit down and make those lyrics without barely taking them from some version of the recording and/ or my father’s book where they appear,” Michael told Rolling Stone.

Although Jackson owns the copyright to Hobo Ben, since Wilson told Jackson he learned to toast from his father (since most toasts are passed down by word of mouth), proving authorship can be difficult. (Jackson never claimed to be the author of Hobo Ben and has historically shared profits with writers and performers like Wilson.)

For this reason, accusations of Sad Motherf — kin ‘Parade may be more of an ethical dilemma than a legal one.

Jackson hopes Depp and Beck will change the songwriting credits to include Wilson.

“I don’t know if this record will sell well. I saw some reviews that I would be embarrassed to receive if they were my album,” he told Rolling Stone. “But if it does sell, Johnny Depp is making a lot of money from it. Should it go to him, or should it go somewhere to help the people who gave birth to this culture? “

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