The Songwriting of Live Options

[SJN1279]

In Ed's head, he is talking about how he has changed from rock and roll excess to finding god/family. Many of us here twist it into him singing about how he has changed to become a guy who backstabs his friends CC&P. This is probably the clearest way I can explain it here for someone who is new to the board

CCP had no problem taking 75 percent song writing credit and money for songs that Ed basically wrote 100 percent himself. I think that is a pretty crummy thing to do to a friend.

[PurdueSteve]

To answer the question, I believe that Ed wrote the bulk of the music and melody for the majority of Live's songs. If Pat or Chad added anything extra, it was credited on the album. A person can write a complete song and have others perform it. Not every person who contributes to a band musically receives songwriting credit or royalty.

Think of the two versions of Overcome.

Royalties are in place to cover the (licensed I guess) usage of a song.
The writing credit is in place, just for that, the credit.

They are not synonymous and are not interchangeable.

I could have the credit of writing a song wherein Pokey played drums and Fish played bass. The Royalty for the studio credit (as agreed) would go to all of us for whenever the studio track is licensed to someone else (an advertiser, a tv show, ect). When the track is played it would be Pokey's drums and Fish's bass being heard.

Now for the song writing credit, I would own that. If I wanted to re-record the song with just an acoustic guitar then I probably could. If Ed Kowalczyk wanted to do a cover of my song he could pay me for the rights, ect.

Also, Ed completing a song on acoustic guitar and CAG laying down drums doesn't mean CAG is just "performing it". Ed, AFAIK, hasn't "completed" a whole song in the sense of creating the drum, bass and other guitar parts beyond the melody.