Ryan Adams "Borrows" from Dag Nasty

[scannest]

So, I picked up the new Ryan Adams record yesterday. I flip it over and see there is a track called "Am I Safe." Okay...that sounds kinda familiar. And I know Ryan posted a YouTube link to a live Dag video awhile back on his Twitter feed (yeah, I follow Ryan Adams on Twitter). Still I assume coincidence.
Then I'm listening to the song this morning and here comes the chorus - "Am I safe? If I don't want to be with you, am I safe?"

I mean, what the heck?! I am all for "borrowing" when it comes to pop music, but to lift the chorus of a song and make it the chorus of your song....is weird. And I don't think there is any acknowledgement (I haven't scoured the CD booklet, but I will tonight).
Anyway, there you have it. For what it's worth.

[jaybird]

Lifting a lyrical passage doesn't bother me nearly as much as copping riffs & melodies from other artists. This RA song sounds absolutely nothing like the Dag song, so while I agree the lyric is probably directly lifted from Dag, I don't have a huge issue with it.

Whole record is streaming on NPR if anyone wants to make their own determination as to how much of a shameless rip-off artist/hack RA is...

http://www.npr.org/2014/08/31/343973366 ... ryan-adams

[scannest]

Lifting a lyrical passage doesn't bother me nearly as much as copping riffs & melodies from other artists. This RA song sounds absolutely nothing like the Dag song, so while I agree the lyric is probably directly lifted from Dag, I don't have a huge issue with it.

Sure, but burying the 'borrowed' line in the middle of a verse is different than making it your chorus. But all in all, I don't have an issue with it. I guess I just thought it would be cool if he copped to it in liner notes.

[jaybird]

Lifting a lyrical passage doesn't bother me nearly as much as copping riffs & melodies from other artists. This RA song sounds absolutely nothing like the Dag song, so while I agree the lyric is probably directly lifted from Dag, I don't have a huge issue with it.

Sure, but burying the 'borrowed' line in the middle of a verse is different that making it your chorus. But all in all, I don't have an issue with it. I guess I just thought it would be cool if he copped to it in liner notes.

It' can be a fine line between artistic-license-type "borrowing" and straight-up hackery/thievery. Like, I think the Face to Face song where they lifted the Descendents lyric from "Hope" ("you don't know what you want/It will take you years to find out") was way worse IMO... Not that I really consider that "plagiarism" either, just eye-rolley and dumb I guess - O.K., we get it, you like the Descendents. Maybe the fact that Ryan Adams generally works in a different overall genre helps. If he used that lyric/title on his recent "punk" E.P., it'd be more suspect maybe. I dunno, this whole new RA album is kind of a snoozer anyway, to be honest... this debate over whether he stole a lyric from an old punk band might be the most interesting thing about it.

[scannest]

I dunno, this whole new RA album is kind of a snoozer anyway, to be honest... this debate over whether he stole a lyric from an old punk band might be the most interesting thing about it.

Yeah, upon initial listen I am really disappointed. I thought he was moving back towards pop/rock after all that dry-as-dust folk music he's been playing. And I know he hooked up with Mike Viola as a co-producer/co-conspirator and Mike has serious power-pop chops. But the record is really, really dull. I think I'll just continue to play the 1984 EP over and over.

[jaybird]

I think I'll just continue to play the 1984 EP over and over.

Word. One of the best records I've heard in a long, long time.

[BAIN]

think of it as a nod

[JGJR]

So, I picked up the new Ryan Adams record yesterday. I flip it over and see there is a track called "Am I Safe." Okay...that sounds kinda familiar. And I know Ryan posted a YouTube link to a live Dag video awhile back on his Twitter feed (yeah, I follow Ryan Adams on Twitter). Still I assume coincidence.
Then I'm listening to the song this morning and here comes the chorus - "Am I safe? If I don't want to be with you, am I safe?"

I mean, what the heck?! I am all for "borrowing" when it comes to pop music, but to lift the chorus of a song and make it the chorus of your song....is weird. And I don't think there is any acknowledgement (I haven't scoured the CD booklet, but I will tonight).
Anyway, there you have it. For what it's worth.

It sounds like he owes BB a share of his publishing for that track. It's a clear lift. He just reversed the "if I don't want to be with you" and "am I safe?" part. I say BB because I'm fairly certain he wrote the lyrics to that one or at least the chorus before Cischord joined the band since Cischord wrote many of the subsequent ones on the albums he appears on (Cischord told me as such; had no idea before that).

No matter, though. The 1984 EP is incredible.

[JGJR]

I think I'll just continue to play the 1984 EP over and over.

This is pretty much where I'm at this morning. And now I'm onto The Nils, which 1984 reminds me a lot of.

[JGJR]

I think I'll just continue to play the 1984 EP over and over.

Word. One of the best records I've heard in a long, long time.

Yep.

[JGJR]

I dunno, this whole new RA album is kind of a snoozer anyway, to be honest... this debate over whether he stole a lyric from an old punk band might be the most interesting thing about it.

Yeah, upon initial listen I am really disappointed. I thought he was moving back towards pop/rock after all that dry-as-dust folk music he's been playing. And I know he hooked up with Mike Viola as a co-producer/co-conspirator and Mike has serious power-pop chops. But the record is really, really dull. I think I'll just continue to play the 1984 EP over and over.

I gotta disagree with you here. This album (at least 4 songs in on my 1st listen in, though I am listening to a version with re-arranged track order now via YouTube) is quite good and not dull at all and as other reviews have said, very straight-down-the-line, accessible and hooky. It ain't really rock and roll, though, more like country-rock or folk-rock. My perspective might be different from yours, though, as I haven't listened to any of his albums since Gold, so I'm not really sure of what I missed in between that one and this new one. Are his other more recent records similar to this?

[Welly]

Everyone 'borrows' from everyone else.

It's called 'music', 'art', 'culture'... whatever the fuck have you.

Nothing exists in a vacuum.

OK, maybe shit like coffee, dust mites and space junk does but y'know...

[gregpolard]

I dunno, this whole new RA album is kind of a snoozer anyway, to be honest... this debate over whether he stole a lyric from an old punk band might be the most interesting thing about it.

Yeah, upon initial listen I am really disappointed. I thought he was moving back towards pop/rock after all that dry-as-dust folk music he's been playing. And I know he hooked up with Mike Viola as a co-producer/co-conspirator and Mike has serious power-pop chops. But the record is really, really dull. I think I'll just continue to play the 1984 EP over and over.

I gotta disagree with you here. This album (at least 4 songs in on my 1st listen in, though I am listening to a version with re-arranged track order now via YouTube) is quite good and not dull at all and as other reviews have said, very straight-down-the-line, accessible and hooky. It ain't really rock and roll, though, more like country-rock or folk-rock. My perspective might be different from yours, though, as I haven't listened to any of his albums since Gold, so I'm not really sure of what I missed in between that one and this new one. Are his other more recent records similar to this?

I'm in the same boat as you, I like the samples I heard from this. But I'm not too familiar w/ his work.

[plucky]

Ryan Adams this weekend on Austin City Limits....wearing a Dag Can I Say Shirt. I would say it was borrowed but probably because he is a fan.
http://www.stereogum.com/1731436/watch- ... its/video/

[lewdd]

i had that same tshirt around 93

[plucky]

i had that same tshirt around 93

Are you saying that he borrowed your 93 shirt? His looks to be an adult medium. Are you sure?

[lewdd]

i had that same tshirt around 93

Are you saying that he borrowed your 93 shirt? His looks to be an adult medium. Are you sure?

i was much smaller then

[plucky]

i had that same tshirt around 93

Are you saying that he borrowed your 93 shirt? His looks to be an adult medium. Are you sure?

i was much smaller then

Me too...pre-BBQ days I guess

[john stabb]

2 things come to mind when I see this dude on Austin City Limits:

1) It truly boggles the mind what any of you see in this fellow. He ain't nowhere near the tortured genius of Westerberg (who he's always getting compared to) and now the shaggy haired mutt-boy in the tattered jean jacket who looks like he just discovered a Nirvana record is copping Dag lyrics and wearing their tee Strange.

2) Maybe he's a friend of Brian and wants to pay tribute to the band Iy reminds me of Kristen Stewart wearing her Minor Threat tee for cool Indie punk cred.
I have a picture of Benji (Good Charlotte) wearing a GI tee and seriously don't think he's a fan. Just wanted to show the Vans Warped Tour crowd that he's down with the DC hardcore of the 80's. On their first record he was copping Minor Threat lyrics. That shit is embarrassing.

But back to RA: The boho-hippie twangster looks like he has fleas. Somebody needs to give him a good flea & tick bath.

[scannest]

In other Ryan related news, Mandy Moore is no longer spoken for.
6 years - not bad as far as rock star/actress marriages go,

[FlexMyHead]

I do not own a single record/release of his (have stolen copy of that punkish EP that I keep meaning to buy on iTunes) but I (mostly) like everything I've ever heard by him or that has been posted on this site. Some stuff is kinda a little too twangy-americana for me, but it's certainly not "bad" to my ears. He seems like he has a good sense of humor and doesn't take himself that seriously, which also works in his favor. Not sure why he rubs people the wrong way?

[scannest]

FWIW, he had a serious "attitude" problem for years. He'd have meltdowns and tantrums over bad reviews and people yelling out "Summer of '69" at his shows. Just acted like a brat. But that seems to be long gone. He now appears to be a generally affable, goofy dude who is just happy to be making music.

I don't doubt his sincerity when he proclaims to love metal and punk, although it doesn't show in his own music. As far as his music is concerned, I am a big fan of his more straight up "rock/pop" records (Gold, Rock n Roll, III/IV, 1984 EP, even his "metal" record, Orion). But his more folky, rootsy stuff leaves me cold. I guess Heartbreaker and Easy Tiger kinda fall in between the two styles. He also went through a serious Dead obsession when he played with the Cardinals which resulted in some cool live stuff, but not something I'd want to listen to a lot at home.

Anyway, what was the question?

[xxxHunterxxx]

I do not own a single record/release of his (have stolen copy of that punkish EP that I keep meaning to buy on iTunes) but I (mostly) like everything I've ever heard by him or that has been posted on this site. Some stuff is kinda a little too twangy-americana for me, but it's certainly not "bad" to my ears. He seems like he has a good sense of humor and doesn't take himself that seriously, which also works in his favor. Not sure why he rubs people the wrong way?

I thought I was picking up that punk record but accidentally bought his new album, which is a total snoozefest. It's certainly not offensive, however. In fact, my wife really likes it.

[JGJR]

I do not own a single record/release of his (have stolen copy of that punkish EP that I keep meaning to buy on iTunes) but I (mostly) like everything I've ever heard by him or that has been posted on this site. Some stuff is kinda a little too twangy-americana for me, but it's certainly not "bad" to my ears. He seems like he has a good sense of humor and doesn't take himself that seriously, which also works in his favor. Not sure why he rubs people the wrong way?

I thought I was picking up that punk record but accidentally bought his new album, which is a total snoozefest. It's certainly not offensive, however. In fact, my wife really likes it.

Yeah unfortunately the 1984 EP is way OOP already and goes for $30 and sometimes way more on the eBay, discogs, etc. I'd really love a repress, but I don't know if it'll ever happen. Oh and your wife has good taste. I love the s/t album, too.

[FlexMyHead]

FWIW, he had a serious "attitude" problem for years. He'd have meltdowns and tantrums over bad reviews and people yelling out "Summer of '69" at his shows. Just acted like a brat. But that seems to be long gone. He now appears to be a generally affable, goofy dude who is just happy to be making music.

I found this article which, I guess, speaks to the above. He did BBC show with two other people and then got into a message board war of words with one of them, was an amusing read if you have 20m or so. He apparently was bidding on a t-shirt of a Death Metal band on stage while pouting. hahah

http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/ ... z1byKKybKb