bjs wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 12:19 am
Were these songs muzak covers in the original broadcast, or only on the DVD version? Anyway, the muzak cheapens the episode, in more ways than one.
I’m not certain, but it wasn’t very expensive for TV series to use older music in broadcast episodes, so I’d guess that they were originals. Getting rights to current hits as Miami Vice did, was more expensive, but the publishing rights for DVD copies proved prohibitively expensive for many series.
I believe the songs were by what I referred to as the “Universal House Band.” I’m going by my memory of the episode when it first aired, as my childhood friends and I would poke fun at those tunes being “obvious” cover versions.
However, if anyone can provide on-air VHS recordings proving those are the original recordings, please do. I’d be shocked and also wrong these past almost 40 years, which wouldn’t be the first time that happened!
bjs wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 12:19 am
Were these songs muzak covers in the original broadcast, or only on the DVD version? Anyway, the muzak cheapens the episode, in more ways than one.
I’m not certain, but it wasn’t very expensive for TV series to use older music in broadcast episodes, so I’d guess that they were originals. Getting rights to current hits as Miami Vice did, was more expensive, but the publishing rights for DVD copies proved prohibitively expensive for many series.
I believe the songs were by what I referred to as the “Universal House Band.” I’m going by my memory of the episode when it first aired, as my childhood friends and I would poke fun at those tunes being “obvious” cover versions.
However, if anyone can provide on-air VHS recordings proving those are the original recordings, please do. I’d be shocked and also wrong these past almost 40 years, which wouldn’t be the first time that happened!
Yes, I’d be very interested to know what originally aired. The music rights for these previously copyrighted songs also changed when a series went from network broadcast to syndication into multiple markets on different stations. I don’t know if this is still true though. So as an example, a VHS recording done in 1987 from a syndicated airing of an older episode could have edited music, even while the series was still airing on the network.
Going just on memory - it was the same version as syndication. Definitely the same songs. (35+ years later I am saying that with confidence).
I think there were different rules for music if you filmed on tape or film. It was how wkrp was able to get so many current songs in their episodes. Completely from memory - you could keep the rights for 10 years if shot on video (which allowed wkrp to have those songs during their syndication run from approx (84 - 88).
I can say for sure in did you see the sunrise, it was always the bad cover of satisfaction.
SeamanWolfe wrote: ↑Fri Jul 30, 2021 3:19 am
Going just on memory - it was the same version as syndication. Definitely the same songs. (35+ years later I am saying that with confidence).
I think there were different rules for music if you filmed on tape or film. It was how wkrp was able to get so many current songs in their episodes. Completely from memory - you could keep the rights for 10 years if shot on video (which allowed wkrp to have those songs during their syndication run from approx (84 - 88).
I can say for sure in did you see the sunrise, it was always the bad cover of satisfaction.
That makes sense, albeit in an aribitrary way. Why film can use it but tape cannot? Perhaps Panonhu knows as he was in the entertainment industry. The Magnum episodes that have Genesis songs for an extended time (Laura and Death and Taxes) I am confident used the real music in syndication. For sure the DVDs and Blu-Rays also used the original music. It would be blatantly obvious if they did not as that was the only sound.
Two other things you mentioned of interest to me:
1) When WKRP in Cincinnati was released on DVD one of my cousins ordered it and invited me to enjoy it with him. He was devastated when he found out the DVDs ripped out all the music. The show did take place at a radio station...
2) Why on Earth does the entertainment industry believe that "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" is the default song of the Vietnam War? I blame Francis Ford Coppola.
SeamanWolfe wrote: ↑Fri Jul 30, 2021 3:19 am
Going just on memory - it was the same version as syndication. Definitely the same songs. (35+ years later I am saying that with confidence).
I think there were different rules for music if you filmed on tape or film. It was how wkrp was able to get so many current songs in their episodes. Completely from memory - you could keep the rights for 10 years if shot on video (which allowed wkrp to have those songs during their syndication run from approx (84 - 88).
I can say for sure in did you see the sunrise, it was always the bad cover of satisfaction.
That makes sense, albeit in an aribitrary way. Why film can use it but tape cannot? Perhaps Panonhu knows as he was in the entertainment industry. The Magnum episodes that have Genesis songs for an extended time (Laura and Death and Taxes) I am confident used the real music in syndication. For sure the DVDs and Blu-Rays also used the original music. It would be blatantly obvious if they did not as that was the only sound.
Two other things you mentioned of interest to me:
1) When WKRP in Cincinnati was released on DVD one of my cousins ordered it and invited me to enjoy it with him. He was devastated when he found out the DVDs ripped out all the music. The show did take place at a radio station...
2) Why on Earth does the entertainment industry believe that "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" is the default song of the Vietnam War? I blame Francis Ford Coppola.
There are multiple levels of licensing, as I mentioned above. I know there is different licensing for films that are distributed physically to theaters, and recordings to be broadcast on television. I’m not familiar with any difference between broadcasting something recorded on tape vs. film. I cannot say so today, but in the past when I worked, even shows recorded and edited on film ultimately delivered the final product to the stations as video tapes. The stations don’t have the equipment to show films. Film was generally used when a significant amount of scenes are not on a soundstage with highly controlled lighting. Filming outside or even indoors on location has far less control over the light and video tape would be poor in those conditions.
Recorded versions like CD’s or DVD’s sold to the public are called mechanical licensing. That’s were many series like WKRP, that used lots of copyrighted music run into trouble. When the show was created they got licensing for broadcast. To sell DVD’s means licensing every piece of music again, and that has been prohibitively expensive for some series.
This is what I was referring to - not sure if it is true or not. I only remember with wkrp being excited when it came back on in syndication (early/mid 90s) and noticing songs missing. The real obvious one is an episode where Andy Travis is singing along (while gathering mail) to Sympathy for the Devil. You can still see him mouthing the words but something else is playing in the background.
Sorry if this is pulling off topic. Will let copyright music questions end (at least until we get to a rewatch of Unfinished Business).
This is what I was referring to - not sure if it is true or not. I only remember with wkrp being excited when it came back on in syndication (early/mid 90s) and noticing songs missing. The real obvious one is an episode where Andy Travis is singing along (while gathering mail) to Sympathy for the Devil. You can still see him mouthing the words but something else is playing in the background.
Sorry if this is pulling off topic. Will let copyright music questions end (at least until we get to a rewatch of Unfinished Business).
I think it’s a good sub-topic for an episode about a radio station DJ!
I was aware that many forms of music licensing has time limits, but not that videotaped series had lower rates than filmed series. That may very well be true but the article doesn’t make clear if they’re comparing licenses for broadcasts on TV with film distribution, or TV series that are filmed versus videotaped. I’m very curious now. Of course all this has surely changed with streaming and the drop in “mechanical” distribution.
Seaver41 wrote: ↑Thu May 10, 2012 8:16 pm
rated this average. Nothing terribly compelling about the episode. It reminded me too much of the earlier episode with Marcia Strassman who was a nurse they knew in Vietnam...........they held a similar kind of reverence for her. The climax takes place on a peak and of course the female lead is troubled. Sure some details are obviously different, but this was kind of formulaic to me.
That's actually why I liked this episode. "Heal Thyself" (which I rated as "excellent") is one of my favorites from season 3 and this one reminded me a lot of the earlier episode. I rated this one "very good". I like the more serious episodes, especially when there's a Vietnam connection.
And both episodes have fantastic climaxes (as you mentioned) at some pretty awe-inspiring locations - Makapuu Lighthouse in the former and the hang-gliding launchpad at Kamehame Ridge in the latter.
For those of us who grew up watching Magnum (and if you were me, Simon & Simon), those CBS promos were most welcome sights. Thursday night lineup ads could “suddenly” appear at any time, such as during the daytime tv doldrums of soaps and game shows if one was home from school on a sick day or during a Summer vacation. Thursday was practically the start of the weekend, and to have Magnum and Simon & Simon adverts heralding those Thursday night shows was a respite from the misery that was public school. It’s fortunate that there are dozens of these Magnum, P.I. available; I vividly remember the one for The Look.
Yay!! "The Look" and "Betty Grable". Not a fan of the latter episode but Pat Hingle gave a great performance, as always. I also like vintage WWII planes.
I agree it's a treat seeing these old ads. I wonder if there are some for Knight Rider and The A-Team, my two 80s favorites.
I watched this one last night and agree with most of the posters here. Ok episode. Not terrible, not special. I would rate it as slightly above average.
"The Look" angle was overplayed given Gretchen Corbett's appearance. She's clearly a very attractive woman, just with a very hideous hair style. I grew up in the 70's and 80's so I remember perms like that. I didn't like them then and I certainly don't like them now. I'm surprised they didn't also give her a hideous pair of eyeglasses.
As was noted earlier, Magnum episodes, and those of virtually any other TV show in the 70's and most of the 80's did not use songs by the original artists--as a cost saving choice.
I remember Tour of Duty (which debuted in 1987) did have music by the original artists, which was very cool. The credits featured Paint it Black by the Rolling Stones (and it was the Rolling Stones version used). Unfortunately the DVD set cut out all the original music--I'm sure due to a lack of desire to continue paying royalties. Also unfortunately the series was impacted by the popularity of China Beach and got a lot more soap opera like after the first season. The first season was mostly combat.
Interesting fact - Tour of Duty was largely filmed in Hawaii (the first season anyway).
And to go further off on a tangent - One of the things I really liked about Tour of Duty is that the platoon commander (LT Goldman) was not played like the stereotypical moron junior officer. He knew when to rely on his experienced Platoon Sergeant (SSGT Anderson) and when to rely on his intelligence and training.
"The Look" and "Betty Grable". Not a fan of the latter episode but Pat Hingle gave a great performance, as always. I also like vintage WWII planes.