New Song Tackles Illegal Music

By COLlive reporter

A new music project, uniting Jewish music artists, is putting a spotlight on illegal music downloads on the web that has drastically effected the international music industry – including the Jewish one.

The Yiddish and English lyrics, written by Motty Ilowitz and Moshe Kravitsky, a Lubavitcher songwriter from Flatbush, speak about the hardships of being a musician in this day and age.

“The countless downloads that are taking place within the community is causing major losses to the Jewish music industry,” says Danny Finkelman, director of the upcoming music video “The Copyright Project.”

Finkelman, a Lubavitcher, said that unlike his previous productions – Unity For Justice (a.k.a. The Rubashkin song) and The Japan Song – “this project is more of a parody on the music industry.”

The clip, produced by FM Productions of London, is titled ‘A day in the life of a Chassidic Music star’ and has the camera following an artist – portrayed by Chassidic comedian Yoily Leibowitz – through his “artistic” day.

The cast includes Ohad, Michoel Schnitzler, Shloime Gertner, Beri Weber, Dovid Gabai, Yoily Greenfeld, Yumi Lowy, Yitzchak Fuchs, Shloime Daskal and composer Yossi Green.

There are also cameo appearances by Chassidic music producers Gershy Moshkowitz, Naftoli Moshe Schnitzler, Ruli Ezrachi and Mendy Werdyger.

The music video is being sponsored by Israel’s Magen David Adom, Ami
Magazine, Klein’s Ice Cream House, Rykar, and Jewish music distribution
oulets – Niggun, Sameach, Galpaz and Aderet.

COLlive was told the music video is intended to be released following the Jewish holidays in October 2011. Until then, we exclusively present the lyrics and first photos of the clip:

Well I used to be an entertainer
Everyone knew me
The people ran into the stores
To get their hands on a
Copy of my cd
That is of course
Until the birth
Of mp3s

Shut the lights
And curtains down
My work is diminished
Y’Copy paste a thousand times
Parnassah is finished

Not sure you get
What I’m tryin to say
So how’s about I turn
Around and put it this way

A lot of money goes into
The record labels
And I just wanna put
A little food on my table

And give the world what to sing about
But money talks and money walks
And I’m running out

So lets pretend
The music ends
And nobody’s singing
When nothing’s left
To copy paste
They’re gonna be begging
To turn the music back on
I’m sorry folks
It looks like all the money’s gone

And on the day
I’d hate to say
I told you so
So Y’hafta pay
To let us play
The Jewish notes
And if you were me
You’d get to see just how it feels
Watching other people steal

When you start to do
A thing or two
T’change the game
All your friends
Are gonna join along
And do the same
Then we’re gonna laugh
We’re gonna sing
And be so real
When no more people steal