Could you "retire" off of royalties from one hit song?

That's unfortunate, considering that Jeff Christie ripped off the original writer of Yellow River, which was I.P. Daily.

Sorry, I've been waiting since third grade to re-work that joke back into my life. Thanks for the opportunity.

 

I once saw Peter Sarstedt interviewed on television. He said he wasn’t rich BUT ‘if I want to buy a new car, I don’t have to worry about paying for it. If I need to pay a bill, I never need to worry about being able to pay it. I’ve never had a mortgage and I’ve always been able to basically do what I want to do.’

That’s on the basis of one international hit, in 1969.

So, I think it was certainly possible ONCE to live on the proceeds of one song but I’m not sure about today.

Of course, most of the people who COULD live off just one song (McCartney, Jimmy Webb, etc) have also written a few other songs they could live off for a lifetime as well.

 

Gerry Marsen and Nick Lowe are B-side millionaires.

 

Wonder how much Gary Glitter continues to make from his contribution to What’s The Story Morning Glory? (By Oasis) First track:

“Hello" (writers: Noel Gallagher, Gary Glitter, Mike Leander)

This must be a case of most money/least direct contribution..

And it really is just a small snippet (chorus repeated twice or something at the end)

 

Lowe was also fond of mentioning that Adrian Gurvitz wrote the song that appeared on the B-side of "I Will Always Love You." Nick's quote was, "I think he's off buying the Bahamas."

 

I really don't know how autobiographical that song is but the statement above seems rather ironic when you think about the lyrics, doesn't it?

 

I’m sure he made serious bucks from Silk Degrees and the Urban Cowboy soundtrack, but I remember reading that Boz Scaggs regrets saying no to putting Lowdown on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack.

 

See, this is why I wish one of the songs I put on YouTube would get covered by someone and turned into a hit....

 

"Lowdown" would've been an awful fit for the Travolta strut anyway. The lyrics feel totally disconnected from anything in that movie.

 

Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead noted in several interviews that his writing for Ozzy Osbourne's Mama I'm Coming Home earned him more royalties than his entire career with his band.

 

Sorry don't get it - can you please explain what you mean

 

Noddy said in an interview that he made more money from Quiet Riot's version of Cum On Feel The Noize than he made from the combined sales of Slade's records in Britain combined!
I'm not sure if he was exaggerating or not? Slade were absolutely massive in Britain for a few years and had hit after hit with many number ones.[deservedly so too!]

 

Probably could if the royalties were enough, I know John Hartford made a million in
royalties off Gentle on my mind, but he continued to tour. I talked to John once after
a show and he told me, that he didn't really didn't get into music for the money.
He just enjoyed playing and happened to get lucky, of course I would say talent and
hard work had a lot to do with it. Hartford was also a very talented sign painter and
could have made a living without music. I'm glad he made the choice.

 

I would love this.

 

didn't he buy an old Mississippi steamship with the royalties?

 

Slade wasn't so successful in the US but Quiet Riot's cover sure as heck was, it was everywhere for years. That's what QR did for Slade - they opened up the American market for them (so to speak)!

 

Interesting. Turns out Billy Squier is more influential in hip hop than in rock.

 

They probably had a lot of debt and some poor contracts in the earlier days. Income from publishing is a lot more straight forward.

 

Ah, good point.

 

You should all check out my new ditty - it's called 'It's Funny How Much I Will Always Love Christmas, And Peace, And Understanding (Everybody)'

And all you guys seeking 'inspiration' - yes, it IS most certainly copyrighted!

 

There isn’t any such person as I P Daily but try saying that out loud and think about the song title.

Like a prank call in the Simpsons...

 

i heard that it was the same thing for freddie hubbard with "red clay" when sampled by atcq! he could afford medical cure for his wife brigitte!!!

 

I wonder what singing competitions on TV have done for writers with a frequently performed song.

 

I think JJ Cale said something like that, when an interviewer asked him abut money he made from EC covering all his stuff (not to mention Santana, Bryan Ferry, etc).

 

Thanks - I get it now