Music Clearance Nightmare Shows (1 Viewer)

Just wondering if there is any kind of concensus. Of the following shows with massive music clearance problems, which one (if any) do you think has any chance of a release someday? Of course, with no replacement music.

1) Wonder Years

2) Drew Carey

3) WKRP (A proper release)

4) Other???

Most variety shows will only get "best of" sets because of this, I'd imagine.

Happy Days (and anything released by CBS DVD, in that they make it a nightmare, even when they don't have to....)

The Raccoons specials, as it's harder to clear the better-known artists (Leo Sayer, Rupert Holmes, Rita Coolidge, John Schneider, Dottie West) than it was for the series. This wouldn't be the first time the Raccoons had such trouble. On a soundtrack album, they had to replace all of John Schneider's vocals with other artists because he was under contract to another label.

Kidd Video, full stop. I guess it would be POSSIBLE, as they'd just have to dub over the mainstream songs, and the music video segments weren't necessary to the plot. But diehard fans would hate it.

Here's one title that I hadn't realized had potential clearance trouble until I transferred my old VHS recordings, and that's the 1976-78 Don Rickles sitcom "CPO Sharkey" (which last aired on cable on Comedy Central in 1992). There were a number of episodes of juke box records in bars/clubs and one episode where Rickles does a mimic to a Johnnie Ray recording. Since this was a videotaped sitcom the replacement would be much tougher than with a filmed sitcom so now I'm beginning to understand why this one never made it to DVD in the past.

Add Knots Landing to that list. In the Lisa Hartman years, her character Ciji sang songs by Rick Springfield and Journey (probably a few others). It would be awful if they released those seasons with that footage edited out, so I'd just as soon wait and pay more, or not have them at all.

BJ and the Bear, New York Undercover & Cold Case are among those that may never see an official release because of extensive use of popular music. However, every now and then a longshot will get released, for example China Beach last year.

FrankPitt said:

Add Knots Landing to that list. In the Lisa Hartman years, her character Ciji sang songs by Rick Springfield and Journey (probably a few others). It would be awful if they released those seasons with that footage edited out, so I'd just as soon wait and pay more, or not have them at all.

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This is a damn shame. Ava Gardner is my favorite all time actress. TV appearances by her are almost non exististant save the 7 episodes she did on Knots in season 6. I'll guess I'll never see those.

Regulus said:

BJ and the Bear, New York Undercover & Cold Case are among those that may never see an official release because of extensive use of popular music. However, every now and then a longshot will get released, for example China Beach last year.

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I can't believe I missed Cold Case in particular. What a great show and the use of the period music was always intregal to the story. The thing that confuses me on this one is that you wouldn't think a show from the 00's would still have these contractual differences in broadcast vs DVD releases with regard to music copyrights. This was well into the era of TV shows being released on DVD.

Frank Soyke said:

I can't believe I missed Cold Case in particular. What a great show and the use of the period music was always intregal to the story. The thing that confuses me on this one is that you wouldn't think a show from the 00's would still have these contractual differences in broadcast vs DVD releases with regard to music copyrights. This was well into the era of TV shows being released on DVD.

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The most likely explanation is that it was cheaper to license the music for broadcast only (and not home video) so- either by choice or necessity- they went the cheaper route.

The song cues in "Daria" were chopped up all over the place... A few songs in "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" were changed as well. Once again... Paramount.

Beavis and Butthead's commentaries on numerous rock videos.

Class of '65

The Donny and Marie Show

I have a question...why is it that music clearance is usually less a problem for movie releases? The only one I can think of off the top of my head is the Stairway riff being deleted from Wayne's World.

I think that because the life cycle of movies was always different, a lot of the licensing agreements were made in perpetuity rather than for some limited usage. Also, in those cases where new agreements are necessary, the economics are more forgiving for movies. A two-hour movie might sell for $20 a copy whereas a twenty-hour TV season will sell for $40 or $50 a copy. Movies are far more lucrative for the studios, so they are probably a little more free about spending money for licensing with them.

Regulus said:

BJ and the Bear, New York Undercover & Cold Case are among those that may never see an official release because of extensive use of popular music. However, every now and then a longshot will get released, for example China Beach last year.

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wrong, the songs in bj and the bear are cover songs nd cheaper and easier to clear,

tv.fan said:

wrong, the songs in bj and the bear are cover songs nd cheaper and easier to clear,

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The publisher of the music still has to be paid regardless of who sang it.

tv.fan said:

wrong, the songs in bj and the bear are cover songs nd cheaper and easier to clear,

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There's one episode that features an appearence by the Pointer Sisters, and the songs by them are the real deal, not covers. I'm certain other episodes had songs by the original artists.

Isn't BJ lost anyway due to the Universal tape destruction?

JMFabianoRPL said:

Isn't BJ lost anyway due to the Universal tape destruction?

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Nope. (I got my copy from "Another Source"),

JMFabianoRPL said:

Isn't BJ lost anyway due to the Universal tape destruction?

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Complete versions yes. Tapes do exist of cut syndicated versions.