Songs Whose Lyrics Reference or Acknowledge Peer to Peer / Downloading / 'Illegal File Sharing'

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The only one I know is when the guy from People Under the Stairs says "I worked too hard for you to fucking download it" in the intro track to O.S.T, and that was what, three years ago? I would like to collate an exhaustive list. It is sign of the times style.

caspar (caspar), Sunday, 6 June 2004 16:00 (twenty-one years ago)

The Clea single was called 'Download It', I think?

Gregory Henry (Gregory Henry), Sunday, 6 June 2004 16:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Gregory, you x-posted me!

Eminem - 'The Real Slim Shady'

Crickets Dance On Tequila Booty (Barima), Sunday, 6 June 2004 16:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Ken Kaniff "Ken Kaniff.com"

King Kobra (King Kobra), Sunday, 6 June 2004 17:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Princess Superstar - You Get Mad at Napster

Richard C. (avoid80), Sunday, 6 June 2004 17:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Gillian Welch's "Everything is Free"...the lyrics are oblique...they don't mention p2p, dowloading, etc. explicitly, but the implications are pretty clear:

Everything is free now,
That's what they say.
Everything I ever loved,
I'm going to give it away.
Someone hit the big score.
They figured it out,
That we're gonna do it anyway,
Even if doesn't pay.

I can get a tip jar,
Gas up the car,
And try to make a little change
Down at the bar.

Or I can get a straight job,
I've done it before.
I never minded working hard,
It's who I'm working for.

(Chorus)

Every day I wake up,
Come in a song.
But I don't need to run around,
I just stay home.

And sing a little love song,
My love, to myself.
If there's something that you want to hear,
You can sing it yourself.

'Cause everything is free now,
That what I say.
No one's got to listen to
The words in my head.
Someone hit the big score,
And I figured it out,
That we're gonna do it

JG, Sunday, 6 June 2004 17:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Buggles - Video Killed the Radio Star?

strom (strom), Sunday, 6 June 2004 18:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Triumph the Insult Comic Dog - "I Keed"

"try to mess up the biz like an MP3"

Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Sunday, 6 June 2004 18:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Missy Elliott, "Get Ur Freak On:"

"Copywritten, so don't copy me"

Or something like that.

Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Sunday, 6 June 2004 22:17 (twenty-one years ago)

Chumbawumba - Pass it Along

the whole bloody thing is made from samples of songs from napster.

interesting, but not very fun.

Andrzej B. (Andrzej B.), Monday, 7 June 2004 06:46 (twenty-one years ago)

The Streets - "Has It Come To This?" ("Don't copy the copyright")
Chumbawamba - "Pass It Along (mp3 Mix)"

Unknown User, Monday, 7 June 2004 17:13 (twenty-one years ago)

"keep it on the download" by north of america.

maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Monday, 7 June 2004 17:25 (twenty-one years ago)

I think Missy is talking to potential biters not downloaders.

christhamrin (christhamrin), Monday, 7 June 2004 17:37 (twenty-one years ago)

GM Grimm - Dancing

"You can download it / burn it, MP3 it"

MP3 as verb!

Er1ck, Monday, 7 June 2004 17:49 (twenty-one years ago)

I should download her audio on MP3
and show the world how you gave eminem VD (aaaaaah)

Johnney B, Monday, 7 June 2004 18:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Madvillain – ‘Rhinestone Cowboy’

‘Wasn’t even tweaked and it leaked into cyberspace / Couldn’t wait for the snipes to place / At least a tracklist in bold print typeface’

Orange, Monday, 7 June 2004 18:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Cunninlynguists - Nasty Filthy

"Yo... Who said underground ain't supposed to be hot?
I remember spinnin' records back before people stopped
Now they spinnin CDs they download and get props"

rentboy (rentboy), Monday, 7 June 2004 18:38 (twenty-one years ago)


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