"Imitation is flattery, but theft is genius"

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I hear this phrase often, but usually by someone who is defending one of their favorite musical acts, who'd no sooner use theft to slam an act he/she didn't like. What's the meat behind this phrase? What's its origin? How does it apply musically today?

― Brian MacDonald, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

And a couple of fun side questions:

Robbie DuPree "Steal Away" on Doobie Brothers "What A Fool Believes"... Imitiation/Flattery?
Bryan Adams "Run To You" on Tom Petty "Refugee"... Imitation/Flattery?

― Brian MacDonald, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

EXCUSE ME. IGNORE THAT LAST POST!

Ahem...

Robbie DuPree "Steal Away" on Doobie Brothers "What A Fool Believes"... Imitiation/THEFT?
Bryan Adams "Run To You" on Tom Petty "Refugee"... Imitation/THEFT?

― Brian MacDonald, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Starsailor = imitation. Avalanches = theft!

Acker these days = burroughs imitation. Acker those days = genet theft!

bush = imitation, clinton = theft!

difference between history repeats as farce and reclamation of historical moment.

― Sterling Clover, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Spacemen 3 openly and geniusly steal form many songs.

― A Nairn, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

they steal from many (sorry it's late)

― A Nairn, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

If it's Oscar Wilde like I'm thinking it is, then it's too concisely wrapped up to mean anything other than itself. Like too epigrammatic for its own good.

Or now I'm thinking maybe it's T.S. Eliot? In which case...

― Andy, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I never thought about the Robbie Dupree song before but you're right, that's a pretty extreme rip. That song sucks compared to the Doobies one though, and that's the ultimate test.

― dave q, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I think " imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" belongs to wilde & possibly "talent borrows, genius steals", but that may have been someone else.

― cw, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

the way i thieve is fucking genius. they never even know i was there. mind you thats usually cos i nut em before i rob em so ther unconshus like.

― XStatic Peace, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Wasn't it 'Talent borrows, genius steals'. Or is Morrissey infecting my brain?

― N., Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, what is mockery?

― Dave225, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Theft" = superior because it implies a) a more complete appropriation b) assertive self-awareness and c) a certain lack of respect to the original owner. Oedipal complexes in pop = cool, most of the time.

Imitation = flattery precisely because it debases itself before the object of imitation, reaffirming the inherent value of the original source at the expense of doing anything interesting itself - there's a certain air of pathetic servility to it. This is why any artist who talks about him or herself as carrying on a "legacy" is probably not worth listening to.

― Tim, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

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