A Christian Parody Band?! Changing Lyrics To Be About The Bible?! (‘Apologetix’)

[JBB]

Apologetix is a band, whose current sole purpose, is to change the lyrics around in “secular” songs, and make them glorify God! They have been doing it for a while, and have over 500+ songs and counting.

No genre is out of their reach.

-Rap

-Soft Rock/ Hard Rock

-Metal

-Electrical

-Pop

-Classical

-Blues

-Country

-Disco

-80’s style, 90’s, early 2000’s

-You name it!

Everyone from Eminem, to Elvis, The Beatles, Linkin Park, etc.

Want to hear a song with a great sound but awful, or ungodly lyrics? Apologetix may have likely turned them around. Give Apologetix a try. Just search them up on YouTube!

Also, they have a big website with most of their songs listed on there. Check it out if you’re curious about a specific song or genre:
The ultimate sortable ApologetiX song listing

Here’s their website, for their CDs:
ApologetiX- Store

 

[Sabertooth]

Here is a good song to introduce them...

 

[FenderTL5]

I'm surprised this band hasn't been taken to task legally.
There's nothing "parody" about the re-wording of songs to christianize them.

 

[cloudyday2]

I'm surprised this band hasn't been taken to task legally.
There's nothing "parody" about the re-wording of songs to christianize them.

It doesn't seem like it would be illegal unless I'm missing something ??? It's basically just like a cover song except that the words are changed (at least that is how it seems to me) (?)

 

[Mountainmanbob]

Here is a good song to introduce them...

When it comes to these bands that have changed the lyrics to be supposedly more christian-like I've heard much better I'll give this band a 5 on a 1 to 10.

M-Bob

 

[FenderTL5]

It doesn't seem like it would be illegal unless I'm missing something ???

What is parody?
"A parody exists when one imitates a serious piece of work, such as literature, music or artwork, for a humorous or satirical effect."
What is being satirized or humored? Do the new lyrics satirize* or make a comedy of the original band/artist or song? Or worse are they making sport of Christianity itself?

*satire: the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.

 

[RDKirk]

Artists who do "cover" songs must get permission from the owner of the copyright.

Parodies are considered "fair use" because a parody is actually a commentary on the original work--this is what FenderTL5 is getting to in his definition of "parody"--and a commentary of a work is a fair use under copyright. (As an interesting point, the famous music parody artist Al Yankovic always gets permission from the original artist even though it's not legally necessary. He even reviews his parodies with them for a final okay.)

The primary purpose of copyright is to ensure that for a set period of time the creator has exclusive right to the income earned for his creation. When someone merely uses the copyrighted melody to create a song of their own lyrics, that's money generated by the melody that isn't going to the copyright owner--an infringement of his copyright. Even if the song isn't played for profit, the fact that people are enjoying the melody without benefit to the creator is still an infringement.

 

[Radagast]

Apologetix is a band, whose current sole purpose, is to change the lyrics around in “secular” songs, and make them glorify God!

Is this even legal?

And with so much good Christian music out there, why?

 

[RDKirk]

Is this even legal?

And with so much good Christian music out there, why?

Sometimes it works--a lot depends on the melody (and there are some traditional hymns that use the melodies of old English pub songs).

I kind of do that in my head with a number of secular songs. One of my favorites that I've partially re-lyricked for myself is "St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)" as a song by an early martyr.

The Christian a ccapella group "Take 6" did it with the Doobie Brothers' "Taking it to the Streets" and Ambrosia's "Biggest Part of Me," two songs that lended themselves to the change very nicely--but they did get permission from the copyright owners.

There are a number of songs that lend themselves to worship with changes to just a few of the lyrics. And as well, perhaps unfortunately, there are a lot of Christian songs that can easily go secular with just a change of a word...and sometimes not even that--just a change of performance context. A number of Christians songs are really "my boyfriend" songs that we accept as Christian only because they're being sung in a Christian context.

 

[Mountainmanbob]

I heard a band some years back that had converted a lot of rock and roll music to Christian music.
I found it to be a little cheesy.

I was in a pretty good band for a short while when I was young.
The bands name "Mirage" they were really good -- I was so so on the Timbales.
It was a lot of fun playing at San Diego State College.

M-Bob

 

[FenderTL5]

Sometimes it works--a lot depends on the melody (and there are some traditional hymns that use the melodies of old English pub songs).

I kind of do that in my head with a number of secular songs. One of my favorites that I've partially re-lyricked for myself is "St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)" as a song by an early martyr.

The Christian a ccapella group "Take 6" did it with the Doobie Brothers' "Taking it to the Streets" and Ambrosia's "Biggest Part of Me," two songs that lended themselves to the change very nicely--but they did get permission from the copyright owners.

There are a number of songs that lend themselves to worship with changes to just a few of the lyrics. And as well, perhaps unfortunately, there are a lot of Christian songs that can easily go secular with just a change of a word...and sometimes not even that--just a change of performance context. A number of Christians songs are really "my boyfriend" songs that we accept as Christian only because they're being sung in a Christian context.

agree.

For me, "they did get permission from the copyright owners.." makes all the difference in the world.
If the group gets permission, pays for the mechanicals, no worries.
Playing them live (not recording) is a separate set of guidelines (during the course of a religious meeting.. licensed venue) and I can appreciate the efforts.
Relying on Fair Use under the parody provision on what is not really parody is another story.

When I worked in radio, we were briefed routinely on what we could and could not do with parodies and commercials. Since leaving radio, I've sat through more than my fair share of intellectual property CLE events. I'm not an attorney, don't pretend to be but I'm surprised, and can only speculate why this group hasn't been challenged.
At one former station, management refused their 'commercial/promo' for a concert because of copyright concerns for the station.. just the clips used in the promo. We did "live reads" with no music background as unpaid PSAs with trepidation.

 

[Radagast]

For me, "they did get permission from the copyright owners.." makes all the difference in the world.

Indeed. Intellectual property theft makes for poor Christian witness.

Relying on Fair Use under the parody provision on what is not really parody is another story.

Yes: that argument is really not going to help them if they get taken to court.

And having listened to a few pieces, I must say that (1) they're not very good; (2) they sound like they're sampling the actual original instrumental parts, which would clearly be illegal; and (3) this sort of thing seems to me like it would just turn people off Christianity.

 

[JBB]

I'm surprised this band hasn't been taken to task legally.
There's nothing "parody" about the re-wording of songs to christianize them.

They’ve been doing this since the 90’s, so I’m pretty sure if they were gonna get in trouble, they would have by now. Weird Al even knows about them, and likes them. For the “legal” side of things, I’d say you shouldn’t worry about it. If they ever are taken to court, there’s nothing we can do about it anyway. It’s between them, and court.

They started in the 90’s, and are still going to this day. I personally enjoy them very much. I get to hear songs in a new way.

This criticism is nothing new. They’ve been criticized before for making a career off of “stealing” songs. But, it’s not like they claim the sound is their own. They specify in every possible way that their songs are not original. They put in the titles of their songs, the name of the original tracks. It would be different if they claimed the sound of the song was completely their idea.

Bottom Line: You can agree with the idea or not. But that doesn’t mean they’ll stop making these.

Thanks for viewing and replying.

 

[JBB]

When it comes to these bands that have changed the lyrics to be supposedly more christian-like I've heard much better I'll give this band a 5 on a 1 to 10.

M-Bob

But not at this scale. Unless, you know of another (Christian) band that has over 500 parodies. Sure, there may be better versions of certain parodied songs, by other bands, or individuals who have attempted a parody as a one-off. But not to the scale these guys have.

I do agree, some of their rewrites sound a little cheesy, or could be done better. But some, are actually REALLY good, and fit with the subject, or Bible story they’re trying to portray.