Something that bothers me about Petrucci's integrity...

[Ħ]

So, I've been thinking about this since SC was released in 2007.  We all know how Petrucci basically ripped all his lyrics from other sources.  You can read about the origins of ItPoE, Forsaken, and TDEN here: https://faq.dtnorway.com/category/12#1099

When I got around to watching the SC documentary that came with the bonus edition, I was slightly unnerved that Petrucci made absolutely no reference to these sources at all.  In fact, he even CLAIMED that he came up with this stuff, and took the credit for it.  Even when MP complimented him on writing "bad-ass" lyrics for ItPoE, Petrucci just sort of shrugged it off...

It wasn't until several months later that Petrucci confirmed that he based ItPoE off a manga, but still made no reference to the influences for Forsaken and TDEN...which leads me to believe that JP wanted to cover up for his "plagarism" that fans began to take notice of...

I've been sort of shaken since.  He is definitely a hero, and this (if true) has the power to devastate me and my respect for him as a creative artist...

[Perpetual Change]

I actually have no problem with those lyrics, since that's a pretty common practice for metal bands. BUT it's not like he did anything like that on BC&SL (except maybe quoted Wiki word for word on AROP) so who cares?

[chrisbDTM]

yea not a big deal. its not like the song won an award for 'best lyrics' and he accepted it without saying he ripped it off

[skydivingninja]

I don't think TDEN was really ripped off from that Lovecraft story, save the "choking room and greenish moon" bit.  Forsaken is a possibility, but around the time SC was written, pop culture had slowly begun to fester into a vampire love-fest, so it could be like jumping on a bandwagon with a fairly common story (or at least it seems common enough).  ITPOE he has admitted and there's pretty much no denying it, though the straight lifting of lines bothers me.  Thankfully he seems to have moved away from that and maybe he'll write about either more personal stuff (except hopefully not boring like ANTR or TCOT) or something cool like Voices or Lines in the Sand, something a wee bit more complex.

[Ice9ine]

Surely most lyrics from any song are inspired from one thing or another, besides how many guitarists both professional or otherwise rip JP licks and riffs with no reference to the great man. Shite loads!

[hefdaddy42]

Not a big deal.  John Myung lifted the lyrics to Learning To Live from Ayn Rand.

[SystematicThought]

Not a big deal.  John Myung lifted the lyrics to Learning To Live from Ayn Rand.

The 'No time for pain/No energy for anger' part? That's the Rand reference right?

[Ħ]

^ That's quite different since it's only two lines.

[hefdaddy42]

It's still no big deal.  Like others have said, this is a staple in metal music, and no one took those lyrics seriously anyway.

[skydivingninja]

This is true.  Iron Maiden wrote a song about Dune, admitted it, didn't get sued or anything, just weren't allowed to call the song "Dune."  Still not something I'm a huge fan of.

[orcus116]

I'm more worried about Petrucci just not caring about what he writes about instead of blatantly lifting stuff.

[Perpetual Change]

This is true.  Iron Maiden wrote a song about Dune, admitted it, didn't get sued or anything, just weren't allowed to call the song "Dune."  Still not something I'm a huge fan of.

Iron Maiden wrote plenty of songs that are completely based on other things without given them any credit. Most notably, like half of their songs.

[TL]

I really don't see what the big deal is about not crediting something you based lyrics on. He didn't plagiarize anything, he just wrote about something.

[skydivingninja]

I know that PC, I'm a Maiden fan.  That was just one example.  And its not like they really NEEDED to explicitly give credit, its kind of obvious what Steve was reading when he wrote "Rime," "Brave New World," "Murders in the Rue Morgue...

@TL: I would normally agree, but in the case of ITPOE, there are lines lifted straight from the comic, or very, very close.  Again, I'm more bothered by the quality of the lyrics than the inspiration for them, but that actually is plagiarism. 

[ZKX-2099]

If James LaBrie can write about Dexter.....

[Portrucci]

I just read this as "Something that bothers me about Portrucci's integrity..." 

carry on

[skydivingninja]

Hey Portucci, work on your integrity man!  That second line of your post is lifted straight from Kansas' "Carry On Wayward Son!"  Jesus, where has the originality gone in your posts?

[Metropolis Pt. II]

Who cares if he lifted lines directly from Priest? I think it's cool that he was able to tell the story from the manga with musical accompaniment. That's how I see it. No big deal.

[j]

Hey Portucci, work on your integrity man!  That second line of your post is lifted straight from Kansas' "Carry On Wayward Son!"  Jesus, where has the originality gone in your posts?

I see where the OP is coming from.  I don't think it's a big deal, but if I for whatever reason held Petrucci to be some kind of role model for integrity, it would definitely bother me.

Those saying that "metal bands do it all the time" and "people rip off Petrucci's music" must not be familiar with the concept of integrity.

-J

[Ħ]

If James LaBrie can write about Dexter.....

I don't really care about that, since 1) it was a borrowed concept, and 2) JLB acknowledged it.  Petrucci, on the other hand, took the direct words, and FAILED to acknowledge 2/3 of the songs.

[Jarlaxle]

Who cares if he lifted lines directly from Priest? I think it's cool that he was able to tell the story from the manga with musical accompaniment. That's how I see it. No big deal.

[lord-ruler]

This is true.  Iron Maiden wrote a song about Dune, admitted it, didn't get sued or anything, just weren't allowed to call the song "Dune."  Still not something I'm a huge fan of.

Iron maiden also based "seventh son of a seventh son" off of an Orson Scott card book.

[LKap13]

If he were plagiarizing guitar riffs then I'd see your point. In this case, I couldn't care less how his lyrics came about; they suck lately anyway.

[Ice9ine]

This is true.  Iron Maiden wrote a song about Dune, admitted it, didn't get sued or anything, just weren't allowed to call the song "Dune."  Still not something I'm a huge fan of.

Iron maiden also based "seventh son of a seventh son" off of an Orson Scott card book.

um also....Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner is basically the poem put to music.

[cookienut]

I really hate how they ripped off the process of turning lights on and off in Surrounded.

The electrical union is gonna own their asses.

[Kyo]

I don't really care about that, since 1) it was a borrowed concept, and 2) JLB acknowledged it.  Petrucci, on the other hand, took the direct words, and FAILED to acknowledge 2/3 of the songs.

And just saying "it's based on a Manga" isn't exactly crediting the source, either.
I don't think I've ever heard/seen the name of the original author mentioned.

[ReaPsTA]

It's still no big deal.  Like others have said, this is a staple in metal music, and no one took those lyrics seriously anyway.

That's not true!

[hefdaddy42]

It's still no big deal.  Like others have said, this is a staple in metal music, and no one took those lyrics seriously anyway.

That's not true!

OK, no one except ReaPsTA took those lyrics seriously anyway.

[TAC]

This is true.  Iron Maiden wrote a song about Dune, admitted it, didn't get sued or anything, just weren't allowed to call the song "Dune."  Still not something I'm a huge fan of.

Iron Maiden wrote plenty of songs that are completely based on other things without given them any credit. Most notably, like half of their songs.

What?? Iron Maiden has always acknowledged their influences. That is one of the things that does give them integrity. Maybe not citing them on the CD sleeve, but Steve Harris has always been frank about where he gets his ideas from.

The electrical union is gonna own their asses.

I'm surprised they haven't tried!

I'm more worried about Petrucci just not caring about what he writes about instead of blatantly lifting stuff.

I agree. I cut them some slack on SC. It was a "fun" album to be sure. Not a lot of seriousness. But when the man writes things like Scarred and Lines In The Sand, the bar has been set pretty high.

[Dublagent66]

So.  Fucking.  What. 

[bosk1]

^This.  I don't really see how this is an integrity issue at all.

[King Postwhore]

We're in the, 'waiting to find who the drummer is and when the next CD comes out" phase so it's Opera and Dr. Phil psychobabble.  The buzz word is integrity.  Way, way off OP.

[ZKX-2099]

Symphony X totally ripped off Homer.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

We need to be worried about the creativity of Petrucci's lyrics. Not where he gets them from.

[Perpetual Change]

This is true.  Iron Maiden wrote a song about Dune, admitted it, didn't get sued or anything, just weren't allowed to call the song "Dune."  Still not something I'm a huge fan of.

Iron Maiden wrote plenty of songs that are completely based on other things without given them any credit. Most notably, like half of their songs.

What?? Iron Maiden has always acknowledged their influences. That is one of the things that does give them integrity. Maybe not citing them on the CD sleeve, but Steve Harris has always been frank about where he gets his ideas from.

What? Most of those songs aren't credited in the album. But, regardless, my point isn't to diss Maiden. Just to show that it's standard practice to write based on movies, books, and other media. And I've never really seen an instance of John covering anything up. He always bases his lyrics on books or things he's read. That's how its been with Voices, Six Degrees, and so on. He never comes out and makes a big deal about it, but when asked directly, he responds directly. Don't see what the big deal is.