TTSOML #78: Open Mic At Cafe Lena and Jewel's Rip Off

At this same time, for a couple of years, I sang at an open mic in Portland, Oregon. I always went to Cafe Lena. I told Christa when I was going, as I told her everything. I noticed I started to get a little bit of a following. Cafe Lena was great. It was robust, and full of colorful characters, young and old, and all wearing either black or brightly colored scarves and clothes. There was one man though, who would go, and I noticed, he would take notes and seemed to be recording something when I sang and played. And I went there to try out original stuff.

A few times, I actually had a mass of teenage girls crushing me after I sang, asking me where and when I was playing next, and how much they liked it, and I think some were in their 20s too, but they were mainly younger women. I always got good feedback, but there was a time when I actually was writing a lot of good and original material, and then wanted to try it out small-scale in a tiny venue. Mainly to see what seemed to reach people and get basic feedback.

Anyway, there was one song I sang, and I remember this guy who seemed out of place, just quiet and observing everything, taking notes, and studying me the whole time. He was business casual. It sounds really strange, but I have a copy of the song, I believe, because I recorded things and I think I recorded this one with my friend Eric, who accompanied me on guitar, but it later, in almost EXACT form, showed up on a Jewel CD. It sounds bizarre, but it was at least one or two years after I sang it and not only was the melody the same, the whole SCENE was the same. The chorus lyrics were even the same, with very minor alterations. It was the one where the chorus goes: "Do you love me? like I love you?" that tune right there, and the exact lyrics, are a direct rip-off, copy, or freakish "coincidental" match to my song. It's even sung the same way.

I was so shocked when I heard it, I could not believe it. I was standing there, and said, "That's MY SONG!"

I haven't heard any of my other songs out there. Except that one, which is exactly like mine with so few alterations it's ridiculous. Someone would have to have an amazing gift for ESP for both lyrics AND melody to get such a match.

I don't know how Jewel got it. I don't know who she is connected to. But it's not the first time my stuff has been ripped off.

Another time, this music producer for White Horse studios, in Portland, Oregon, where I helped someone do back-up vocals, well, he heard me play a few things and said I sounded like "The Corrs" and that I reminded him of Irish stuff. So he asks me for a copy of my lyrics and ideas and work. I gave it to him, including a tape, and never heard from him again. He refused to return my phone calls. He just took my music and disappeared. He had said he wanted to help me put things together because it was "marketable".

So who knows how many of my ideas have been used. I really can't say I've heard anything of mine, except for the glaring Jewel song, and then this slow Eagle's rendition which matched my version.

That's it. But I think that's enough.