Did you want to dance?
Well, we'll have to pay.
While the tube
Jerusalema
rocked the planet with choreographic challenges, called "Jerusalema dance challenge", posted on social networks, the record company Warner has claimed copyright from the German police, for the broadcasting of these amateur clips.
Read also: Coronavirus: Swiss police dance on
Jerusalema
to bring back a smile
Thanks to its catchy rhythm, an anti-gloom weapon in a year marked by the pandemic, the song of the South African DJ Master KG has inspired for months thousands of anonymous sharing on social networks small clips of them- even filming themselves dancing to the song.
In Germany, as everywhere in the world, the challenge was taken up by colleagues in companies, administrations or hospitals.
Inspired by gospel and conceived as a kind of positive prayer, the song is performed in Zulu by singer Nomcebo Zikode.
“In these troubled times, it is more important than ever that artists be paid for their music when it is used by others to increase their reputation.
"
A spokesperson for Warner interviewed by AFP
In North Rhine-Westphalia (western Germany), the services of the regional Ministry of the Interior had the bad surprise to see the bill fall for the services provided by several police units.
"It is correct that the Interior Ministry has settled Warner Music's claims for several police stations as part of the Jerusalema Challenge,"
the press service told AFP on Monday (February 15th), confirming information from German media.
"For contractual reasons"
, the ministry did not want to give more details on the amounts claimed, described as
"considerable"
by the press.
Read also: Warner confines the cinema to a folding seat
According to
Focus
magazine
, warning letters on the rights to use the song have been sent by Warner Music, an American music publishing giant, to several German administrations or companies.
Asked by the same magazine, one of the spokespersons for Warner Music Germany was delighted
"that the fans support
Jerusalema
"
but estimated that
"if organizations in Germany use the song to promote themselves"
, then they
“Must obtain a license”
.
“In these troubled times, it is more important than ever that artists be paid for their music when it is used by others to increase their reputation,”
the record company concluded.