From: Peter Gerwinski <peter@gerwinski.de>
To: pr@ffii.org
Cc: bxl@ffii.org
Subject: Singable English version of the song
Date: Thu, 4 Sep 2003 17:27:06 +0200

Hello,

please find below a first draft of a _singable_ English version of the
song "Die Gedanken sind frei/patentiert!" - "Thoughts are free/patented!"

Native speakers: Please help to improve this!

    Peter

8< -----------------------------------------------------------------

Strophe 0
~~~~~~~~~
  Our thoughts, they are free!
  You can't guess them with all might.
  You can't catch them: They flee
  like shadows in the night.
  No person can know them,
  no hunter can shoot them
  with powder and lead.
  Our thoughts, they are free!

Strophe 1
~~~~~~~~~
  Our thoughts are patented.
  One can own them with might.
  No avail for your hard work:
  You are taken for a ride.
  Thew can warn you, then sue you
  and take all your money
  for licensing fees.
  Our thoughts are patented.

Strophe 2
~~~~~~~~~
  You have a good idea
  and get it patented
  in the hope for some profit
  through licensing fees.
  'Cause it's used by your neighbour
  a giant software company
  Big money - due to you.
  Our thoughts are patented.

Strophe 3
~~~~~~~~~
  You show your patent to him
  for getting your money,
  but he smiles and tells you
  some data and numbers:
  Your own computer programs
  are infringing, without license,
  ten patents from his thousand.
  Our thoughts are patented.

Strophe 4
~~~~~~~~~
  He offers to you
  to license his patents:
  Minus your patent plus fees
  for the remaining nine.
  From the whole of your profit
  you pay ninety percent to him.
  You have lost in complete.
  Our thoughts are patented.

Strophe 5
~~~~~~~~~
  Our thoughts are patented.
  When two giants meet
  they cross-exchange their licenses
  fooling anyone smaller.
  Only those can make money
  by suing everyone
  who don't program by themselves.
  Our thoughts are patented.

8< -----------------------------------------------------------------

Once again, but with marks for the rhythm below the text:
 . = 1/8
 - = 1/4
 o = 1/2

Strophe 0
~~~~~~~~~
  Our thoughts, they are free!
  ..      -       -   ..  o
  You can't guess them with all might.
    .  .     -      -   .    .   - -
  You can't catch them: They flee
    .  .     -      -    ..   o
  like shadows in the night.
    -   -  -    .  .   - -
  No person can know them,
   -  -  -   -   -    - 
  no hunter can shoot them
   -  -  -   -   -     -
  with powder and lead.
   -    -  -  ..   o
  Our thoughts, they are free!
   ..   ..       -    -    o

Strophe 1
~~~~~~~~~
  Our thoughts are patented.
  ..    -       -  .. - -
  One can own them with might.
   .   .   -   -    -    - -
  No avail for your hard work:
   . . -    -   .    .    o
  You are taken for a ride.
   .   .   . .  -   - - -
  Thew can warn you, then sue you
   .   .    -    -    -   -    -
  and take all your money
   -   -    -   -    -
  for licensing fees.
   -   -  - ..   o
  Our thoughts are patented.
  ..   ..       -   - - -

Strophe 2
~~~~~~~~~
  You have a good idea
   -   -   -  ..   o
  and get it patented
   -   -  -   - -  -
  in the hope for some profit
   .  .   -    -   ..  -  -
  through licensing fees.
     -     - -  -   - -
  'Cause it's used by your neighbour
    .     .    -   -   -     -   -
  a giant software company
  - -  -   .  .     .. -
  Big money - due to you.
  -    - -     .   .  o
  Our thoughts are patented.
  ..   ..       -   - - -

Strophe 3
~~~~~~~~~
  You show your patent to him
   -   -    .   .  .   .  o
  for getting your money,
   -   -  -   -    -  -
  but he smiles and tells you
   .  .   -      -   ..    o
  some data and numbers:
   -   - -   -   -   -
  Your own computer programs
   .    .   -  - -    -  -
  are infringing, without license,
   .   . -   -     .  .   -   -
  ten patents from his thousand.
   -   -  -    .    .   -   -
  Our thoughts are patented.
  ..   ..       -   - - -

Strophe 4
~~~~~~~~~
  He offers to you
   - -  -   .. o
  to license his patents:
   -  -  -    -   -  -
  Minus your patent plus fees
   ..    -   -  .   .     o
  for the remaining nine.
   .   .   - -  -   - -
  From the whole of your profit
   .    .   -    -   -   -  -
  you pay ninety percent to him.
   .   .   -  .  .  .    .  - -
  You have lost in complete.
   .   .   -    -   ..  -
  Our thoughts are patented.
  ..   ..       -   - - -

Strophe 5
~~~~~~~~~
  Our thoughts are patented.
  ..      -       -   ..  o
  When two giants meet
   -    -   -  -  - -
  they cross-exchange their licenses
   -    .     .  -     ..    .. -
  fooling anyone smaller.
   . .    - - -   -  -
  Only those can make money
   . .   -    -   -   - -
  by suing everyone
   - -  -   . . - -
  who don't program by themselves.
   .   .     -  -   .    .  o
  Our thoughts are patented.
  ..   ..       -   - - -
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