It's alright credits

[telys]

Why does not Neil receive writing credit for It's alright?

It's clear that Neil added an extra verse for the 7'' mix of It's alright

Forests falling at a desperate pace
The earth is dying and desert taking its place
People under pressure
on the brink of starvation

Despite this he doesn't receive a writing credit. Why so?

The 10'' has even more of his lyrics:
There's a boy standing by a river
There's a girl lying with her lover
There's a statesman standing at a crossroads
There's a soldier polishing his gun

[Ramzy]

I was wondering the same thing the other day actually! Especially given they gave Hague a writing credit for (apparently) two chords in the middle section of Love Comes Quickly.

[nervousboy]

The traditional practice in the music industry often means that only original songwriters receive formal credits, unless there is a legal agreement or explicit acknowledgment of contributions. In this case, changes and additions might not have been classified as substantial enough to warrant a co-writer credit, or they were not formally recognised at the time due to Rae holding the primary rights to the song.

[TallThinMan]

I was wondering the same thing the other day actually! Especially given they gave Hague a writing credit for (apparently) two chords in the middle section of Love Comes Quickly.

Stephen Hague did write the middle section of 'Loves Comes Quickly', it's true. He also kind of came up with the distinctive bassline after a programming accident. I also wonder whether Neil and Chris were generous on the follow-up because Hague wrote the intro of the hit version of 'West End Girls'.

[telys]

The traditional practice in the music industry often means that only original songwriters receive formal credits, unless there is a legal agreement or explicit acknowledgment of contributions. In this case, changes and additions might not have been classified as substantial enough to warrant a co-writer credit, or they were not formally recognised at the time due to Rae holding the primary rights to the song.

Adding two new verses of lyrics cannot be regarded as non-substantial.
Tennant/Lowe recieve credit for additional music and lyrics om Go West

[Delon]

Songwriter credits are only awarded if they are contractually agreed, regardless of the extent of the change. Madonna, for example, negotiates her contracts so that she is credited as co-author even if she only makes one or two minor changes to the lyrics. Perhaps the Pet Shop Boys didn't want any credits as co-authors for their contribution. Maybe so as not to reduce Sterling Void's royalties.

[Debussy]

I was today years old when I found that Neil wrote that verse.

[nervousboy]

The traditional practice in the music industry often means that only original songwriters receive formal credits, unless there is a legal agreement or explicit acknowledgment of contributions. In this case, changes and additions might not have been classified as substantial enough to warrant a co-writer credit, or they were not formally recognised at the time due to Rae holding the primary rights to the song.

Adding two new verses of lyrics cannot be regarded as non-substantial.
Tennant/Lowe recieve credit for additional music and lyrics om Go West

which is why I wrote further that maybe its wasn't recognised at that time/ Go West came a few years later. Perhaps lessons were learned.

[jasonjohn]

Makes me wonder why they are over a barrel over Go West today, then, if they had a contractual agreement in the past.

[Spittingcat]

Credits are for the songwriting. The current MAGA influenced legal battle is about publishing rights. I think.

Anyone see Have I Got News For You last week? Whenever they mentioned The Village People and their other (more famous) song and Trumps connection with and love of it, they shoe horned in a reference to the Pet Shop Boys... as if to make a point.

[telys]

So how should the credits read?
S Void/Brightledge/Jefferson/Tennant
or
Music: S Void/Jefferson Lyrics: Brightledge/Tennant
or
S Void/Brightledge/Jefferson with additional lyrics Tennant

[Tentenlad]

Pet shop boys don’t get any co writing credit for It’s Alright. As previously mentioned, a new co writing credit would be negotiated before the new version is published, with original writers or publisher. So for Go West, I imagine Psb’s publisher probably approached them and said something like ‘pet shop boys are thinking of releasing this new version of the song with additional music and lyrics, it’s probably going to sell well and make money but they want a writing credit, or they won’t release it as a single’. It’s a negotiation. It’s actually very rare for a new co writing credit to be added to any song. I guess in the case of Village people, they are highly unlikely to get any successful artist requesting to cover their old disco songs, so it was an opportunity to make lots of money…

[telys]

Pet shop boys don’t get any co writing credit for It’s Alright. As previously mentioned, a new co writing credit would be negotiated before the new version is published, with original writers or publisher. So for Go West, I imagine Psb’s publisher probably approached them and said something like ‘pet shop boys are thinking of releasing this new version of the song with additional music and lyrics, it’s probably going to sell well and make money but they want a writing credit, or they won’t release it as a single’. It’s a negotiation. It’s actually very rare for a new co writing credit to be added to any song. I guess in the case of Village people, they are highly unlikely to get any successful artist requesting to cover their old disco songs, so it was an opportunity to make lots of money…

Thank you for this insight. It sounds logical and plausible.