Keyboard cat, the posthumously famous feline formerly known as “Fatso,” is a perfect example of what passes as a mass-market phenomenon these days. With over four thousand videos to his name on YouTube and millions of views, keyboard cat has “played off” everyone from Glenn Beck’s woozy guest to TechCrunch’s Michael Arrington (NSFW audio).
But not everyone gets the joke. Keyboard cat will no longer be collaborating on YouTube with Hall & Oates, whose label, Warner Music Group, excised the audio from a video including Helen Hunt’s turn as a teenage drug casualty in the 1982 film Desperate Lives, the Hall & Oates hit “You Make My Dreams Come True,” and — of course — the mighty keyboard cat, who plays off Hunt’s character with the help of the two erstwhile pop stars.
Warner Music Group didn’t think this was a worthy use of Hall & Oates’ music, so it hobbled what CNET is calling “the greatest music video ever” (although some might beg to differ). As one might predict, the commenters are up in arms about yet another instance of a large corporation refusing to join in the laughter when one of its properties is used for unintended purposes.
Nevermind that the video could contribute to Hall & Oates’ relevance in the time of YouTube, potentially stoking the band’s slow-burning revival among today’s pseudo-ironic music fans. Warner was not amused. Now, a CNET writer’s heart is broken, and YouTube commenters are having yet another field day laying into the “evil” major labels for their shortsighted copyright policies.
“I hate you, Warner Music Group,” wrote ZackSchil. “This video is hilarious and promotes a song that would otherwise never reach the ears of young people. What is wrong with you? When did the music industry go so wrong?”
Then again — this being the internet — Warner Music Group’s attempt to squelch an unapproved use of their material will surely backfire, now that the media (present company included) is picking up on the story, resulting in more views for the offending video than would have resulted if they’d simply ignored it.
If a normal cat has nine lives, keyboard cat has at least nine million. Already, YouTube commenters are recommending other places to view the video.
