thedrifter
07-26-06, 11:24 AM
July 25, 2006
Controversial song made available on the Internet
By John Hoellwarth
Staff writer
A professionally-produced studio version of “Hajji Girl,” a controversial song about a fictional Marine’s encounter with an Iraqi woman, has been made available for download as an audio file on the Internet, though the Marine who wrote and originally performed it had no part in the polished version.
The song’s author, Cpl. Joshua Belile, stationed at Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C., does not sing in the studio recording, which is performed by the studio’s in-house band Young Americans. Nevertheless, Belile will receive royalties.
“I was ordered by my command not to record or perform the song, which is why it had to be done by a studio band,” Belile said.
Alan Grossman, a music producer and owner of Hit Music Incorporated of Spencer, N.C., said the song will be available at www.hadjigirlsong.com for $1.99. He said Belile will receive roughly 36 cents for each download.
“It’s illegal for them to sell a song that I wrote without paying me, so all I’m getting paid is nothing more than a writer’s royalties,” Belile said, adding that the rest is going to Hit Music, administrative costs and Marine Corps Community Services.
Grossman said that at Belile’s request, 99 cents from each download will go to MCCS to support the morale of troops overseas.
“The sale of this song is a means for the general public and service members alike to donate money to support deployed troops,” Belile said.
Belile’s song first surfaced in a four-minute video circulated on the Internet earlier this year. In the clip, Belile sings about a Marine who falls in love with an Iraqi woman and is then attacked by members of her family. The Marine ends up killing the family members.
The song prompted an outcry from the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which brought the video to the military’s attention. CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper said the song was insensitive and glamorized the killing of Iraqi civilians. Corps officials launched an investigation that concluded Belile did not violate military law with the song.
“It’s harmless. It’s a spoof,” Grossman said. “There’s a difference between a stupid little ditty and someone out in the desert killing people for no reason.”
http://www.hadjigirlsong.com/
Ellie
Controversial song made available on the Internet
By John Hoellwarth
Staff writer
A professionally-produced studio version of “Hajji Girl,” a controversial song about a fictional Marine’s encounter with an Iraqi woman, has been made available for download as an audio file on the Internet, though the Marine who wrote and originally performed it had no part in the polished version.
The song’s author, Cpl. Joshua Belile, stationed at Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C., does not sing in the studio recording, which is performed by the studio’s in-house band Young Americans. Nevertheless, Belile will receive royalties.
“I was ordered by my command not to record or perform the song, which is why it had to be done by a studio band,” Belile said.
Alan Grossman, a music producer and owner of Hit Music Incorporated of Spencer, N.C., said the song will be available at www.hadjigirlsong.com for $1.99. He said Belile will receive roughly 36 cents for each download.
“It’s illegal for them to sell a song that I wrote without paying me, so all I’m getting paid is nothing more than a writer’s royalties,” Belile said, adding that the rest is going to Hit Music, administrative costs and Marine Corps Community Services.
Grossman said that at Belile’s request, 99 cents from each download will go to MCCS to support the morale of troops overseas.
“The sale of this song is a means for the general public and service members alike to donate money to support deployed troops,” Belile said.
Belile’s song first surfaced in a four-minute video circulated on the Internet earlier this year. In the clip, Belile sings about a Marine who falls in love with an Iraqi woman and is then attacked by members of her family. The Marine ends up killing the family members.
The song prompted an outcry from the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which brought the video to the military’s attention. CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper said the song was insensitive and glamorized the killing of Iraqi civilians. Corps officials launched an investigation that concluded Belile did not violate military law with the song.
“It’s harmless. It’s a spoof,” Grossman said. “There’s a difference between a stupid little ditty and someone out in the desert killing people for no reason.”
http://www.hadjigirlsong.com/
Ellie