Soar note ... Red Hot Chili Peppers wrote the song Californication in 1999
The Red Hot Chili Peppers are planning to sue Showtime Networks over their television series Californication, which is also (anyone see where this is going?) the name of the band's 1999 album and one of its singles.
The network insists the idea for the name came from a 1970s bumper sticker inspired by the diaspora of Californians to its northern neighbour, which read: "Don't Californicate Oregon".
In a statement, frontman Anthony Kiedis has been quoted as saying, "Californication is the signature CD, video and song of the band's career". Which is all very well, but does that mean the band now owns that word and concept?
Tom McCall, the governor of Oregon railed against the "Californication" of the state in the 1970s, and reportedly asked Californians to visit the state, but not to stay. While the authenticity of his request is in doubt, it's almost certain that the term was around back then. An article in the Spectator from 1990 uses the term in reference to McCall.
The Urban Dictionary lists it as the "act of migration from California to other states ... ", and goes on to suggest that the Chili Peppers were referring to "the performance of sexual acts with a person higher-up in the movie industry in order to be in a Hollywood movie", in their song.
I realise the Chilis' beef is not over origination of the term itself, but do they honestly expect intellectual property rights over "Californication" because they wrote a song in 1999 about something already steeped in so much American history?
The case almost seems open-and-shut in favour of Showtime, but News 24 reminds us that the show contains a character called Dani.
... And "Dani California" is also the name of what, pop pickers?
