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  • Writer's pictureJeff Powers

Hey Joe crazy story

Updated: Mar 20

Hey Joe might be the most abused copyright ever and one of the most recorded rock songs of all time. There's a website with links and artists names that recorded Hey Joe and there about 1,800 versions listed!...Louie Louie is King Though. This is the Copyright registered by Billy Roberts in 1962. Many people were claiming ownership of this song or that it was a traditional blues/folk song and though it was first copyrighted in 1962 by Billy Roberts he pretty much copied Niela Miller's (girlfriend) song “Baby, Please Don’t Go To Town"....he used the chord progression which uses the circle of 5ths (it's completely unique) and the call and response idea of the lyrics...give it a listen. Also, I have a Hey Joe Spotify playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4RSsF9v4rVhCJmBi9fdtY9?si=9e2e513a22604536 with my own version of the song in a kind of delta style blues here it is at youtube https://youtu.be/f1oVo24ORK0 There is a nice article on the song here. ”http://www.fretboardjournal.com/blog/song-week-how-baby-please-dont-go-town-became-hey-joe ;

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