The reference in my title above is to the name of the label that released Girl Talk’s “All Day” album in late 2010. But it could also have been phrased as a question – is this illegal art? It’s a question because “All Day” is an hour-plus music mix that includes samples of hundreds of songs by other artists. There continues to be some controversy whether this is “legal.” There are some very interesting articles out there arguing both sides if you feel like searching and reading a bit. My intention today is not to discuss those arguments, but to talk about the music. I’ll leave it to the lawyers and music industry to sort out; “All Day” is still available almost two years after its release, so for my purposes I’m assuming it’s legal.
What I do know definitively about “All Day” is that it is an absolute blast to listen to, especially for my fellow music geeks (and you know who you are!). It reminds me of the old radio station slogan: “We play the best music of the seventies, eighties, nineties and today.” But, in fact, there are samples going back to the fifties and traveling right through to the release date; the music styles and types of artists represented are extensive, to say the least.. The whole thing kicks off with a Black Sabbath riff and a then strong dance beat, and you are off! There are usually two or three samples going at any one time, and they often would not seem to “match” if you saw the names on paper (for just one example, Fugazi’s “Waiting Room” and Rihanna’s “Rude Boy”). But they do match here.
I see on the Illegal Art site that you can download this as one long piece of music, or they have it broken up into a number of tracks. The best way to listen, though, is definitely as one track. I love picking out the individual songs and artists, but ultimately get lost in the music itself. It brings a smile to my face whenever I get the chance to listen to it, and I still laugh at some of the juxtapositions. It would probably also work as a good name-that-tune game with your friends. It’s so well done that even songs I don’t necessarily like are enjoyable in this mix (Cyndi Lauper and A Flock of Seagulls – I’m looking at you!). There are lists out there of all the samples, but what’s the fun of looking that up? Just let it spill out of your speakers.
One other way it usually impacts me is it “re-raises” my interest in some of the artists sampled. Why just the other day that Depeche Mode sample motivated me to go pull out “Speak & Spell.” Maybe it will send you looking for something in your music collection that you’ve overlooked for awhile, or out to buy something new. Anyway, “All Day” is FREE so check it out and see what it does for you!