Photo: Daniel Rocha

What is Baby Shark's real name?

Johnny Only's fans don't always call him by name. To some, Only is known as "the Baby Shark Guy." After years of performing his own version of the popular "Baby Shark" tune, the Endwell, New York-based children's entertainer and DJ, whose legal name is Jonathan Wright, became almost synonymous with the song.

pressconnects.com - Did 'Baby Shark' violate copyright law? This entertainer thinks so.

Is Baby Shark a girl or boy?

Main characters Brooklyn "Baby" Shark (voiced by Kim Seo-yeong in Korean, Kimiko Glenn in English) is a yellow male shark and the main protagonist....

Last updated Nov 27, 2019

How can I make money in daily life?

12 Ways to Make Money Online Work as an Insurance POSP. ... Look for Freelancing Work. ... Try Content Writing Jobs. ... Start Blogging. ... Sell...

Last updated Jan 23, 2021

Promotion

Johnny Only's fans don't always call him by name.

To some, Only is known as "the Baby Shark Guy." After years of performing his own version of the popular "Baby Shark" tune, the Endwell, New York-based children's entertainer and DJ, whose legal name is Jonathan Wright, became almost synonymous with the song. So, when a Korean YouTube video containing the same song went viral, it sounded familiar.

A little too familiar.

With the help of Korean attorney K.S. Chong — known for representing pop star PSY, of the hit "Gagnam Style," in a 2015 real estate battle — Only is suing Korean entertainment company SmartStudy, the owner of "Baby Shark" creator Pinkfong, and claiming copyright infringement. If damage compensation is awarded, it will be determined by the judge after the hearings are closed, Chong said.

Learn more about Johnny Only:Johnny Only encourages parent and child creativity

In an emailed statement, a communications representative from SmartStudy responded to the suit, stating "Pinkfong’s 'Baby Shark' is based on a traditional singalong chant which has passed to public domain. Produced by SmartStudy, we are the producer and publisher, we own and control 100% of Pinkfong Baby Shark." Chong said the case is now underway at the Seoul Central District Court. The first hearing was in July, and the Korea Copyright Commission will soon review the two songs. "On a personal level, it has been a bit weird," Only said in an email. "Especially because I feel like I am the one who started it."

A version of 'Baby Shark' without the dismemberment

Only thinks it was several decades ago when he first heard "Baby Shark." He was entertaining at a camp for pre-teens and teens, and listened to the campers sing the popular song. Later, he became a toddler music entertainer. But he couldn't add the camp version to his repertoire. It just wasn't appropriate for his audience.

While versions of the song vary, it's traditionally gory.

"The whole point of the song is the scary shark attack. The narrator typically loses limbs and dies from it," Only said. "There would be a verse and motions for every part of the attack." The chant is typically sung without music, and includes bloody details in its lyrics that detail a shark attack. Lyrics like "lost an arm do do do do do do" and "lost a leg do do do do do do" are often sung with children waving their arms and legs around. "The object of the chant was to improvise details and motions," Only said. "For example, the counselors might break the campers up into groups and ask them to come up with their own version and then perform for each other." While entertaining toddlers, Only found the importance of songs incorporating motions along with the lyrics. So, as he wanted to share the song with younger audiences, Only created a version of his own. "I realized that the baby shark chant could be made into a toddler-aged children's song if I changed the words and added music," he said. "So I did."

Is YouTube illegal in China?

In cases where the entire site is banned due to one particular video, YouTube will often agree to remove or limit access to that video in order to...

Last updated May 15, 2022

How much does a streamer get from 50 subs?

How Much Do Small Twitch Streamers Make? "Small" Twitch streamers usually have 50 - 100 subscribers and can earn anywhere from $50 to $1,500 per...

Last updated Jul 18, 2020

Promotion

Only said he published his version of "Baby Shark" on Sept. 1, 2011. A YouTube video of Only singing the song beside a pool with a group of children is dated Sept. 25, 2011, and is labeled the "non-dismemberment version." Only replaced the gory lyrics with lines including "saw a fin do do do do do do," "I swam faster do do do do do do," "lifeguard running do do do do do do" and "saved my life do do do do do do." As of Aug. 13, Only's version had 116,929 views on YouTube. Comments have been disabled for the video. The single is also available to purchase for 99 cents on Amazon music and iTunes, or included with the purchase of Only's "Banana Ram Sam Interactive" album. (The album is $8.99 on Amazon Music and $9.99 on iTunes).

Fast forward to 2015.

Pinkfong, a media company that produces educational and entertaining content for children, released a short animated YouTube video featuring its version of "Baby Shark" on Nov. 25, 2015.

As of Aug. 12, the YouTube had 221,874,636 views.

The video was uploaded again in June of 2016, this time labeled "Baby Shark Dance." That video accumulated a whopping 3,229,322,454 views, as of Aug. 13. In July, Digital Trends listed the video as the eighth-most watched YouTube video. It wasn't until the fall of 2018 that the video made it its way to American mainstream entertainment and became a viral hit — the catchy tune seemingly impossible to get out of parents' heads as their kids continued to click "play." While the lyrics are different from Only's, they are also less gory. "Let's go hunt do do do do do do," "run away do do do do do do" and "safe at last do do do do do do" replace the typically graphic lyrics.

And Only found the two tunes to be strikingly similar.

"The shortened length, the key, the addition of instrumentation, the type of instrumentation, the rhythm, the tempo, the sanitation of the lyrics for toddler age audiences, the tempo change mid song, the splash at the beginning," Only lists the similarities. "Even some of the harmony styles and things like adding a lower voice when they introduce daddy shark."

From YouTube hit to cultural phenomenon

Pinkfong's "Baby Shark" is not just a YouTube hit. It's been ingrained into our culture. Daytime talk show host Ellen Degeneres mashed the theme of "The Ellen Show" with the tune, earning laughs on the show and more than 4 million hits on YouTube. "Late Late Show" host James Corden also parodied the single, recruiting stars Sophie Turner and Josh Groban — as well as backup dancers and a gospel choir — to help him sing a slowed-down version of the song. This version earned over 9 million YouTube hits. Two-year-old Zoe Turner rose to internet fame in October of last year after her mother, Cryssy Turner, captured her adorable efforts to get her Amazon Alexa to play "Baby Shark."

How can I post to all social media at once for free?

6 Free Tools to Schedule Posts on Social Media 1) Buffer. The free version of Buffer allows you to connect one type of account via social networks,...

Last updated May 30, 2020

Which jobs make you rich?

Here are 10 jobs you should choose in 2021 to earn big bucks and get rich quickly: Data Scientist. Several reports agree that 'Data Scientist' is...

Last updated Mar 24, 2018

Promotion

As the Alexa continues to misunderstand Zoe and cue up the wrong tunes, Zoe gets frustrated.

But, listen closely.

But Zoe didn't want to hear Only. She wanted Pinkfong.

A YouTube video capturing this went viral, earning the tot nearly 2 million hits on YouTube and even a spot on The Today Show. Netflix has been rumored to carry short videos based on the song; however, those rumors were never confirmed.

More:Are the creators of 'Baby Shark' bringing videos to Netflix?

But in June, Nickelodeon announced that a deal has been struck with SmartStudy to create a new animated TV series based on the song. "At the heart of any popular piece of content is a terrific character, and we have a great opportunity to further explore the world of Baby Shark and follow this family through some great animated adventures on Nickelodeon," said Ramsey Naito, executive vice president of Nickelodeon Animation, in a statement to USA TODAY. And Round Room Live and Pinkfong recently announced that they would join to launch "Baby Shark Live!," an immersive concert experience. The tour is slated for more than 100 U.S. and Canadian markets, beginning in the fall. The first leg of the tour schedule was announced July 9. Baby Shark merchandise is already available on the tour's website, with a tour hoodie on sale in multiple colors for $45.

A legal battle

During his legal battle, Only has learned that when an artist publishes a version of a traditional or public domain piece, it represents a derivative version.

"The changes the artist has made are protected by copyright," Only said.

The first hearing was held in July. Soon, the Korea Copyright Commission will review the two songs. While it's not Only's "Baby Shark" that has seen famous parodies and national tours, Only admits there's been an uptick in interest around his "Baby Shark." "There are certainly quite a few posts on my YouTube videos in Korean. I think at least as many as there are from the USA," Only said. "Many of them give their opinion about whether there has been infringement. There has undeniably been a sharp increase in interest around the song." Follow Maggie Gilroy on Twitter @MaggieGilroy. Support our journalism and become a digital subscriber today. Click here for our special offers. More:Southern Tier arts programs want your kids: Here's how to sign them up More:Your guide to Broadway on a budget: 7 tips for snagging cheap tickets

More:Four things elementary school students should know about college

pressconnects.com - Did 'Baby Shark' violate copyright law? This entertainer thinks so.

How popular is Vskit?

Short video app Vskit is becoming one of Africa's leading entertainment platforms. The China-made app gathered over 10 million African users within...

Last updated Oct 21, 2019

What is biggest mistake answer in an interview?

The best way to answer this question is to talk about a specific example of a time you made a mistake: Briefly explain what the mistake was, but...

Last updated Aug 7, 2021

Promotion

How much is 60k a year hourly?

$28.75 An annual salary of $60,000 breaks down to an hourly wage of $28.75, based on the federal government's work year of 2,087 hours. Your hourly...

Last updated Jan 21, 2022

Promotion

Which language is best for digital marketing?

Coding skills every digital marketer should learn HTML. When it comes to learning coding to strengthen digital marketing skills, HTML tops the...

Last updated Oct 17, 2022