A few brief notes...

In the US, parody is now a constitutionally protected form of free speech. I'm not familiar with the exact details, but an artist (or corporation claiming to represent him) sued a parodist for plagarism, copywrite infringment, and lord knows what else. The Supreme Court finally got ahold of the case and announced that the company could go piss up a rope, that parody was protected.

It's also worth noting that one particular use of parody (or satire, burlesque or any of the other livelier arts) is in attacking the unattackable (is that a word?) On board sailing vessels, shantymen and crews would often use the shanties as a platform to take verbal potshots at the ship's officers, an act that would have recieved strict and vicious punishment at any other time. Slaves in the American south would do the same, carefully masking the attacks against 'the master' with humor, but providing relief all the same.

And on a final note, parody can be used (at least, in my view) to render some of the old overused standards listenable again. I used to love 'Galway Bay'. Then, after about the 4-5 thousandth time, I began to reevaluate my views... until I heard the Clancy's parody of it. Now, when it gets to be a bit much, I can just pop that one into the player, and I'm good for another listen or two.

M