Book, Music And Lyrics vs. Written and Composed?

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 10/17/16 at 12:57pm

So I'm currently working on a musical where I am writing all of it, the book, music, and lyrics. However, I notice that the title changes between certain works. With Hamilton, it's subtitled "Book, Music, and Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda". However, with The Last Five Years, it's "Written and Composed by Jason Robert Brown". Is there a difference between these two terms? Or is it up to the author to choose his title?

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 10/17/16 at 1:17pm

It's just preference. I'm not sure if it's actually up to the author or if it's a producer decision, but they are interchangeable. 

[MinnieFay]

Posted: 10/17/16 at 1:29pm

Alex Kulak2 said: "So I'm currently working on a musical where I am writing all of it, the book, music, and lyrics. However, I notice that the title changes between certain works. With Hamilton, it's subtitled "Book, Music, and Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda". However, with The Last Five Years, it's "Written and Composed by Jason Robert Brown". Is there a difference between these two terms? Or is it up to the author to choose his title?"

It all depends on how pretentious the writer wishes to be.  In the case of JRB, the answer is VERY!

[gypsy101]

Posted: 10/17/16 at 3:32pm

seriously, "Written and Composed" is so pretentious. like oooh i both wrote and composed this musical!

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 10/17/16 at 3:38pm

I've never thought it was particularly pretentious.. 

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 10/17/16 at 3:53pm

Same. I thought it was a more concise term, or it's exclusive for sung through pieces. I think William Finn used the same credit for In Trousers

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 10/17/16 at 4:19pm

tomato, tomato, potato, potato

[¿Macavity?]

Posted: 10/18/16 at 3:03am

gypsy101 said: "seriously, "Written and Composed" is so pretentious. like oooh i both wrote and composed this musical!

 

"

I would think that the other has less modest; Music, lyrics, and book by ________ _______. 

It really doesn't matter though, neither is better or worse from the other. We're really overthinking this. 

Updated On: 10/18/16 at 03:03 AM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 10/18/16 at 3:07am

I'm not even a JRB fan, and in no way is that "more" pretentious.

 

The only person over thinking this is the OP

[HogansHero]

Posted: 10/18/16 at 8:07am

The BML convention tracks the typical collaboration agreement that obviously does not exist in these cases. It also provides a clean credit for award purposes. Beyond that it is a matter of preference, though anytime you vary from the standard form there is at least a bit of pretension involved. If you don't want to use BML, I'm not sure what is served by not just saying X by Y. It is never up to the producer; it is always spelled out in the contract.