The CISG Song With Lyrics

This video is a tribute to Professor Harry Flechtner, University of Pittsburg

LYRICS:

When I was a little boy my daddy said to me,
"If you want great riches, son, it's a merchant you should be.
You can deal in goods from cars to cod, and earn more than enough.
But don't buy or sell 'cross borders, son, cause that's awfully risky stuff."

We didn't have no C-I-S-G. [1]
If we bought or sold in another State we didn't know what the law would be.
But now there's a Convention to make global trade more free.
'Cept them gol-danged U.S. courts just treat it like the U-C-C. [2]

As a young man I took up those words my daddy said.
I became a merchant -- traded goods to earn my bread.
But I would not buy or sell beyond the borders of my State
'Cause if the deal was not domestic, none could tell my legal fate.

We didn't have no C-I-S-G.
We were clueless how the law would go if we dealt internationally.
But now under this treaty global commerce is a breeze,
'Cept some jerks from Pittsburgh and Denmark say I can't recover no attorney fees. [3]

So now there is a treaty when I buy or sell afar.
I can deal with folks from everywhere, from Arles [4] to Zanzibar. [5]
The goods I buy are always fine, [6] and my buyers never sue.
I hardly need a lawyer — yes, my life's perfection true!

Because we have that C-I-S-G.
There's no risk in international sales far as the eye can see.
But I just received a shipment, so I must quickly say goodbye —
'Cause German courts give me just 5 minutes to inspect and notify. [7]

http://www.law.pitt.edu/academics/cile/cisgsongpage

Credits for the accompanying audio file: Harry Flechtner, lead vocal and guitar [*] Daniel Kambic, harmony vocal and guitar (the fancy parts that took talent)[**] Mark Walter, recording engineer, producer extraordinaire, disciplinarian [***] * .

Harry Flechtner - Professor of Law, University of Pittsburgh School of Law. A.B. 1973, Harvard; A.M. 1975, Harvard; J.D. 1981, Harvard. This song was first performed on November 4, 2005, before a dinner meeting of panelists at the Symposium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the CISG and entitled "The CISG and the Business Lawyer: The UNCITRAL Digest as a Contract Drafting Tool." The Symposium was sponsored by UNCITRAL and the University of Pittsburgh Center for International Legal Education. To those in attendance at that dinner, the song writer/lead vocalist reiterates his deep apologies for his imposition — but the wine helped us all get through it.

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