Song Clearance Sheet
1 sources citedWhite Lines (Don't Don't Do It)
Hip-Hop1980s116BPM
UnconfirmedKey
Tempo/key via Deezer →
The verdict
Documented Sampling History
Confirmed songwriter of record (Melle Mel, with Sylvia Robinson), no dispute found for this song specifically — its driving bassline sits in the same Chic “Good Times” lineage already traced through this catalog (and “Another One Bites the Dust”).
Quick Facts
Released1983
GenreHip-Hop, Electro-Funk
LabelSugar Hill Records
ProducerSylvia Robinson
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
The songwriter of record — Melle Mel (Melvin Glover) & Sylvia Robinson
Black Country Rock → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Not confirmed — originally Sugar Hill; needs a Songview/Discogs lookup
Unknown · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
A hip-hop classic whose bassline sits in the same Chic “Good Times” lineage as “Another One Bites the Dust,” both already in this catalog.
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; confirmed songwriter of record and no dispute found for this song specifically.
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
Its bassline sits in this Chic lineage (already in this catalog)
Another entry in the same Chic-bassline lineage (already in this catalog)
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Melle Mel (Melvin Glover) & Sylvia Robinson
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
The rejected Spike Lee / Laurence Fishburne video
The original video — directed by a young Spike Lee (one of his earliest works), featuring a young Laurence Fishburne as a dealer — was rejected by Sugar Hill at the time. Once both were stars, the label went back and asked Lee for permission to release the same video; he reportedly refused. No lyrics reproduced.
Black Country Rock · read it →
An Isley Brothers motif (and a Bowie wondering)
An “aaaaahhhhh” motif traces to the Isley Brothers’ version of “Twist and Shout.” The same blog author separately speculates — NOT confirmed — that David Bowie may have borrowed the motif for “Let’s Dance,” presented here as the blogger’s own unconfirmed conjecture, not established fact.
Black Country Rock · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
—
Times sampled
A Chic “Good Times”–lineage bassline
Covers
—
First flip
Who to Contact
WL
Melle Mel & Sylvia Robinson (Sugar Hill)
The confirmed songwriter of record
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
Don't Want the Hassle?
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Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Research Queue Batch 9)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending the automated GetSongBPM/Deezer pass