The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #56235   Message #882629
Posted By: greg stephens
04-Feb-03 - 05:43 PM
Thread Name: Song Ownership-Tommy Makem
Subject: RE: Song Ownership-Tommy Makem
Yes, it's buyer beware all right.All those good old folk songs that came out as "New Words and New Music by Lonnie Donegan". Of course he never wrote them, neither was he really claiming to. A legal fiction. I dont know American law, but claiming authorship does seem a bit cavalier. "Trad arranged G Stephens" tends to take care of things in England. It may not even be true, but people who died 300 years ago arent going to sue me, and neither is Tommy Makem if I do it to "Jock O'Hazeldean".