Obit: Happy Birthday copyright

Subject: Obit: Happy Birthday copyright
From: Jack Campin
Date: 23 Sep 15 - 05:42 AM

The copyright on "Happy Birthday To You" has been ruled invalid:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-34332853

Subject: RE: Obit: Happy Birthday copyright
From: GUEST,#
Date: 23 Sep 15 - 09:34 AM

It's about friggin' time. Like having some ar#ehole put a copyright on Greensleeves or any song/music piece someone else wrote. Best those people deserve is a few busted knees. (Sorry to interrupt your thread, Jack, but this issue can really push my buttons.)

Subject: RE: Obit: Happy Birthday copyright
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Sep 15 - 09:51 AM

the judgement only applies to the USA. According to the article the copyright is still valid on other countries including the UK.

This being Mudcat somebody will now try to shoot the messenger because they don't like the news.

Subject: RE: Obit: Happy Birthday copyright
From: Vashta Nerada
Date: 23 Sep 15 - 10:21 AM

Via National Public Radio (US) Happy Birthday draft found in Mildred Hill's papers. From Sept 6, 2015.

Subject: RE: Obit: Happy Birthday copyright
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 23 Sep 15 - 10:51 AM

It's hard to see how anything composed in 1893 could have any kind of copyright.

Subject: RE: Obit: Happy Birthday copyright
From: GUEST,#
Date: 23 Sep 15 - 12:11 PM

Corrina, Corrina has about a dozen copyrights on it and it comes from the late 1800s. Mark Twain's remark is so true:

"Only one thing is impossible for God: To find any sense in any copyright law on the planet."

Subject: RE: Obit: Happy Birthday copyright
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 23 Sep 15 - 12:27 PM

I haven't re-checked recently, but while the UK used not to truncate UK copyrights to be coterminous with the term in the country of origin, I vaguely thought that there had been moves at EU level to make us do so. I'm pretty sure that Italy for example truncates copyright in tunes of American origin so that the Italian copyright expires when the US one does. Probably the best man in the UK to ask would be Jeremy Phillips, who blogs as IPKat.

Subject: RE: Obit: Happy Birthday copyright
From: GUEST,Sol
Date: 09 Dec 15 - 07:48 PM

I'm 100% for the composers of songs getting their true & just rewards for their efforts however there are some real parasitical meanies in this world who would sell their granny for a buck.

Subject: RE: Obit: Happy Birthday copyright
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 10 Dec 15 - 04:28 AM

And most of them are associated with PRS - either employed or as none paid(Ho Ho)executives.