I see that ASCAP's data base isn't much help for people like us. For example, it lists many recordings of Greensleeves, which we all know is PD.

Now, if I owned a radio station, and I played Norman Luboff's recording of 'Greensleeves,' then it might help me to look it up in ASCAP's data base to see where to send the royalty. But what I am paying for is Luboff's own, original contribution to that recording.

ASCAP is not going to tell me that the tune itself is PD.