Once again, you still don't understand the issues that have been so well put by Alice and Ger.

Your 'Folk' argument, I for one do in fact understand the process you refer to, but you seem unable to seperate the two issues.

Folk music is that which has developed and changed over time, something that very often no one knows where the original melody or idea originated or who exactly composed it and even if it were known, as has already been stated, copyright does not last forever, it is then in 'Public Domain'.
This is 'Folk' music, this is what even the great classical composers built there wonderful symphonies around, to give but one example, not to mention traditional Irish songs.

You mean to tell me that if you sir were to write a song or songs that were recorded by many a famous artist or ended up in a movie soundtrack for example, that you would expect no royalties, that you would claim no ownership, that you would happily throw it out to the world to do with as they wish and that you sir would not even want it known that it was yourself that composed it? I don't think so. I speak with personal experience but you would probably put me down for that too.

Gerard Farrelly - Professional musician, composer.