copyright question - painting

[Steve Smith]

And if you sing the traditional (USA) "happy birthday" song you technically need to pay to do so.

Surely, it's too old for that.
EDIT: Apparently not: http://www.snopes.com/music/songs/birthday.asp

But as the original words were "Good morning to all" and no one knows who wrote the "Happy birthday" lyrics and the fact that if there are twenty people in a room singing it, they will all sing it in a different key and with a different tune, I don't think any legal action is likely!

And it would appear that the tune dates back to 1893 so that's a grey area too.

http://variety.com/2013/biz/news/co...ute-over-happy-birthday-copyright-1200703048/#


Steve.

 

[sk66]

Surely, it's too old for that.
EDIT: Apparently not: http://www.snopes.com/music/songs/birthday.asp

But as the original words were "Good morning to all" and no one knows who wrote the "Happy birthday" lyrics and the fact that if there are twenty people in a room singing it, they will all sing it in a different key and with a different tune, I don't think any legal action is likely!

And it would appear that the tune dates back to 1893 so that's a grey area too.

http://variety.com/2013/biz/news/co...ute-over-happy-birthday-copyright-1200703048/#


Steve.

Yeah, it's one of the oddest things I know of in regards to copyright. But it's the reason that (over here) all of the restaurants make up their own happy birthday song to sing to customers... and it's not sung in many tv shows/movies.

But I don't think they would bother with "individuals"... and, there's a difference between "singing" as opposed to "performing".