[Dixielandjazz] Singing Happy Birthday is a No-No - Was Who is BMI

[Steve Barbone]

Yes, I think that would be OK. If the singers are personal friends of the
birthday person. 

But Marilyn Monroe singing it to JFK on a nationally televised program going
to a large number of non-friends probably generated a lot of money for Time
Warner. :-) VBG.

Cheers,
Steve barbone

on 4/17/07 4:22 PM, Gluetje1 at aol.com at Gluetje1 at aol.com wrote:

Reading that literally, the musicians can play the tune and the audience can
sing to the birthday person???
Ginny

In a message dated 4/17/2007 9:27:08 A.M. Central Daylight Time,
barbonestreet at earthlink.net writes:
You can hum and/or play Happy Birthday without infringing on a copyright
because the melody is in the public domain. But if you sing it, beware. Note
that the lyrics were copyrighted in 1935, are now owned by Time Warner, and
the copyright is vigorously enforced by ASCAP. The lyrics generate $2
million dollars a year for Time Warner. NONE OF THAT GOES TO JESSICA HILL
one of the original family members who authored the tune and then
copyrighted the lyrics.

 






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