Members Mandolin Picker Posted September 23, 2015 Members Share Posted September 23, 2015 A judge has ruled that the song "Happy Birthday to You" is now in the public domain. There may still be appeals to the decision, as this song currently earns Warner/Chappell Music's an estimated $2 million dollars a year (something I'm sure they don't want to give up). More at http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/09/22/442694777/happy-birthday-to-us-all-judge-rules-tune-is-public-domain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BobF_ Posted September 23, 2015 Members Share Posted September 23, 2015 It will be nice to hear Happy Birthday being sung to patrons in restaurants again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author MikeRivers Posted September 23, 2015 CMS Author Share Posted September 23, 2015 It will be nice to hear Happy Birthday being sung to patrons in restaurants again! This morning on NPR's Morning Edition, or maybe it was on the Marketplace morning report, there was a hilarious montage of restaurant Happy Birthday substitutes. I hope some of those restaurants keep doing what they've been doing now that they can actually sing Happy Brithday. Here it is: Happy Birthday on Morning Edition Apparently now there's some question as to whether Warner-Chappel ever actually received the copyright that they thought they got. Anyone here ever pay a royalty to them to use the song? You might be due a refund. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted September 23, 2015 Members Share Posted September 23, 2015 And here I thought restaurants came up with their own songs simply because Happy Birthday To You sucks eggs. Creativity is born out of the strangest things sometimes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted September 23, 2015 Members Share Posted September 23, 2015 I wonder...if the lyrics were sung in reverse ("You to happy birthday") would that still be considered infringement? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dendy Jarrett Posted September 23, 2015 Members Share Posted September 23, 2015 I think it would be "You to Birthday Happy" in reverse which might make an interesting version, but of course someone will say there is a satanic message in it .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted September 23, 2015 Share Posted September 23, 2015 I wonder...if the lyrics were sung in reverse ("You to happy birthday") would that still be considered infringement? We could also do what some of the classical composers did and invert the melody... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted September 25, 2015 Members Share Posted September 25, 2015 BTW, "When the Levee Breaks" is in the public domain. I think it's time for a "Happy Birthday"/"When the Levee Breaks" mashup. Just because "Happy Birthday" is 3/4 and When the Levee Breaks is "4/4" is no excuse. Every 12 beats, they'll meet up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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