Did you know that the song 'Happy Birthday' is copyrighted and the copyright is currently owned and actively enforced by Time Warner?
Did you know that if you sing 'Happy Birthday' at a place open to the public - like a restaurant - or among a substantial number of people who are not family or friends, you are involved in a public performance of that work? And did you know an unauthorized public performance is a form of copyright infringement?
Is 'Happy Birthday' really copyrighted? Yes, it is!
4 comment(s):
Don't know about the rest of the world, but AFAIK under UK law performing a copyrighted song does not constitute copyright infringement. However royalties are payable where public performance is made for financial gain or by a commercial organisation.
just try to come after me Warner Bros. what a publicity nightmare that would be...
No its not. But no one has the money to actually pursue proving the song is in the public domain. the article referenced has the relevant information.
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1111624
Yeah... it's the reason why you rarely hear people sing happy birthday on tv or in the movies.
Post a Comment