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Post subject: copyrighting?
Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 10:48 am
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I weas wondering if anyone had any insight into copyrighting song lyrics?

I have several songs that I have written lyrics to that I am still trying to get the music to back and want to get some help doing so but also want to protect my "work".

It may sound silly but I beliebve I have sveral really good ones that I am very proud of......anyway?


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Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 10:50 am
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Did you try google?


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Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 10:54 am
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I did and I actually have a packet coming from the US Coptright Office. I was just wondering if anyone here had gone through the process?


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Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 10:58 am
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Sure... lots of times. What do you want to know?


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Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 10:59 am
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Oh, not me. I'm not a songwriter.


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Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 11:03 am
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While you are looking into the more official ways to copyright material, there is what is known as "the poormans copyright". Make a copy of all your song lyrics and put them in an envelope. Seal the envelope, then tape the envelope over the seal. Address it to yourself, put a stamp on it, and drop it in the mail. The postmark on your sealed envelope is sort of a time stamp, and the envelope in a sense, becomes the time capsule. Then if your lyrics get ripped off, recorded, and published, then your postmarked envelope will prove to a court that you had the lyrics written at whatever date the postmark states. I recall reading that while its not as official as the more formal copyright procedures, it will at least give you some evidence in proving your case.

I also suggest you get a book called "All You Need To Know About the Music Business" by Donald S. Passman. I have the 6th edition of this book, copyrighted in 2006, but they may have a more current revised edition. If not, the 6th edition is current enough that it covers issues like your music on the internet, but I think the book is good because it gives you advice and info on selecting managers and attorneys, record deals, publishing, touring, merchandising. and even looks into soundtracks for movies and TV.

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Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 11:09 am
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bowlfreshener wrote:
While you are looking into the more official ways to copyright material, there is what is known as "the poormans copyright". Make a copy of all your song lyrics and put them in an envelope. Seal the envelope, then tape the envelope over the seal. Address it to yourself, put a stamp on it, and drop it in the mail. The postmark on your sealed envelope is sort of a time stamp, and the envelope in a sense, becomes the time capsule. Then if your lyrics get ripped off, recorded, and published, then your postmarked envelope will prove to a court that you had the lyrics written at whatever date the postmark states. I recall reading that while its not as official as the more formal copyright procedures, it will at least give you some evidence in proving your case.


Not only is it not "as official," it isn't true. (Also, the typical description requires that you send the envelope registered mail... your homemade tape job wouldn't prove that the envelope hadn't been tampered with.)

But even registered mail doesn't work. In the United States, you cannot bring a copyright infringement suit unless your work is registered with the Library of Congress. That's the law. There is no other way, because you aren't even allowed to go to court unless you've done it. The "poor man's copyright" lives on in urban legend, but it is a waste of time and postage.

The good news is that in the US, copyright is automatically granted at the moment of creation: your songs are copyrighted to you the second you write them.

The bad news is that you can't do anything about that copyright unless you've registered the work with the COpyright office of the LOC.


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Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 11:28 am
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Gravity Jim wrote:
bowlfreshener wrote:
While you are looking into the more official ways to copyright material, there is what is known as "the poormans copyright". Make a copy of all your song lyrics and put them in an envelope. Seal the envelope, then tape the envelope over the seal. Address it to yourself, put a stamp on it, and drop it in the mail. The postmark on your sealed envelope is sort of a time stamp, and the envelope in a sense, becomes the time capsule. Then if your lyrics get ripped off, recorded, and published, then your postmarked envelope will prove to a court that you had the lyrics written at whatever date the postmark states. I recall reading that while its not as official as the more formal copyright procedures, it will at least give you some evidence in proving your case.


Not only is it not "as official," it isn't true. (Also, the typical description requires that you send the envelope registered mail... your homemade tape job wouldn't prove that the envelope hadn't been tampered with.)

But even registered mail doesn't work. In the United States, you cannot bring a copyright infringement suit unless your work is registered with the Library of Congress. That's the law. There is no other way, because you aren't even allowed to go to court unless you've done it. The "poor man's copyright" lives on in urban legend, but it is a waste of time and postage.

The good news is that in the US, copyright is automatically granted at the moment of creation: your songs are copyrighted to you the second you write them.

The bad news is that you can't do anything about that copyright unless you've registered the work with the COpyright office of the LOC.


Thanks for the clarification, as I read about the porrmans copyright about 20 years ago when I was 12, so I guess things have changed a bit...

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Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 11:38 am
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Gravity Jim wrote:
bowlfreshener wrote:
While you are looking into the more official ways to copyright material, there is what is known as "the poormans copyright". Make a copy of all your song lyrics and put them in an envelope. Seal the envelope, then tape the envelope over the seal. Address it to yourself, put a stamp on it, and drop it in the mail. The postmark on your sealed envelope is sort of a time stamp, and the envelope in a sense, becomes the time capsule. Then if your lyrics get ripped off, recorded, and published, then your postmarked envelope will prove to a court that you had the lyrics written at whatever date the postmark states. I recall reading that while its not as official as the more formal copyright procedures, it will at least give you some evidence in proving your case.


Not only is it not "as official," it isn't true. (Also, the typical description requires that you send the envelope registered mail... your homemade tape job wouldn't prove that the envelope hadn't been tampered with.)

But even registered mail doesn't work. In the United States, you cannot bring a copyright infringement suit unless your work is registered with the Library of Congress. That's the law. There is no other way, because you aren't even allowed to go to court unless you've done it. The "poor man's copyright" lives on in urban legend, but it is a waste of time and postage.

The good news is that in the US, copyright is automatically granted at the moment of creation: your songs are copyrighted to you the second you write them.

The bad news is that you can't do anything about that copyright unless you've registered the work with the COpyright office of the LOC.


i had also read that this "poor man's copyright" is a falsehood.

I guess the biggest ?'s I have are

1. Does it cost anything to copyright?

2. Can it be done by myself fairly easily?

3. Do I copyright each individual song or as a group(collection) or both?

4. dO i HAVE TO RE-COPYRIGHT AFTER THERE IS MUSIC TO GO WITH THE LYRICS?

thanks


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 11:58 am
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timp wrote:

1. Does it cost anything to copyright?

2. Can it be done by myself fairly easily?

3. Do I copyright each individual song or as a group(collection) or both?

4. dO i HAVE TO RE-COPYRIGHT AFTER THERE IS MUSIC TO GO WITH THE LYRICS?

thanks



1. Yes. $45 for paper, $35 electronically. This is a non-refundable filing fee that accompanies each form (more about that in #3).

2. Yes. You can get all the paperwork you need online, or even use their new electronic filing to save some bucks.

3. You can copyright a bunch of things as a collection under a single title (just as a book of poetry is copyrighted as a single entity, covering all the poems therein).

4. THis is more complicated. Yes, you probably will. A lyric is not a song: the law consideres a song to be the lyrics and the melody (chord progression, arrangement, licks and instrumental parts... none of that is the song. Just he words and melody. The song is the part you can sing in your car with the radio off.)

Now, if you submit only written words, what you have copyrighted is a literary work, but not actually a song. You would be protected against your words being used by someone else... but if you write a melody later and don't copyright the two together, you have not copyrighted the song.

My advice is to read the entire Copyright Office website, where you can learn everything you need to know, and proceed accordingly.


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Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 7:31 pm
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^^^^^^^^^^

Thank you sir.


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