RE: Happy Birthday!

Norma,

        The tune is now public domain. It was published in 1893 with the words "Good morning to all, etc." The words are possibly still under copyright. Some licensing agencies assert that they are.

        However, you are free to use the tune with lyrics of your own creation.
BR,
Jerry

> -----Original Message-----
> From: EXT N.E. Jee [mailto:nejee[_at_]home.com]
> Sent: Sunday, October 01, 2000 3:33 PM
> To: Multiple recipients of list
> Subject: Re: Happy Birthday!
>
>
> I am a teacher/librarian in British Columbia and also a member of St
> David by the Sea parish of the Anglican church of Canada. Recently it
> came to my ttention that we, as a parish church, may be breaking
> copyright law by using the tune to "Happy Birthday" and
> singing our own
> words. As a Librarian, I am familiar with Copyright Law but somehow
> thought this particular song would be in the public domain by now. If
> not, we, as a parish, would like to contact the family who holds the
> copyright and ask permission to use it in our services or pay an
> appropriate royalty. Can you help?
> Thanks!
> Norma Jee
>
Received on Tue Oct 03 2000 - 18:38:14 GMT