copyright of "collected" folk songs

Well I still can't seem to disengage from this list. How 'bout becoming boring and pedantic for a while so I can get something done?

Here's a question that's always bothered me: Folksong "collectors" go out in the field and collect songs from Real Folk. Then they put 'em in books with copyright notices on 'em, in THEIR names. This wouldn't really stand up, would it?

Some collectors put "...with new words and music by [themselves]" in there somewhere. Sometimes they HAVE changed a word or two, a note or two, sometimes not. (Is any progress being made toward allowing people to copyright ONLY their changes in this country [USA]?)

A fellow I knew came to me during the bicentennial because his uncle, a composer, had used some songs from a certain "bicentennial songs" book to make a sound track for some educational children's tv shows. The person who had put together the book hit the network with an injunction the day before the airing of the shows because he had, he said (changed slightly and) copyrighted all the songs. (Sounds like extortion to me.) The network paid, and deducted the money from what they owed the composer. The part that angered me was that the "author" of the book had SAID these were genuine historical songs (including songs like "God Save The King") -- either he lied, or he HADN'T changed 'em. He lied in any case, hm?

As a singer of old songs, I donate the "authors royalties" from any "traditional" songs I record to the Library of Congress Friends of the Folk Archive fund (which was started with my first check), and I've always maintained that no-one should "own" those songs or "versions" of 'em. Nobody's sued me yet. (Though I admit [sigh], there would be no money in it.)

And no-one ever mentions the ORIGINAL sources -- the "folk". Did Leadbelly (or his heirs) ever get any money for "Goodnight Irene" -- the song that still has the record for longest at #1 (it's in the Guinness Book of Records)? Or did the Lomaxes, who "collected" it from him (and copyrighted it -- "words and music by Huddie Ledbetter with new words and music by John A. and Alan Lomax") get all the money?

I'm getting close to a tirade. I'll stop.

Yankee Doodle, keep it up...

Michael Cooney
The Friendship Letter
(A neighborhood newsletter for people who don't live near each other -- hints, tips, questions, answers, recommendations, and fun stuff.) PO Box 278, Friendship, ME 04547-0278
207/354-6971 mcooney[_at_]midcoast.com Received on Mon Apr 27 1998 - 18:39:09 GMT