Public Domain

I've been thinking of recording some cover songs. Being that every one is all concerned about the law side of music i was thinking of some good Public domain songs to do. Like when Metallica did whiskey in a jar, they did not have to ask permission nor pay royalties to do that song.

So here is my short list

In the Pines
House of the rising sun
Goodnight Irene

Does any one have an recommended Public domain songs that they like, have recorded?

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine!

Yeah and there are others but I was looking for some cool dark songs. I could have put this land is our land and pick a bale of cotton but not really what i was after.

The law side only comes into play if you are going to make money with it. Knock yourself out with whatever.

so if i record any song and post it on a website, there will be no cease and decist or lawyer letters going out with threads of a lawsuits?

Nope.
Or well... I've seen some retarded lawyers, none that hold up in court anyway.

I'm trying to avoid having to have a lawyer, the blood sucking **s

I apologize if any y'all are lawyers.

Haha. don't worry you won't have to.
There can only be legal activity if you try to make money off of it.

Well, I got my music myspace account deleted because I put a cover on there (I even said it was a cover and stated who the original artist was).

Myspace is a comercial site, while you wouldnt get in legal trouble, they might. Even though that would be a stretch as well.

So, essentially, it has to be for private use.

Just no money. Myspace does not run for free, it's making quite a bit of money, if it hosts a video of a covered song a case could be made it is making money from it.
If you put it on a site that does not make money, thats fine.

That probably made it easier to spot.

In theory with public domain you can claim song wrights to the song. so would that be allowed on myspace?

I want to be righteous with my own music as i steal every one elses, and I don't plan on charging anything for my music

I'm not sure about this but with a public domain song you could probably claim rights to the "arrangement" of the song if it is an original arrangement but I doubt you could claim rights to the song itself. I'm no lawyer (thank goodness) but i think that is how it worked with the Animals when they did their version of House of the Rising Sun, it was all about the "arrangement" of the song.
Phip

you see covers on you tube all the time.

No you can't claim any rights to the song. But you can to your arrangement. It's always music that's after 50 years old that can be played by anyone. A shame really. The original artists don't get the respect they deserve.

I'm going to cry when some early, great rock classics become public domain in the coming years :(... It doesn't matter if the artist is still alive, does it?

Nah, but the artist can renew it and claim rights for it for another 50 years. If they're still alive.

any music prior to 1922 is public domain. Then it's the life of the artist plus 70 years. thanks to Bono (the U2 guy) i think.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_domain

"he claim that "pre-1923 works are in the public domain" is correct only for published works; unpublished works are under federal copyright for at least the life of the author plus 70 years. For a work made for hire, the copyright in a work created before 1978, but not theretofore in the public domain or registered for copyright, subsists from January 1, 1978, and endures for a term of 95 years from the year of its first publication, or a term of 120 years from the year of its creation, whichever expires first.[9] If the work was created before 1978 but first published on or before December 31, 2002, the work is covered by federal copyright until 2047"

@ Telecrater

I'm doing the same (re covers). I don't know if it will make any difference but I'm trying to cover my a***e by making them a little different ie. putting a solo into a song that doesn't have one or backing it with a different rythm.
Personally I don't think it will matter unless you try and make a living out of it.

Yeah, all this egocentric thinking in music industry is ridiculous. Lets say if I make a song, lets say in year 2011 and it become big hit and sell good, then some other band do cover from it on year 2015, and sell them better than me... I think im not angry and draw them to front of justice. I think I would be rather proud and happy than some egocentric crap on copyrights and stuff...just my 2 cents.

Why? If someone is making money off of your song, you should get payed.

Unless I have some kind of special relationship with the people covering a song, they are paying me.
There is nothing egocentric about being paid for work.

Copyrights are a good thing to any profesional artist. They don't forbid people to play a song, just to make money off of it, and if you do? pay up!... how on earth is it unreasonable?

I just don't wan't to get sued

I'm very much with Emp on this. If I made a song, or in fact created anything that someone else found useful enough to 'ape' I would feel honoured. Why does every single thing in this society have to carry a price tag?

I agree. But I also think; it's very difficult for us musicians to get to the stage where we're comfortable enough financially to just go ahead and do that.

I'd never become a professional at anything artistic, even if I was good enough. To me some things are for fun and others are for making a living. If working at the coal face all day meant I'd never reach my true potential as a musician then so be it. I'd rather be warm than admired.

edit - forget it, a waste of time.

Probably wise Joe, I can see which way this was heading and I should really know better at my age!

To get back to the point Tele, I seriously doubt that the copyright people are the slightest bit interested in the likes of you and I, doing a few covers in our bedrooms for our own enjoyment. It's the CD and DVD pirates who they're really after, the one's who have spent mega bucks on copying equipment with the intention of cashing in on the latest efforts of professional artists. I don't know how good you are Tele, but any pro artists who heard my renditions of their stuff would probably pay me to keep doing it for the laughs I'd be giving them!

I am wise. You may kneel before your me. I accept sacrifices in the form of booze and cattle, rare.

hey sixtiesguy,

You always hear about the one they're "going to make an example of"

but screw it I'm going to cover those 3 song because they are good old cool songs, and I like them.

yep, ive never bought anything pirate. id rather get it free than pirate

Yeah because theyre dead.


Como las peliculas que venden a 20 pesos.

Telecrater said:-

"You always hear about the one they're "going to make an example of"

Very true but lets face it, that comes under the 's**t happens' category. Any of us can be in the wrong place at the wrong time.There's many an innocent man been sent to the gallows to keep police conviction rates looking good!

So, if I'm reading this right, works made before 1978 but not published until after are protected until 2047. Works published before 1923 are currently public domain. And works published in 1923 will become PD in 2019 unless the copyright is either renewed or the owner releases it into PD. Has an artist ever released their work into PD?

An interesting subject would be Robert Johnson because his works were mostly made 1936-37 and I don't think they were published until the 1960s

league,....lol yep
jajja me dijeron qe estan mas baras todavia, como a 15 o 10 pesos.

deberia ir la policia y quitarles todas...
ademas se ve que las grabaron en el cine casi todas....

come to think about it, my songs will be mine till probly 2080
thats way too much