Happy Birthday To You - Best selling Song
It came as a shock to me when I realized that you could not sing the "Happy Birthday to You" song in a public venue without paid permission from Warner in the U.S.A.
The rest of the world, except Europe, was singing it in English as well as several other languages without any fear of litigation.
A birthday celebration is not complete without singing Happy Birthday To You no matter the language. Probably at home parties, you could sing it without fear, but in public places like restaurants and an auditorium you'd have to think twice.
Then came another shocker. After collecting millions of dollars in licensing fees, a judge determined that Warner did not hold the copyrights to the song but only to one particular piano arrangement of the song but not to the lyrics or melody. It is estimated this song collected more revenues than any other song.
So just how many other works of art are out there that should be public domain yet remain under bogus or perceived copyrights?
Recent Comments
15
So if we sing with different arrangement of key it will still be acceptable along with the lyrics then? But definitely a new info for me. Over here in asian region most are still able to sing in public restaurant at the moment.
Yes, it is OK now. Mainly the US and European big business were under scrutiny by Warner, but now anyone can sing it anywhere, and the popular arrangement is public domain because it is the original arrangement for another song - I think that song is "Good Morning to You" which was the driving argument that the judge ruled Happy Birthday To You was public domain.
See more comments
Thanks for this interesting information Trevor!
Glad you found it interesting.