Sorority Songbooks and Recordings
 

Ladies, I posed this in the Alumni/ae thread as I was hoping to have some good imput.

If your Inter/National organization has complied a songbook or recorded a CD recently how did you get around copyright issues? Well, not necessary "around" as in how did you deal with them? I know many of our songs are "tunes" to other songs - even the older ones...

FeedbacK?

I don't think that would be common knowledge among the general membership.

I have a question & really did not know where else to go. I graduated a long time ago & did not get a chance to pledge. Now I want to go grad. I am not asking anything about MIP but what does it mean to be expelled from a sosority? I thought once you pledged, you were in it forever? please respond. thanks

This thread (and the DST introduction thread) are probably not the places where you'll get your answer.

I know that some of our songs in our song book only listed the lyrics, with a note that the music could not be printed because of copyright issues. It would say "To the tune of 'Name of Song' ". So I assume all the songs which had music had had the copyright issues resolved.

One of our collegiate chapters recently recorded a CD which was a scholarship fundraiser. They used the original tunes for the songs, most of which were old hymns. There are also several songbooks (I see them all the time on eBay) which have the music printed. I'm no lawyer, but doesn't a copywrite law have an expiration date, at which time the song becomes "public domain", thus allowing a group to use the tune in a publication (songbook or CD)?

Yes, you're right. I guess maybe it's easier for us because we are the two oldest, but at some point public domain does kick in. I believe it's 75 years. (From the last songwriter's guide I've read). A lot of Phi Mu's music seems to me to be original (at least to the best of my extensive knowledge). I've never heard the tunes elsewhere. If they aren't, then they are probably almost certain to be old hyms (some of which usually aren't credited to anyone).

I own a copy of the 1979 Alpha Gam SongBook (from the 75th Anniversary Convention), and IIRC, the songs with "covered" tunes are listed as Public Domain (I think). I don't have the book with me, but I'll go check it when I get home because even I'm curious.

After the section with sheet music are the songs with just song lyrics.

Public Domain is 75 years UNLESS the copyright is renewed by whomever owns the copyright. That's why it's important for authors/songwriters to make sure that their works are part of their estate. (as per my copyright attorney)

^^^Ah! That was a part of the detail that I was cloudy about, thanks for the refresher. I knew that the estate did have some say but couldn't remember.

This is not accurate. See link below for offical US Gov't copyright information.

http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.html#hlc

Sending out music to "Sweet Home Gamma Gamma" IS a copyright violation. Sending out the words only, with a note "to the tune of Sweet Home Alabama" is probably not. Sending out a karaoke tape or sheet music is OK if you pay the licensing fee to the music publisher. Technically, you're supposed to pay a royalty everytime you perform the song in public. Then there are questions of exceptions, like parody and fair use.

Anyhow, I am a lawyer, but I don't currently practice Intellectual Property law.

Surely performing inside a sorority house for a select group of pnm isn't considered a "public" performance, although I would think a "Greek Sing" would.

This is what is in my DG songbook as well.

I am confused by this thread? Is someone looking for songs? If so the songs and lyrics are probably on the poster's sorority website in a locked section.

We know that.

The OP was asking about sorority songs that are sung "in the tune of..." [insert popular song here]. The popular songs have lyrics and sheet music that are copyrighted, so she wanted to know how we're still able to use them in our songbooks and CDs if they already belong to someone else.