On Thursday 19 December 2002 05:49 am, Karl Dallas wrote: > There is a special problem with regard to copyrights of > traditional music. [...]
The funny thing is the way these things apply when filtered through the international treaties. Sometime back in the 1980's (I think), Sir Paul McCartney took advantage of some "special problems" in the British Copyright law to claim the well-known traditional song, "Happy Birthday". He then began demanding money for performances of "his" song in the United States, including anything where the folks might have been considered to be paid for singing it: TV shows, radio programs, and even when the staff of a restaurant sings it to a customer! Now you hear everything *but* that old folk song, despite the fact that every family in the US could claim prior art. It's one of the best examples I know of Copyright law abuse. -Rick To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
