Author: Richard Fulgham
Date:   12-04-02 08:05

I asked this question on another forum but don't expect an answer. Better chance here. Can the lyrics of a 150 yr old song like "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" be under copyright? Surely not. RLF

Author: Yvonne Oots
Date:   12-04-02 10:15

go to the copyright home page, chances are it is in public domain. I have a site that I use for such things, I will try to find it for you.
Yvonne

Author: Yvonne Oots
Date:   12-04-02 10:41

http://catalog.loc.gov/
Richard, this is the web site. someone on the writers net gave it to me. I hope this helps. If not let me know.
Yvonne

Author: rosalind
Date:   12-04-02 11:25

Richard,

Long-time lurker, first time poster. I'm a music librarian so I thought I'd give this a stab:)

Songs enter the public doman 75 years from the composer's death. There are rare exceptions to this when families have renewed copyright, but, generally speaking, any song written in the 19th century is now in the public domain in the composer's original arrangement (if, say, you were including sheet music in a book, you couldn't be certain that another composer's arrangement of "Battle Hymn" was public domain unless the dates corresponded as above).

BTW: if "Battle Hymn" is the song you're worried about, I can assure you, unequivocally, that it's in the public domain.

Apologies for any unintentionally creative spellings...

Author: Richard Fulgham
Date:   12-04-02 12:10

Thanks to Rosalynd and Yvonne,
Yep, the Civil War son I was worried about is indeed in the public domain. Thanks! Maybe I can help somebody some day. RLF. PS: Yvonne, yes that's ther correct URL and it's invaluable to writers.

Author: Yvonne Oots
Date:   12-04-02 12:12

the reason that song is in public domain is because congress deemed it a national song. my research has shown me that there are only 4 songs given that honor.
Yvonne