Thursday, April 30, 2009

What are the copyright laws regarding the use of song lyrics in short story publications.?

Short story publications either in literary magazines or collection format. Is there a certain number of lines that can be used with only a footnote citation necessary? Or does any amount require permission?


Also, what about songs that are classic songs that have been performed by various artists. Specifically, a song like "The Old Rugged Cross" which is a classic gospel song that has been recorded by a number of artists.

What are the copyright laws regarding the use of song lyrics in short story publications.?
Most books I've seen that quote song lyrics have a note before the title page on the lines of:





"Permission to quote from "Have a great day" by Sentinel Publishing, copyright 1975"





The publisher of your story should be familiar with such requirements.





Try the ASCAP website, they may have guidelines
Reply:My understanding is that you need permission from the song's rights holder, and that's no simple task--especially for a short story. You are free to use the song's title in the story.

roller blades

No comments:

Post a Comment