Update: This +article by law professor Robert Brauneis has raised some important +questions about the history of Happy Birthday. That said, copyright in +the song continues to be enforced and Warner Brothers continues to +collect more than $2 million each year in royalities. Until we hear a +judge rule on Brauneis's suggestions, we'll continue to give Warner and +the market the benefit of the doubt.
+ +If you're going send a message, here's a sample letter. (Before -sending such a letter, please be sure that the venue where you saw -Happy Birthday performed is not ASCAP-licensed, as some -restaurants, nightclubs, etc., do have blanket ASCAP catalogue licenses -that might exempt patrons from copyright liability for singing during -dinner.) You'll want to modify yours to include correct details on the +
If you're going to send a message, here's a sample letter. (Before +sending such a letter, you should know that some restaurants, +nightclubs, etc., pay for blanket ASCAP catalogue licenses that might +exempt patrons from copyright liability for singing during dinner.) +You'll want to modify yours to include correct details on the infringement:
Dear ASCAP, -The copyright status of "Happy Birthday To You" and and the law +The copyright status of "Happy Birthday To You" and the law related to public performances of copyrighted works have recently been brought to my attention. I am very concerned by the public's apparent disregard for copyright law demonstrated by rampant infringement of @@ -213,9 +222,9 @@ Birthday. href="http://www.cafepress.com/unhappybirthday">official Unhappy Birthday store. -You can get in contact with our leadership by emailing our -copyrighteous spokesman — Benjamin Mako Hill — at mako@atdot.cc
+Our president is Raymond Ty. You can get in contact with our +leadership by emailing our copyrighteous spokesman — Benjamin Mako +Hill — at mako@atdot.cc