Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Legal matters

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you have any legal concerns we suggest you consult a solicitor.

How to copyright lyrics?

3 replies

JuneJulySummer · 03/06/2020 22:10

Does anyone know;

  • How I get music lyrics copyrighted?
  • Also, if I’m sending them to someone I don’t personally know in order for that person to put music to them, how can I safeguard against them eg stealing the lyrics. Does anyone know of an easy agreement I can use/ we can use?
Thanks
OP posts:
prh47bridge · 04/06/2020 00:11

If you are in the UK you don't need to do anything to get the lyrics copyrighted. You own the copyright automatically.

TheClitterati · 04/06/2020 01:00

As soon as the music/lyrics are created the Copyright exists and the author controls and owns the copyright.

People used to record a song and post it to themselves on a cassette tape so that they could use that as evidence that they wrote the song around the date of the postmark should they need to.

Today a dated digital file of your demo recording on your computer you could be used as evidence - so if anyone else did copy your lyrics or music you could prove by showing that dated file that you have written it prior to them.

For any copyright infringement you would also have to show that somebody has access to your song or recording I.e. that they copied you. . So it is possible that somebody else could write a song with the similar or the same lyrics or melody as your song. but if they did not hear your song they would have created it independently of you. Just because your lyric/melody may have pre-dated theirs doesn't mean that you that they copied you. Without having heard your song their song would not infringe your copyright even if it was the same.

JuneJulySummer · 04/06/2020 11:53

Thanks so far! I would be emailing my lyrics over so I guess as a PP said, I automatically own the copyright?
And also, the fact that I’ve emailed them would hopefully be proof that I wrote them prior to anyone else seeing them?
Thanks

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page