It’s a sad day for fans of “For He’s A Jolly Good Fellow.”
A judge ruled on Tuesday that the long-claimed copyright on “Happy Birthday to You,” the most popular tune in the English language, is not valid.
The decision, by Judge George H. King of United States District Court in Los Angeles, is a blow to the music publisher Warner/Chappell and its parent company, the Warner Music Group, which have controlled the song since 1988 and reportedly still collect some $2 million annually in licensing fees for it.
If the judge’s ruling stands, “Happy Birthday to You” would become part of the public domain. [NY Times]
So the song was in the public domain before 1988 when this company put a copyright on it.