Using Song Titles

[E.G. Gammon]

I have been developing a story (that's now a novel series) for over seven years, but originally it was intended to be a limited run soap opera for network television. Now that the story is being converted into novels, I plan on writing a book after the whole series is done (that is assuming the novels are published) about the entire process of creating this story and the process of converting it from a soap opera into a novel series. My question is, in the book about the series' creation (which I plan on writing while I am writing the other novels of the series), I want to include a list of songs I planned to use for certain scenes (action scenes, background music, montages, the opening theme song, etc...) when this story was a network soap opera. Now, if I use them this way, and just list them, will the publisher have to clear the rights to use the artist's name and song title (and will it get messy)? Or does the way it's being used here, not really matter as much? I just wanted some opinions on this subject.

(And please don't ignore my question and go right to "Who cares? Worry about getting the first book published, then work on the others of the series." I realize I am over ambitious, thinking way too far ahead, assuming the entire novel series will be published, but I have always believed that people with not enough ambition and goals, never get what they really want. I'd rather have too much ambition than not enough. Besides, I'd rather call it 'having confidence' than 'being over-ambitious').

Thanks,

E.G.

[Mistook]

I'm not a lawyer of course, but I'm pretty darn certian that song titles are fair game. You can mention the author and the title of the song all you want. You'll only get into problems if you start quoting the lyrics.

By the way, i've read you telling your story before about the soap opera that turns into a series of novels. It's very intriguing. I hope it does well, and I'm looking forward to hearing by and by of the progress.

[E.G. Gammon]

Thanks, Mistook. I am doing a relaunch of the website March 21, with an updated design, another blog entry (and an updated version of entry 1), and a general, one-line DESCRIPTION of the series (which I didn't have before), just a little something I decided to add, so that the entire site wasn't so cryptic. I hope it does well, too. And I didn't intend on using the song lyrics. I just planned on mentioning which songs I had in mind for certain scenes.

E.G.

[James D. Macdonald]

Titles in general can't be copyrighted. (IANAL)

[karenranney]

For the last three years, there's been a concerted marketing effort geared at song titles. I would Google what you intend first - two to one there's been a book with that name. We've been deluged with historical, contemporary romance as well as "Women's Fiction" and romantic suspense with song title links.

[maestrowork]

You can use titles without permission.

[katdad]

Titles are not copyright protected.

You can quote just the title and there is no infringement.

However, if you quote lyrics directly (without paraphrasing) then expect that you'll need clearance from the owner of the song.

[ladylynxx]

This is really helpful for my book! Thanks!

[Feidb]

The title of section one of my new sci-fi thriller is called "Welcome To My Nightmare." The rest of the sections I intend to name with other song titles. Hopefully, it will also get to plug some of my favorite bands in the meantime. I figured if it ever gets published, the legal team at the publisher will put a stop to it if it's illegal. If not, so much the better.