Proprietary Rights to Wheels on the Bus? I'm going round and round.

YogaMama · Sep 3, 2006

Hi All,

Does anyone know how to research if a "song/story" has proprietary rights? I'm thinking of doing a variation on the "song/story" of Wheels on the Bus. But I don't want to pursue it if it's "protected" beyond reach.

I've googled it and have found a ton of products bearing the name wheels on the bus. It leads me to believe it might be open or the owner is very wealthy. The most surprising find was the wheels on the bus connection to Roger Daltry???

I guess I don't want to be spinning my wheels on the bus... I couldn't resist- sorry. Thanks.

K1P1 · Sep 3, 2006

As I recall Roger Daltry did a recording of it. As did Jonathan Richman. Wouldn't you just check with ASCAP or BMI? They handle royalties payments.

http://www.ascap.com
http://www.bmi.com

I think ASCAP is what you want, because BMI handles royalties for broadcast and performances.

YogaMama · Sep 5, 2006

Thanks for the info. I went to ASCAP and a ton of people have recorded this song. There is one fellow who I think is the writer but not the artist. He must be the one.

I have the Raffi version of wheels on the bus book. It doesn't have any notes about the original author. That must be done behind the scenes. I would have thought Raffi would have to attribute it somewhere. Thanks again.

Dekomposer · Sep 5, 2006

Don't forget, a copyright to a song is valid for 50 years of the death of the copyright owner.................then it is up for grabs. Need to know if the original composer/lyricist etc., is alive or dead.

Marlys · Sep 5, 2006

Check this out: the song lyrics page at Grandparents Magazine. The note at bottom of page says the magazine can only publish lyrics to songs that are in public domain, and they include "Wheels on the Bus."

Other sources (found by Googling "wheels on the bus" "public domain") such as this one also list the song as public domain.

James D. Macdonald · Sep 5, 2006

Best to be sure. ASCAP is probably who you should check with.

Oh -- and you have some competition:

And a whole lot more.

YogaMama · Sep 5, 2006

I thought this story was in the public domain since my Raffi book didn't credit anyone. That's good news, thanks. Now on to making the song/story interesting.

Thanks so much!

YogaMama · Sep 5, 2006

Thanks, JamesD. It's nice to see the competition. So far, I've got a new spin. We'll have to see if it's a good one.

Jamesaritchie · Sep 5, 2006

Dekomposer said:
Don't forget, a copyright to a song is valid for 50 years of the death of the copyright owner.................then it is up for grabs. Need to know if the original composer/lyricist etc., is alive or dead.

It's life plus 70 is the US. Anything dating before 1923 is in the public domain, and anything written after probably isn't.

Soccer Mom · Sep 5, 2006

DeKomposer is from England. James is right about American copyright law.

Perm Dude · Apr 11, 2014

This is an old thread, but I feel compelled to slightly correct the information above about US copyright law.

In the United States a work published 1923 and after can enjoy copyright protection for a term of up to 95 years from publication. The word "can" is key here--this is not the same as "will" or even "should."

A song like "Wheels on the Bus" if it appeared (say) in 1955 would have had to have had its US copyright renewed in order to enjoy copyright protection after its first copyright term. For works from the 1950s, if the copyright owner did not renew copyright by the end of the 28th year after its appearance then the work would have fallen out of copyright in the United States beginning January 1st on the 29th year after publication.

It is only those works published 1963 and after which enjoy automatic copyright renewal.

Proprietary Rights to Wheels on the Bus? I'm going round and round.

YogaMama

K1P1

Procrastination is its own reward

YogaMama

Dekomposer

Marlys

Resist. Love. Go outside.

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

YogaMama

YogaMama

Jamesaritchie

Soccer Mom

Crypto-fascist

Perm Dude