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David:

Good question, and I was wondering the same thing.

I found this on the Gutenberg website ...

"In the USA, books are generally out of copyright seventy-five years after publication. As a rule of thumb, books published before 1923 are eligible. Full details are provided on the PG site. Under Australian copyright law, literary works published and offered for sale in Australia during an author's lifetime are protected for the life of the author plus seventy years from the end of the year of the author's death. "

Even so, I am still not sure, as I recall having a major "discussion" with an alleged copyright holder of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" when I was organising a Carols By Candlelight quite a few years ago. And ... is it not an American who currently owns the copyright to our National Anthem "Advance Australia Fair"?

Jack

Hi all,
http://www.copyright.org.au/information/introduction/public-domain.htm
Explains how copyright expires in Australia. The Gutenberg website led me to this. Can't believe the site would still be operating if it were illegal.

Rgds

Thanks Nev. Shall follow up on this, esp in regards to "Advance Australia Fair".

Cheers
Jack

Isn't it "Once a Jolly Swagman" that some US person took copyright out on?

Mh

Hi Mh:

That may be true, but there was also a case where someone took out (bought??) the copyright to "Advance". My very vague understanding was that it did not apply to National Gatherings, and places where the singing of the National Anthem was "deemed appropriate". But if the music was wanted for use in say films/tv or similar then they held the copyright, and a fee was payable.

Again, (vaguely) I remember the Government getting involved, but I am unable to find out to what extent (if any) they were successful. This heppened in the late '80s, from memory.

It was also true for "Rudolph", because I was in the thick of it. We gained a "dispensation" for reproducing the words on the Carols program after I told them I would pay it, but at the end of the evening, when we advised the crowd how much had been raised for charity we were going to let them know how much we had paid for "Rudolph" and name the people who demanded the money.

Jack