Quill

Can I pick your brains regarding copyright law?



Question is:

If you take only part of some song lyrics and use it to make money, is that breaking copyright law?

for example,

selling T-shirts with slogans such as

''All in All you're just another brick in the wall''

or

''Every little thing's gonna be allright''


only a few words but recognisable as someone else's work?


I got asked this but I know stuff all about any kind of legal field, including copyright

I know you asked Quill... But would just like to add my opinion on this...


Of course big musical tracks are covered by some sort of copyright infringement law in a number of ways in any number of jurisdictions etc...


Any musical artist could end up in court and being sued for copyrighted infringement for even having a couple of chord changes in their track being too similar to another established artists pre existing track... And ending up being told to pay a shit load of money in compensation...


However... Your question is answered best by considering context... A big brand making these t-shirts and widely marketed etc, will of course face some legal challenge... While a small 'one man band' t-shirt printer who makes the t-shirt print from specific requests from individual customers etc, will likely not face any problems.


In the same way that the individual customer could have easily ironed on any such similar slogan or song lyric on any of their own t-shirts and would not themselves have been subject to any persecution from the copyright lawyers of same said big corp media giants etc.


This is of course my own personal view of things as of my understanding of UK law etc...


But just to add... If your friend is making loads of these slogan type t-shirts willy nilly with a view to profiteering on the back of it to all and sundry etc... Then they should expect to be facing a big tonne of shit coming down on them from a great height at some point soon after word gets out that they are responsible for trying to sell on such copyright type merchandise etc...


I hope this helps to answer your question.

gelico wrote:


Can I pick your brains regarding copyright law?



Question is:

If you take only part of some song lyrics and use it to make money, is that breaking copyright law?

for example,

selling T-shirts with slogans such as

''All in All you're just another brick in the wall''

or

''Every little thing's gonna be allright''


only a few words but recognisable as someone else's work?


I got asked this but I know stuff all about any kind of legal field, including copyright

The answer to this is no. It's copyright infringement. The only way around it is to obtain a special license. You could risk it but if you get caught you'll either be asked to desist, or, worst case, you get made an example of and sued. Disney are notorious for coming down really heavy on people. So are some other companies. It's not just the recording artist that takes umbrage it's the record company. They most likely own publishing rights so it's not worth the risk.

HoratioTarr wrote:

gelico wrote:


Can I pick your brains regarding copyright law?



Question is:

If you take only part of some song lyrics and use it to make money, is that breaking copyright law?

for example,

selling T-shirts with slogans such as

''All in All you're just another brick in the wall''

or

''Every little thing's gonna be allright''


only a few words but recognisable as someone else's work?


I got asked this but I know stuff all about any kind of legal field, including copyright

The answer to this is no.   It's copyright infringement.   The only way around it is to obtain a special license.   You could risk it but if you get caught you'll either be asked to desist, or, worst case, you get made an example of and sued.    Disney are notorious for coming down really heavy on people.  So are some other companies.   It's not just the recording artist that takes umbrage it's the record company.   They most likely own publishing rights so it's not worth the risk.

you have made it very clear

much obliged to you HT

Great to see you again, btw - how's everything?

gelico wrote:

HoratioTarr wrote:

The answer to this is no.   It's copyright infringement.   The only way around it is to obtain a special license.   You could risk it but if you get caught you'll either be asked to desist, or, worst case, you get made an example of and sued.    Disney are notorious for coming down really heavy on people.  So are some other companies.   It's not just the recording artist that takes umbrage it's the record company.   They most likely own publishing rights so it's not worth the risk.

you have made it very clear

much obliged to you HT

Great to see you again, btw - how's everything?

I'm fine thanks. I'm on and off forums, mostly off apart from my own where I have to make an effort.

I think you’ll find that copyright infringement itself is, indeed, a breach of copyright law in the U.K., so the answer should be “yes.”

It’s a civil rather than criminal matter, but the fact that a plaintiff (the holder of copyright) is able to sue the defendant (someone alleged to have infringed their claim to copyright, or intellectual property right as I believe it is also known) means that it is indeed “actionable” In a civil court of law..

I do add the caveat that it is more than 30 years since I was a visiting tutor in journalism at the former Micky Mouse degree shop the University of Luton (strewth, what an embarrassing admission!!!) so I am happy to be proved wrong and eat the regulation ration of humble pie.