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J Erwine
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  		   Posted 9/28/2007 11:24 PM (GMT -5)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
Perhaps there's someone reading this who can help me on this.  In the book I'm working on, I'd like to include an excerpt of some song lyrics.  I've spent a good portion of the day researching copyright law, and all I can find is what's called "Fair Use."  Basically it says that I can use an amount that is fair to the creator.  Does anyone have a better answer than that for me?
 
 
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crystalwizard
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  		   Posted 9/29/2007 12:06 AM (GMT -5)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
Fair use is only for commenting on or creating satire about. You can't just quote the lyrics under Fair use unless you were doing a news broadcast and quoting a bit of them in a story about the artist (for example) or you're creating a filk song like Wierd Al does, where you are parodying them.

Any other use, you have to have the copyright holder's (usually, but not always, the original artist) permission OR they have to be public domain.

Getting permission might be pretty expensive if royalties are involved.

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MichaelEhart
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  		   Posted 9/29/2007 1:00 AM (GMT -5)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
Usually you can quote a couple of lines of a song, as long as you credit them. You can have a character hum a few lines, or sing a line or two from a popular song, and once again, as long as its credited, it is covered under fair use.
The rule when I was teaching was "fair use=spare use" ---keep it very short.

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Dave Panchyk
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  		   Posted 9/29/2007 9:18 AM (GMT -5)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
I seem to recall Miss Snark fielded a question about this. Essentially, getting permission to use lyrics is a pain in the ass--but if it's just one artist, you only have to do it once.

Dave Panchyk
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Daniel
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  		   Posted 9/29/2007 9:54 AM (GMT -5)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
Usually you can quote a couple of lines of a song, as long as you credit them

***

I don't think so. You have to get permission.

"Art is the celebration of the ego's destruction."

Daniel

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J Erwine
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  		   Posted 9/29/2007 12:59 PM (GMT -5)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.

It sounds like I just need to name the song and say why it has meaning to the character.  It won't have the effect I was looking for, but it still might work.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

 

 
 
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UnclePete
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  		   Posted 12/6/2007 12:19 PM (GMT -5)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
I had to reject a story once because of the use of song lyrics -- unfortunately, because it was an excellent story. But all of the research I did and lawyers (two) I spoke with agreed -- no use of song lyrics without specific written permission (which is usually gotten by payment).

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cussedness
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  		   Posted 12/6/2007 1:16 PM (GMT -5)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
Sometimes you can get it without much hassle. Especially if the artist is not a big name. Jack Kincaid got permission to quote from a song by contacting the artist. Getting permission is a crap shoot. I suggest that you try for it.

The problem with songs is that they usually have far more stringent copyright controls on them, such as trademarks. RIAA goes apeshit over quoting them.

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crystalwizard
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  		   Posted 12/6/2007 9:07 PM (GMT -5)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
however not all artists are part of the RIAA. Never hurts to go to the artist and ask.

Never meddle in the affairs of a wizard unless you are soggy and hard to light!



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cussedness
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  		   Posted 12/7/2007 7:44 AM (GMT -5)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
Thanks, Kelly. I meant to make that point and didn't. An Indie artist is far more likely to be responsive to your request to quote.

Janrae Frank
I have no skeletons in my closet, they are all hanging from the yardarm.

Once there were three brothers, Brandrahoon the vampire, Isranon called the Dawnhand, speaker to spirits, and Waejonan the Accursed, first of sa’necari. Isranon defied his brothers and was destroyed, his descendants forced into the darkness.

Blood Rites
www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/eBook29989.htm
website
www.janraefrank.com
Darkzone
www.janraefrank.com/Vanilla.1.0.1/

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