Legalities of Performing Copyrighted Songs with Changed Lyrics

[love_isdivine]

Iowa

Curiously, if you were to change the lyrics of a copyrighted song, especially one that is played often on the radio, what are the legalities of playing it in a concert? Is there anything you can do to make it legal in nature?

 

[JETX]

The tune is also protected from Copyright violations. You would be subject to civil action by the copyright holder.

 

[love_isdivine]

But...

But, is there anything you can do, like attributing the person/company that holds the copyright, to be on the up and up?

 

[JETX]

"is there anything you can do, like attributing the person/company that holds the copyright, to be on the up and up?"
*** Yep, contact BMI or ASCAP and pay them the royalties for using their 'work of art'.

 

[hexeliebe]

JetX is perfectly correct ...

And if you question it, contact Wierd Al Yankovic who paid heafty royalties to Michael Jackson for his parody of "Eat IT"...

It was a well-known case in copyright infringement although he tried to shade it in parody.