Is the song "If You're Happy and You Know it" under copyright?

[Raspberry]

Hello everyone!

I cannot find any information online about the song "If You're Happy and You Know it". Is it correct that the only way to make sure the song is not under copyright is to manually search through all copyright records of the US Copyright office? Any idea @ProfKranc ?

 

[Michael]

If youre doing your own version of it ie singing it yourself I doubt you will have any issues, the same with recreating the music to it but if youre using someone elses version of it then it would likely be a problem. I would still do checking to be safe but I am fairly sure the words to most of the common nursery rhymes arent copyrighted.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If_You're_Happy_and_You_Know_It

 

[Raspberry]

If youre doing your own version of it ie singing it yourself I doubt you will have any issues, the same with recreating the music to it but if youre using someone elses version of it then it would likely be a problem. I would still do checking to be safe but I am fairly sure the words to most of the common nursery rhymes arent copyrighted.

I will do my own version. My concern is that the Wikipedia article has no clear information on the authors.
I'm afraid this can be protected just as Happy Birthday..But I guess in this case there would not be so many versions[DOUBLEPOST=1413981721,1413969584][/DOUBLEPOST]It looks like the song is copyrighted (screenshot attached).
Words and music by Joe Raposo (c) Jonico Music, January 29, 1971 The copyright should expire in 2066


UPDATE:

I read in various sources that the origins of "If You're Happy and You Know It" come from an old Latvian folk song, with no further proves or details.

Could anyone confirm that this record means that "If You're Happy and You Know It" is not in public domain?

Is it possible that Joe Raposo has claimed the rights for an existing folk song because nobody has claimed them yet?

 

[offbeatbryce]

The original lyrics to happy and you know it are copyrighted but not the melody The melody was taken from another song which is in the public domain. So you can write your own words along with melody

 

[ceerog]

So, if I compose my own lyrics, record the song to the melody of "If You're Happy & You Know It" and sell a CD or download, I won't have any legal issues?