The world famous song "Happy Birthday to You" finds itself in a Manhattan court room. Jennifer Nelson, a documentarian, has brought forth a lawsuit against the classic jam.
Nelson, a New York based filmmaker, has been working on a documentary that focuses on the song's history. Unfortunately for Mrs. Nelson, Warner Music Group currently owns the rights to the song.
So, how much does it cost to use the song once? You may find the answer shocking.
It costs $1500 to feature the ditty just once.
The answer is a little less shocking when it's revealed how much Warner paid for the work. In the late 80's, Warner agreed to pay $25 million dollars to acquire the company who previously owned the rights.
As ludicrous as that seems, Warner made a heck of an investment. "Happy Birthday to You" brings in a staggering $2 million dollars a year.
Mrs. Nelson's attorney, Mark Riffen, is flabbergasted by their proprietary efforts. "It's a song created by the public, it belongs to the public, and it needs to go back to the public," he tells the New York Times.
To understand his claims, one must look at the history concerning the birthday jingle.
The song was first written in the 1800's by two sisters. Mildred and Patty Hill originally called the track "Good Morning to All."
The modern jingle is nothing more than a public adaptation of the original...or at least that is what Mrs. Nelson is alleging.
When speaking to the New York Times, she discussed her surprise in learning that the 200-year-old jam was copy written:
"Before I began my filmmaking career, I never thought the song was owned by anyone. I thought it belonged to everyone."
Stay tuned as we will be updating throughout the trial.
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