Page:Compendium of US Copyright Office Practices (1973).pdf/34

2.6.1

What are musical compositions.(cont'd)

II.

Evaluation of musical content.(cont'd)

4.

(cont'd)

Examples:

(cont'd)

(c)

A book explaining a new system of musical notation, illustrated by excerpts from familiar works in the public domain

(d)

A piano instruction chart contain­ing text and diagrams showing notes on the staff and on the piano key­ board

III.

Evaluation of textual content.

a.

Song lyrics.

1.

The words or lyrics of a song are a com­ponent part of the musical composition and may be registered together with the music in published or unpublished form.

2.

The words of a song. without music, are not of themselves a musical composition, and

are not registrable in Class E.

(a)

The words of a song, without the music, are not registrable in un­published form, even if the manu­script indicates that they are to be sung to a well-known melody.

(b)

Words alone may be registered in Class A as a book When published with notice.

3.

The Office prefers that the words of a song be written above or beneath the notes to Which they are sung, but this is not a requirement for registration. A manuscript may be registered in Class E even if the words are on one sheet and the music on another.

[1973]