'Happy Birthday To You' And Songs You Legally Can't Sing In Public And A Few That You Can

Copyright can be a fickle thing. As a production company is going to court to free "Happy Birthday to You" from Warner Music's grip, there's a question about whether the song is copyrighted and, if there is a copyright, whether it covers the entire song or simply the musical arrangements, according to CBS News.

While many commonly used songs are not copyrighted, a few are. Unsurprisingly, they deal with the commercialization of the holidays, so we shouldn’t be surprised. Some songs that are still under copyright restrictions include:

"Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer"

"Frosty the Snowman"

"Jingle Bell Rock"

"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree"

"The Little Drummer Boy"

Some more contemporary holiday songs, like "All I Want For Christmas (Is You)" and "Santa Tell Me," are clearly under copyright and haven't taken a place in popular off-key singing the way some of the older songs have. And songs like "Jingle Bells" and "Deck the Halls" are safe to sing anytime.

The same can be said for songs that mark other parts of our life. "Auld Land Syne" is free to be used, but we’re usually kissing, not singing, when it’s playing.

Likewise, some of our patriotic tunes are also open for general use, like "America, The Beautiful" and the "Star Spangled Banner."

Same goes for "Pomp and Circumstance" and "The Wedding March." Although the words for “Here Comes the Bride” are copyrighted.

So, while we might not be able to relive our favorite childhood holiday movies, we can still graduate and get married with the appropriate musical accompaniment!