You Have No Right To Sing “Happy Birthday” — At Least, Not On Film

The next time you get the bright idea to film your family party singing “Happy Birthday” and use it in a movie, be prepared to pay up. Because although you might think it’s the sort of thing that’s in the public domain, someone actually owns it. Unless, that is, a movie company gets its way and wins the right to make it free for you and me.

See, it turns out that Warner/Chappell Music Inc., the publishing arm of Warmer Music Group, owns the rights to the song. The plaintiff in a new lawsuit, Good Morning to You Productions Corp., is suing Warner so it can include the song in its documentary about the ditty, reports the Los Angeles Times.

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