Another copyright question

[matthoggard]

I just got my copyright registration in the mail for a song I wrote a little while ago.I was all proud and happy. Im pretty new to the whole "official" copyright thing.Sure enough a few hours later I suddenly have an epiphany and RE-WRITE the song with a better pre-chorus and chorus.Its all the same, Ive just rearranged a couple lines and split a chorus into a pre-chorus/chorus with 1 more key change.If i copyright the new version how should I copyright it? PA with exclusions from the early version? Or just SR the recording of the new version?i dont know.M~

[mojobone]

If you didn't change the verse or chorus melody, it may qualify as a derivative work, thereby obviating the need to re-register, but better safe than sorry, IMO. I am not an attorney.

[yammer107]

Matt,Actually thats a very good question - I have a few dozen copyrights filed at this point..... And since fully fleshed out song production takes so much time - I've started sending in simple vocal + acoustic versions for copyright. This helps me (personally) in two ways: 1) Saves money since your allowed to 'lump' as many songs in under one submission fee as you wish2) By the time I'm ready to pitch the song or post online -my copyright is back, or at least considered 'protected from day of receipt' according to the office. * I have however made slight variations & lyrical changes, to your point Matt. I had a member of the Copyright office on the phone one day (due to other issues) and asked him the same question - he seemed to think I was OK if the changes were not major - but he was just an employee not a lawyer. My argument is this - Copyright only serves to prove I do in fact own the song ....... why would anybody take me to court over another version of my own song? Also could anybody sucessfully argue - based upon minor lyrical changes or musical arrangment differences - that the new version was not mine thereby steal the rights from me? (which is the main fear here )I honestly think I'm safe - it's still clearly obvious they are my songs...... but good lawyers dig for those technicalities... Perhaps somebody else has an answer. Chris