# Public Domain Railroad Songs



## Agent (Aug 12, 2013)

This is a bit of an odd request, but does anyone know where to find some public domain versions of old railroad songs like "I've Been Working on the Railroad" to download or how to check if a specific version is still copyrighted? I'm looking for instrumental versions, but I might go with a version with lyrics.


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## WhoozOn1st (Aug 12, 2013)

Unless somebody around here on AU knows about particular songs, you might try Googling around a bit. For starters, I came up with long lists by searching "determining copyright status of songs," and "determining public domain status of songs.

Two sample links:

"How to Investigate the Copyright Status of a Work" - http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ22.pdf

"How to Determine Whether a Work is in the Public Domain" - http://homepages.law.asu.edu/~dkarjala/opposingcopyrightextension/publicdomain/SearchC-R.html

You might start with those, or try variants on the search phrases to find what you're looking for.

Good hunting, and filla-me-ooh-ree-ooh-ree- ay!


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## Agent (Aug 15, 2013)

Your Googling is better than my Googling. Thank you.

I found this version of "I've Been Working on the Railroad" from 1929. From you second link, I learned that the copyright for this would have had to be renewed twenty-eight years later in 1957. Thanks to your second link, I was eventually led to the lists of all songs copyrighted in 1957 (I hope). Since there isn't a listing for Paul Tremaine's "I've Been Working on the Railroad," I take that to mean it's now in the public domain. Anyone agree?


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## railiner (Aug 18, 2013)

Agent said:


> Your Googling is better than my Googling. Thank you.
> I found this version of "I've Been Working on the Railroad" from 1929. From you second link, I learned that the copyright for this would have had to be renewed twenty-eight years later in 1957. Thanks to your second link, I was eventually led to the lists of all songs copyrighted in 1957 (I hope). Since there isn't a listing for Paul Tremaine's "I've Been Working on the Railroad," I take that to mean it's now in the public domain. Anyone agree?


Interesting....but what if "The Eyes Of Texas Are Upon You" version of that tune came first (I don't know)......what then? :unsure:


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## Agent (Aug 18, 2013)

railiner said:


> Interesting....but what if "The Eyes Of Texas Are Upon You" version of that tune came first (I don't know)......what then? :unsure:


I can't find a recording of "The Eyes of Texas" that sounds like this one. Do you know of one that sounds like the Paul Tremaine version?


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