I have an idea for novelty t-shirts (sales, lawsuit, licensing)

[Sassybluesy]

The t-shirts would depict a T-rex, with bits of popular songs as verbiage on the shirt.


For example: T-rex running from a meteor, with the words "If I don't get some shelter
Oh yeah, I'm gonna fade away"




Or, T-Rex standing triumphant, tiny fist in the air, with the words "
At first I was afraid, I was petrified, Do you think I'd crumble
Did you think I'd lay down and die?
Oh no, not I, I will survive"


SOOOO...my question is...would I need permission to use the bits of song, and if so, how would I go about getting that?

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Yes, you will need to pay royalties on the bits of song.


With old songs, the royalty might not be much, but if you don't make arrangements in advance, the lawsuit is going to hurt and be very expensive.


You can use old old songs that are long out of copyright or that were always public domain songs. Classical, opera, genuine old folk songs ( not more modern folk songs). You could probably use Greensleeves or the toreador song. I can't see those with a T-Rex. Maybe La Donna E Mobile would work and that is in the public domain, but the translation might be copyrighted and t-shirt wearing crowd might not recognize the lyrics.

[old_cold]

And, copywrite aside, that's a lot of script to fit on a tee shirt along with an image.

[Sassybluesy]

Originally Posted by old_cold

And, copywrite aside, that's a lot of script to fit on a tee shirt along with an image.

Yeah...maybe so. Especially in the second example. But I could probably pare it down.

[COcheesehead]

Contact BMI for the licensing. https://www.bmi.com/

And the most important piece of advice I give anyone with an "idea" is figure out where your first order is coming from. Without sales, you have nothing but expensive inventory.

[TomMoser]

No T-Rex songs?