Mark Faithfull Jan 23, 2023
internetarchive

A reminder that the public domain contains more than just old stuff from the 1920's & earlier. Like what, you ask?

Well, did you hear that musician & satirist Tom Lehrer just put his songs into the public domain? https://openculture.com/2022/12/tom-lehrer-puts-his-songs-into-the-public-domain-makes-them-free-to-download.html

Tom Lehrer Puts His Songs into the Public Domain & Makes Them Free to Download (for a Limited Time)

Deck the halls with hunks of holly / Fill the cup and don't say 'when.'' So sings musical satirist Tom Lehrer on his hit 1959 album An Evening Wasted with Tom Lehrer — which was recorded in March of that year, not that it stopped him from taking an out-of-season jab at the holidays.

Open Culture
Jan 23, 2023 at 7:24pmWeb
Show threadscott fJan 23, 2023

@internetarchive I blogged about Tom Lehrer’s public domain songs a couple years ago! https://scott.mn/2021/01/02/public_domain_grows/

At that time, it was just the sheet music and lyrics. Very cool that he’s freed the recordings as well. #publicDomain #freeCulture

The public domain grows

New work is finally entering the public domain, but it should be more

Show threadnantucketlitJan 23, 2023
@internetarchive Very admirable of him!
Show threadBlueBoomerJan 23, 2023
@internetarchive Love him!
Show threadCatherine is not complacentJan 23, 2023
@internetarchive I hear him and it brings back my dad who was a huge fan.
Show threadMelissa WestbrookJan 23, 2023
@internetarchive Best way to find out if a book is in the public domain?
Show threadNatanael ⚠️Jan 24, 2023

@themelwestbrook @internetarchive 1: look at the publishing date

2: look for statements from the author / publisher (or whoever else was the copyright owner)

There's no central registry for this stuff.

Show threadPax Ahimsa Gethen 🏳️‍⚧️Jan 23, 2023

@internetarchive

The files might only be available on Tom Lehrer's site for a limited time, but many are also on #Wikimedia Commons, which should be (more or less) permanent:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Tom_Lehrer

Category:Tom Lehrer - Wikimedia Commons

Show threadscott fJan 24, 2023
@funcrunch @internetarchive I would imagine the Internet Archive is itself backing the songs up; that’s kind of their job!
Show threadPax Ahimsa Gethen 🏳️‍⚧️Jan 24, 2023

@scott @internetarchive

Just noting another place for people to download them. 🙂

Show threadclacke: exhausted pixie dream boy 🇸🇪🇭🇰💙💛Jan 24, 2023
@funcrunch @internetarchive Pretty sure I saw an announcement that Internet Archive, Archive Team or other archivist activists were downloading them for future generations to enjoy.
Show threadGil Friend, sustainability OGJan 24, 2023
@internetarchive
For a limited time. So grab it now!
Show threadAuntie DenierJan 27, 2023
@internetarchive @EposVox My dad turned me on to Tom Lehrer when I was about 10–I feel like it sparked an interest in things I knew nothing about—like who Hubert Humphrey was! Such catchy stuff.