Friday, April 8, 2011

Crankin' It Up



Billy Murray recorded this old Vaudeville favorite in November of 1920.  I think the basic rule for copyright on old records right now is that anything from 1923 and back is safe.  This record went into YouTube with no problem, but last fall I uploaded the same song performed by Al Jolson in 1921, and YouTube claimed it was violating someone's claim to copyright.  I guess Billy Murray doesn't have as many people fighting over his old records as Jolson does.  Artists that are less well known than Jolson cause no trouble up until about 1930, but I watch out whenever I post an electrically recorded record in case YouTube wants to have a cow about it.  Electrical recording began in late 1925, so it is important to watch out for that.  I keep all the mp3 files backed up from these recordings, just in case YouTube cancels me over a copyright claim one day.  These recordings sure save a bunch of phonograph needles.

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