Having received a few royalty checks over the years, darned few, I can
appreciate the dilemma that some people unwittingly can get into.

A case in point involved a national political convention, aired on the
television over a period of several days.  The Chairman of the
convention ordered the organist to play God Bless America every time
the delegates were getting out of hand and he would tell the organist
when to play.

The ploy worked beautifully.  Whenever the chairman wanted to get
things settled down again so he could proceed with the order of things
he'd order the organist to play God Bless America.  However, after the
convention was ended, the national committee was surprised to find a
bill for $37,000 for royalties.

That tune, 'God Bless America', written by Irving Berlin, was still
under copyright and Mr. Berlin, being the generous man that he was,
had assigned the royalties to the Boy Scouts of America.

The national political convention paid, so I'm told.  I'll let you
figure out which of the two major parties it was.

Hal Davis

 [ And, for the same reason, royalty payment is due when
 [ the "Happy Birthday" song is performed publicly.  :-(  
 [ (Maybe the copyright has expired by now.)   -- Robbie