''Happy Birthday'' no longer protected under copyright law

London, July 29

The ‘Happy birthday' song, which is also the world's most popular song, can now be used in movies: Warner Chappell's copyright over the song is not valid anymore.

Two years ago, while working on a documentary about the song director Jennifer Nelson had filed a lawsuit against the publisher claiming that the song should not be under copyright, after being told they would have to pay 1,500 dollars to use it in their film, reported the Guardian.

Now, attorneys for Nelson's Good Morning to You Productions have found a songbook from 1927 containing the song with no copyright notice that predates Chappell's copyright by eight years.

In a motion filed in district court in California that favoured the filmmakers, their lawyers say that the copyright over the song expired decades ago.

The song was written by sisters Parry and Mildred Hill in 1883. — ANI