what goes along with violating copywright laws?

Question

i like to wright songs and i was wondering if it was illegal to say something like 'you are my (celebrity's name here)'

Answer 1

Nothing wrong with that. Using a celebrity's name is not a copyright violation. Violation of copyright laws gets more into writing songs that sound suspiciously like someone else's or if you use someone else's lyrics. Best example I can think of is the lawsuit Jimmy Page filed against the heavy-metal band King Diamond in the late '80's because they wrote a song that followed the exact same chord progression of Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir." Jimmy Page won, but that case is probably the exception to the rule...

Answer 2

That's not necessarily a copyright issue.

It's more a matter of using the celebrity's name (which is effectively or often formally trademarked) in your works, which could be an trademark violation or it could fall under the tort of unauthorized use of likeness. It all depends on how you use the name, and whether your songs are distributed commercially or not.

If you have specific questions about what legal liabilities you could be incurring, you should consult a licensed attorney.

Answer 3

See the websites below...

Also considering finding an Intellectual Property Attorney to ensure that you are within acceptable parameters for use of lyrics, music, or specifically registered "names".

I have learned that one should copyright before "pitching" material to others...the copyright may be sold to interested companies or individuals. They are fairly inexpensive to acquire. About $45.00 USD, and they [copyright office] provide registration [intellectual property protection]. One may also file several works under one collective title to add additional savings to the process. I usually use the Short Form to register my work as a children's author.

Answer 4

The first poster had it right; it's using a celeb's name and not necessarily taking their work as your own.