Licensing a song for use in a mobile app

February 24, 2014 5:23 PM

I'd like to use the children's song: "There was an old lady who swallowed a fly" in an app for mobile phones. How can I find out who owns the rights to the song and get permission to use it? How much should I expect it to cost?

It was written by Alan Mills, who passed away in 1977.

I'm not looking to use a specific performance/recording of the song, only the lyrics and tune.
I am not resident in the U.S./Canada. The app would be for global distribution. Fair use wouldn't apply.

posted by Gomez_in_the_South to Law & Government (4 answers total)

Try contacting ASCAP.
posted by cazoo at 5:34 PM on February 24, 2014

I found info at BMI and The Harry Fox Agency that indicates it's controlled by Peermusic. A search at Peer's website seems to say the same. They have it under the name "I Know An Old Lady (Who Swallowed A Fly)".
posted by fishmasta at 6:31 PM on February 24, 2014

Response by poster: Search results from the ASCAP site, show a few results - but don't include an Alan Mills version, which I assume would be the original.
Peermusic also seems to point to a specific recording, performed by Pete Seeger in 1993, rather than the original song written int the 1950's.
posted by Gomez_in_the_South at 10:22 PM on February 24, 2014

Response by poster: Hades - assume that the app was produced in the U.S. would I still need to get a license for each country where the app would be sold?

I have a presence in both South Africa (as my profile suggests), and Singapore - so I'll follow up with the agencies in both these places.
posted by Gomez_in_the_South at 1:04 AM on February 25, 2014