About Copyrights

A Word About Using Copyrighted Songs

"Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities,
to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good" Titus 3:1

"Do not withhold good from those who deserve it,
when it is in your power to act." Proverbs 3:27

Now let’s talk about the songbooks and transparencies that you use at your prayer meeting or parish. Did you know that those songs you use are protected by stringent copyright laws?

There is an abundance of praise and worship songs being written today. If you attend the conference, visit another prayer group, or listen to a Christian radio station, you will probably run across a new song. You know the song would be great to use at your prayer meeting. What should you do?

There is a problem in just making a transparency or songsheet to use. Before any song can be reproduced legally in any form—even if it’s just congregational singing—you must first obtain the proper permission from the song’s owner. This is usually the songwriter or music publisher.

That’s what copyright protection is all about. It’s a way of showing ownership. Just like the deed to your home property or the title to your car.

And that’s very important, because the real victims of copyright infringements are the songwriters themselves. Many who derive their entire household income from the music they produce.

So what do you do? There is an easy and affordable way to help honor the legal rights of Christian song owners. It’s called a Church Copyright License. It’s like a permission slip for Christian music. Naturally, there are some limitations. But basically, for a modest annual fee, a prayer group can legally reproduce any of over 100,000 Christian songs to use for congregational purposes.

Almost every song that’s being sung at prayer meetings today is covered. With the Church Copyright License you can print any songs covered on transparencies, songsheets, or create a group songbook.

Churches that did not receive proper permission have been sued for thousands of dollars in the past. Your prayer group probably operates under the authority of a parish pastor. Your prayer group and the parish are responsible for the legal use of copyrighted songs.

At WWCCR, we used to contact each song owner and request permission. Often each song had a fee of $5-$20 per song! That was a lot of work and money! Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI). CCLI has helped us by offering an easy and affordable way to "do good". "Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good". Titus 3:1

CCLI offers the following information about:

To get a copyright license from CCLI
A resource for most praise and worship/prayer meeting songs

To get copyright information from Oregon Catholic Press

To get copyright information from GIA Publications, Inc
Two resources for liturgical songs familiar from their use at Mass