Posted By:
Hal LewisI mention Pink Floyd and The Tubes in this book (along with a few dozen other song references)...so I'll have to put Oingo Boingo in my next one!
I found out that song LYRICS are copyright protected, but song TITLES are not.
You can mention as many song titles as you like.
You can mention song lyrics too, but only in a roundabout way, such as:
Little Johnny whistled a familiar tune by The Who in his head, trying to figure out what there was to squeeze on momma's chest that kept daddy from getting any rest.
As for movie quotes, a few short words in a row are allowable. Quoting fifteen straight lines, however, would not be.
So you can say:
"Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?" Jim asked his friends.
But you probably cannot cite the entire Kevin Costner quote in Bull Durham about the small of a woman's back, the hanging curve ball, the designated hitter and long deep wet passionate kisses that last for days.
You CAN use the exact song lyrics and long movie excerpts...but getting PERMISSION to do so is a Herculean task. It also cost too much.