As Some of you might know, I'm making an album called Rapper On Fire (Released In 6 Weeks with some luck ). What I wnat to know is how can I copyright the lyrics so people won't steal them on me? I dont want all that hard work for some1 to take em of me, y'know?

Thanks for the help ppl

You need to register the lyrics with a bureau. This costs money. The amount depends on how you want it copyrighted (there are many formulas). I don't know all the different bureau's in England, I know them for Belgium, but you aren't helped with that I suppose...

Contact the organization that you must pay money to play music on parties and so. They are also handling this kind of thing and/or can give you more info and/or redirect you. (For Belgium, this is Sabam, and they will send you to a bureau like Almo, etc...)

On the internet you can find also some info:
http://www.justplainfolks.org/ubb/Forum11/HTML/000397.html
http://www.patent.gov.uk/ (click on copyright)
http://www.intellectual-property.gov.uk/

note: You will read and hear about the poor-mans-copyright-method... This means: sending your material to yourself in a closed envelop (and don't open it up), so that the date is registered. Although this is a form of copyrighting your material, this will not hold up in ANY court and has NO legal benefits... The point in copyrighting your material in a good way is that other people A) can't steal it and B) you can make money with it, because other people need to pay to use it....

Agggh.... Ok Then. Cheer's For The Help.

There is a much easier way, send them through too yourself recorded delievery, this is how my mate copyrights them, there is then evidence of the date and names.

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Originally posted by traxor
There is a much easier way, send them through too yourself recorded delievery, this is how my mate copyrights them, there is then evidence of the date and names.

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I really did think that you needed too copyright it. Without a legal registered copyright then anybody can copy it, no matter how hard you moan, you can't sue them. So therefore, people can steal Inferno's lyrics and covers. They're very tight about this subject, and evidence can be a fraud, so i would really consider copyrighting your songs individually or something

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Originally posted by traxor
There is a much easier way, send them through too yourself recorded delievery, this is how my mate copyrights them, there is then evidence of the date and names.

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Originally posted by CookieRevised
note: You will read and hear about the poor-mans-copyright-method... This means: sending your material to yourself in a closed envelop (and don't open it up), so that the date is registered. Although this is a form of copyrighting your material, this will not hold up in ANY court and has NO legal benefits... The point in copyrighting your material in a good way is that other people A) can't steal it and B) you can make money with it, because other people need to pay to use it....

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Originally posted by Chris Boulton
To copyright work to you, you don't need to do anything! Any work you create is automatically copyrighted to you as it is your work. You are the original creator and therefore you own full rights to the materials. As long as you have substantial evidence and proof that you were the original author then there should be no problem.

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