diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..28acf18 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,23 @@ +# Tom Lehrer Songs + +On the 20. october 2020, Tom Lehrer announced via the website https://tomlehrersongs.com/ that he is effectively putting all his sheet music and lyrics into public domain. +This here is a tool to download the complete collection. + +## Here is verbatum the statement published on the website (state at 2021-04-23): + +### DISCLAIMER STATEMENT +I, Tom Lehrer, and the Tom Lehrer Trust 2000, hereby grant the following permission: + +All the lyrics on this website, whether published or unpublished, copyrighted or uncopyrighted, may be downloaded and used in any manner whatsoever, without requiring any further permission from me or any payment to me or to anyone else. + +Some lyrics written by me to copyrighted music by others are included herein, but of course such music may not be used without permission of the copyright owners. (The translated songs may be found in their original languages on YouTube.) + +The music of all the songs on this website that were written by me may also be downloaded and used as described above. + +In other words, all the lyrics herein and all the music herein that was written by me should be treated as though they were in the public domain. + +In particular, permission is hereby granted to anyone to set any of these lyrics to their own music and publish or perform their versions or parodies or distortions of these lyrics without fear of legal action. + +(There is no legal way to unilaterally transfer a song into the public domain, so this disclaimer is intended as an end run around the copyright laws.) + +Note: This website will be shut down on December 31, 2024, so if you want to download anything, don’t wait too long.