united-states copyright music
How do I copyright a song with my lyrics but a public domain melody?
<p>I used a melody from an old Eastern European folk song and my own lyrics to record myself singing and playing the guitar.</p>

<p>Do I copyright just the lyrics and just the performance or copyright the whole thing?</p>

<p>Copyright is automatic - it starts to exist when you create a work of a type protected by law. Lyrics are such a work, and thus your lyrics are protected. Even the fact that the lyrics go with an existing (public domain) melody is protected. In addition, your recording is protected.</p>

<p>However, the melody is probably not copyrighted, and does not become copyrighted merely because you re-used it. (Probably, because you didn't indicate how old, so I assumed old enough that nobody remembers the origin)</p>
