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I emailed the Library of Congress, asking about the copyright paperwork on my last 10 songs - all mailed last year.
It's been 6 months, and I still haven't got my copyrights back.
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Here is the Library of Congress's response - the highlights are mine:
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Due to backlogs in our office processing time is currently taking approximately sixteen months from the time a complete submission is received in the Copyright Office by mail.

The registration is effective, however, on the date of receipt of the submission. Once the process is completed, we will mail a certificate of registration. You do not need a copyright number or certificate in order to proceed with publication.

We apologize for the length of time it takes to process.
We receive upwards of 10,000 pieces of mail a day and the sheer volume of work makes it very difficult to process the material any faster.

The Copyright Office has also run into processing difficulties following our move to a new, automated system.
It is no longer accurate to say that a claim will be handled within 10 months. If you have other claims to file, we recommend you file electronically through our website. The electronic claims can be processed much more quickly.

We regret the inconvenience and appreciate your patience.
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They apprecieate my patience, huh?

I lost my patience three months ago . . .

Sure - I know it's safe to post a song as soon as they get it.
But I sent it registered mail - and they evidently don't think it important to mail the return receipts (which we pay an extra $5 for) anymore.
So - no receipt.
Did they get it?
They still haven't told me, "Yes, we did, indeed, receive your songs."
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Fricking Beurocracy - with all the people out of work, you'd think they'd hire an extra 50 people to process this stuff.
Hell - they're charging us $45 per song to mail it in.
If it takes them 10 minutes to process one application, then they earn $270/hr processing copyrights.
For $270/hr, they can surely hire a a dozen new people to do this processing . . .
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16 months - my ass . . .

It seems like getting a copyrite is like everything else in life these days, it takes the patience of a saint

It's a shame. Did you really expect more from beurocrats?
Their jobs are safe, and their pay raises automatic, no matter how poorly they do their job.
I am sure they are quite busy locating and destroying evidence of fruad from all former and the present administration.

Write a new song, and then put your career on hold for 16 months?
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Or play the new songs in public, and maybe have 2 dozen people in the audience record it?
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hells bells . . .

Hi RhythmMan.
I'm really sorry to hear this and concur with others that there is something about legal stuff these days that requires.......... Well something other.

I guess then it is safe to say that even when you apply for copyright you cannot be sure in the interim if your stuff is still yours?

I'm wondering quite honestly if it isn't worth getting a few friends round, let them listen to your stuff and get them to sign a doc stating that it is you. (if they know of course?)

After all. These legal people like to wrap us up is lyrics themselves to which only they know the song. Might be worth a shot? I don't really know but I do know Documents, dated ones. Count for a whole bunch if you have people confirm it.

Has anyone ever found their songs played by another band?
Shocking if so. Get a life and get some ideas in! Do it yourself!

Rant off.

Bottom line when it comes to copyrighting your material....

Just send in the paperwork and let it go. As long as you've applied for the copyright you're fine. In the rare instance that someone stole a song from you all you'd have to do is tell them when you filed for the copyright and they'll dig up the application. It'll be handled as long as someone hasn't filed before you for the same tune. (Which shouldn't be the case)

Also... unless you're making money on your music, don't stress on it.

Also... if you're registering one song at a time it can get expensive. Best bet is to copyright a collection of songs (An album). It costs the same only that you're copyrighting a collection of songs rather than just one.

I've been recording and copyrighting for years. And honestly... never have even needed to worry about it.

One thing you SHOULD do though.... SERVICE MARK YOUR BAND NAME!!!! You'll run into bands with the same name more often than someone stealing your tunes.

I wrote a song in 1983 called Decisions and another local band started performing it live, at first I was pissed but then I thought now I no how the big boys feel I just thought if they ever record and try selling it I will sue the pants off of them

as long as it's got the app date you've nothing to worry about or wait for.
maybe do it via the web next time...

www.myspace.com/blunderingeye
www.myspace.com/445175001
http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/6039/

"thems that knows me knows better, thems that dont, dont matter"

Someone said, "Just send in the paperwork and let it go. As long as you've applied for the copyright you're fine."
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Not so.
Oh, yeah -THATS THE THEORY. I read all the pages and pages and pages of information they have . . .
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I always send my copyrights by registered mail, to KNOW that they received it.
THAT is my proof, until they mail me the copyright.
the fact that I say I mailed something is ZERO PROOF.
I need to know it wasn't stolen, thrown out, or just plain lost.
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And, yeah, I realize that, theoretically, I'm 'good to go' as long as they have my submission.
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I've always sent my copyrights by registered mail. When I get the receipt, I know they've got it, and THEN I can do anything I want with my songs.
Registered mail costs an extra $5, but the return receipt says the mail did, indeed arrive.
The government apparently (or should I say 'possibly') stopped confirming registered mails (even though the same government collected $5 extra from me to send it that way.
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What a rip-off . . . .
With their bureaucracy, and 10,000 submissions a day, I need to KNOW that my CD is there, not 'just forget about it and hope it's there.
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I've been involved in collaberations with some relatively well-know artists, and I need to KNOW that the song(s) are actually there and accounted for.
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Should I trust the US post office with songs that might become valuable?
No way in hell.
That's why I sent it registered mail.
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Hey, I've done this before . . .
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Now they just collect your money and don't aknowledge registered mail.
That's why I'm pissed off.

And, yes, I''ve been submitting collections - this is my 5th submission of a collection; 53 songs.
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There must be fricking morons in charge down their . . .
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Yeah, next time maybe I'll submit songs by the web - but I still need proof that they have it in their possession.
Also -
They can't erase a music CD by accident.
If a song is just on a hard-drive - that's convenient for them, but I'm risking my life's work on the fact that that the hard drives won't be hit by a virus or something and get erased?
Huh . . .
Hard copy is the way to go.
That's why I'm so fricking pissed off . . .
Ash*** bean-counters in charge down there . . . they don't give a damn about real musicians.
All they want is a fast way to collect your money - and then give you crappy bottom-of -the-line service in return.

oh, yeah your right.
man that sucks Alan. sorry to hear that theyre fukn ya over like that!

www.myspace.com/blunderingeye
www.myspace.com/445175001
http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/6039/

"thems that knows me knows better, thems that dont, dont matter"

I see why you're pissed off, but I believe you shouldn"t even worry about it. First of all I would continue to send in the copywrites AND mail yourself a sealed copy of the same song(s). I know that the copies you have may not stand up in a court of law, but in the very rare chance that somebody steals your tune at least you can threaten the offender by letting them know that you sent in the copywrite AND you've got a sealed copy you sent to yourself. I really don't think anybody's going to steal your songs Alan. There's nobody capable of playing guitar like you do. I would also hope that the people you work with respect you too much to steal your tunes. I also don't believe somebody in the audience is going to record your tunes AND steal it. Has anybody ever stolen any of your tunes before? If it's happened before then maybe you should be worried about it happening again. Otherwise I bet it's a very remote chance that somebody will steal your song.

Use a Notary Public to seal both envelopes of your tunes - the one you send to the Library of Congress AND the one you send to yourself.

How many assurances does one need to feel "safe" about one's own music?

Every gov't dept is most likely going through a lot of crap right now, with the change in admin. Ppl are being overworked &/or are running scared about their jobs, as they no doubt do around every election. They're bound to have a huge backlog right now.

I wouldn't worry too awful much about it, even though it's taking such a long time. Johnny Winter put out an LP once that had the words "copyright pending" next to a few songs, on the original album cover, cuz evidently they had the same problem, but also had to release their LP on time.

Running scared about their jobs?
The beurocracy is intended to grow by %10.000, as an conservative estimate in the next four years. (socalization of finacial and health care industry)
They just dont care because you have no recourse by design.
It is illegal for you or I to fail to conferm registered mail.
If that is indeed what "they" are doing, what more proof of you cant touch me arrogence does one need.

Hey, guys - we should write the government, or something.
huh - as if they care.
. . . as if they'd listen
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They say they are 1 - 1/3 YEARS behind.
And - what's their reason?
I quote "we get 10,000" submissions a day.
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Well - on the surface - that sounds like a pretty damned goos reason, huh?
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But it's a load of crap.
Do the math yourself.
10,000 submissions a day, 6 days a week = 60,000 submissions a week.
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$45 per submussion.
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They are collecting over 2 and half MILLION DOLLARS A WEEK from us.
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It works out to 140 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR!
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And - they tell us they can't keep up?!!
HORSE PUCKEY!
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With the 2.7 million dollars a week that they're raking in from us musicians, they could hire 200 more workers, and pay tham each $13,500.00 a WEEk.
2 and a half million dollars a week would be enough money to build a bigger place, hire 200 more workers, and still have enough money left over to flush down the toilet.
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But - in the mean time - . . . .
You guys are thinking, and you have some good ideas.
Mailing songs to yourself (as a poor man's copyright) will not stand up in a court of law (unless you are very lucky) . . .
But - I like the idea of having a 2nd copy notarized by a notary public. After it's notarized, it would have to remain out of my hands, though - maybe locked in a safe-deposit box or something, or in a lawyer's posseion . . .
Hmmmm . . .

Beaurocrat (reads theif in plain english)

Yes, a notorised copy in the safety deposit box of a Lawyer.

Humm, that does sound rather proofish doesint it.