Battle of Locust Grove

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I just added the lyrics to the song. The song is, I'm sure, still under copyright; however, I posit that the posting the lyrics of the song is educational in regards to the song's status as the state song of Oklahoma. (I am not a lawyer). Opinions? -- Gridlock Joe 04:51, 15 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

This question has been unanswered for some time. :) According to the current state of Wikipedia:WikiProject Songs, lyrics are not permitted unless known to be in public domain. I have accordingly removed them. --Moonriddengirl 15:12, 3 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Don't add the lyrics. The R&H Organization defends its copyright on all their compositions and has been known to bill people for hundreds of dollars if they discover a past infringement or performance without their approval. Here's an example: The Pride of Oklahoma is going to participate in the 2007 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and would like to play the song while in the parade and on the air, just as they play it during the fall – but the parade people won't let us _unless_ we find the actual physical document that licenses or waives copyright to the University of Oklahoma. We're 90% sure that it's somewhere in George Nigh's document archives, which at the Oklahoma Department of Libraries. If it's not or if it can't be found, you won't hear "Oklahoma!" on Thanksgiving Day. - KrakatoaKatie 02:32, 1 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I found the following on an archived article from the Tulsa World online:

"There was a concern that, because the song was copyrighted, the state would have to pay royalties for its performance. But Oscar Hammerstein eased those fears in a letter to The Tulsa Tribune on June 1, 1953, that said, in part:

'Tell your readers and all the people of Oklahoma that not only may they play it and sing it anywhere and everywhere to their hearts' content but we want them and urge them to do so. Mr. (Richard) Rodgers and I are very proud that our song has been adopted by your state. Play it and sing it loud and long and often.'

'You're doin fine, Oklahoma! Oklahoma -- O.K.'"

Does this suffice for using the lyrics on Wikipedia's article about the song? Bruin2 (talk) 17:26, 18 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Subsequently to the Hammerstein letter noted above, a NewsOK article still on the internet [1] states that it had no legal standing and that the state of Oklahoma paid $40,000 in royalties until somebody showed the letter to the copyright owner. The owner then agreed to honor the composers' wishes and executed a one-time royalty payment of one dollar, allowing the state to use the song "in perpetuity." Bruin2 (talk) 23:18, 18 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Per WP:NCM there are two options here; (Rodgers and Hammerstein song) as Massachusetts (Arlo Guthrie song) (cf Maria (Rodgers and Hammerstein song) etc.), or (state song) as Carolina (state song). Greater WP:CRITERIA recognizability is probably with the former of those options. In ictu oculi (talk) 13:20, 10 January 2018 (UTC)[reply]

If anyone objects then please move it to (state song) In ictu oculi (talk) 13:30, 10 January 2018 (UTC)[reply]