LBest Known Public Domain SongsL List of 66
IMPORTANT: This list is based on USA Copyright Law and is intended only as a help in researching public domain music. This list is NOT sufficient documentation that music is in the Public Domain. To prove PD status in the USA, you MUST find a published copy of the song with a copyright date of 1926 or earlier. Our PD Sheet Music Reprints are exact reprints of books and sheet music published in 1926 or earlier and include music, lyrics, and complete original copyright information. Some of these songs may not be PD in countries other than the USA.
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| Title | V=Verse C=Chorus N=Note P=Production w=Words m=Music |
1 - 3 $5 ea 4 up $4 ea | |
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| Songs are on this PD list if we have a pre-1927 PD sheet music publication in our library AND if anyone has asked about PD status of the song in the past 20 years. | |||
| L'Amour Toujours L'Amour Popular Song |
1922 - m. Rudolf Friml, w. Catherine Chisholm Cushing V - Ah, love, you've found me at last In my heart is a song. C - L'amour Toujours l'Amour. Love, now last, you've found me. | PD Reprint | |
| La Boheme Traditional |
Puccini | PD Reprint | |
| La Donna e Mobile--Rigolette Traditional |
Verdi | PD Reprint | |
| La Marseillaise Traditional |
1792 | PD Reprint | |
| La Paloma Popular Song |
1864 | PD Reprint | |
| La Rosita Popular Song |
1923 - w. Allan Stuart m. Paul Dupont (Pseud. of Walter Haenschen) V - Tinkling guitar strums a song 'neath a balcony. Glimmering stars glean their silvery light. Slowly the moon rises high o'er the peaceful lea. C - Sweet girl of my dreams hear my song I implore you, Soul of my soul, hear my gay serenade. Deep in my heart I will always adore you. | PD Reprint | |
| La Rumba - Tango Argentine Dance |
1913 - m. J. Tim Brymn | PD Reprint | |
| Laird o' Cockpen Traditional |
1885 | PD Reprint | |
| Lamplit Hour Popular Song |
PD Reprint | ||
| Landlord Fill the Flowing Bowl Traditional |
1750 or earlier - British Drinking Song V - Come, Landlord, fill the flowing bowl, Until it doth run over. Come, Landlord, fill the flowing bowl, Until it doth run over. C - For tonight we'll merry merry be, For tonight we'll merry merry be, For tonight we'll merry merry be, Tomorrow we'll be sober. N - Drinking Song found in virtually all English speaking song traditions. | PD Reprint | |
| Largo ~ Handel Traditional |
m. George Frederick Handel (1685 - 1759)w. Thomas Williams V - Father in heav'n They children hear, As they adoring bow, O Thou Almight One, our weakness heed. | PD Reprint | |
| Last Rose of Summer Traditional |
m. Sir John Stevenson, w. Thomas Moore V - Tis the last rose of summer, Left blooming alone; All her lovely companions are faded and gone. N - Well Known Arrangements also by Beethoven Op. 105, Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (Fantasy in E Major), and Friedrich von Flowtow (Martha) | PD Reprint | |
| Lavender's Blue Children |
1750 V - Lavender's blue, diddle, diddle, Lavender's green, When I am king, diddle diddle, You shall be queen. | PD Reprint | |
| Lazy Popular Song |
1924 - w.m. Irving Berlin | PD Reprint | |
| Lazy Mary Will You Get Up? Children |
1700s V - Lazy Mary will you get up, will you get up, Will you get up today? | PD Reprint | |
| Leola Traditional |
1905 - Scott Joplin | PD Reprint | |
| Let It Rain! Let It Pour! (I'll Be In Virginia In The Morning) Popular Song |
1925 - w. Cliff Friend, m. Walter Donaldson | PD Reprint | |
| Let Me Call You Sweeetheart Popular Song |
1910 - m. Leo Friedman, w. Beth Slater Whitson V - I am dreaming Dear of you Day by day. Dreaming when the skies are blue When they're gray C - Let me call you 'Sweetheart' I'm in love with you. Let me hear you whisper that you love me too. Keep the lovelight glowing in your eyes so true. . . | PD Reprint | |
| Let Me Linger Longer In Your Arms Popular Song |
1924 - w. Cliff Friend m. Abel Baer | PD Reprint | |
| Let My People Go | See Go Down Moses | ||
| Let the Rest of the World Go By Popular Song |
1919 - m. Ernest Ball, w. J. Keirn Brennan | PD Reprint | |
| Let Your Feet Tramp ! Tramp ! Children |
V - Let you feet Tramp ! Tramp ! Let your hands clap, clap, As each one makes a bow, | PD Reprint | |
| Let's Tallk About My Sweetie Popular Song |
1926 - w.m. Walter Donaldson | PD Reprint | |
| Levee Song College |
1894 C - I been wukkin' on de railroad All de live long day, I been wukkin' on de railroad Ter pass de time away N - a.k.a. I've Been Working on the Railroad | PD Reprint | |
| Li'l Liza Jane Popular Song |
1916 - w.m. Ada DeLachau | PD Reprint | |
| Liebesfreud (Love's Joy) Popular Song |
1911 - m. Fritz Kreisler | PD Reprint | |
| Light Cavalry Overture Traditional |
1868 - von Suppe | PD Reprint | |
| Lightly Row Children |
V - Lightly row! Lightly row! O'er the glassy waves we go, Smoothly glide! Smoothly glide. On the silent tide. | PD Reprint | |
| Limehouse Blues Popular Song |
1922 - m. Philip Braham, w. Douglas Furber V - In limehouse where yellow chinkies love to play, In limehouse where you can hear those blues all day C - Oh Limehousekid Oh Oh. Oh Limehouse kid Going the way that the rest of them did | PD Reprint | |
| Linger Awhile Popular Song |
1923 - w. Harry Owens m. Vincent Rose V - The time is coming soon to say good bye, A time of sadness it will be. But Honey listen to my parting sigh, And linger on a while with me. C - The stars shine above you. Yet linger a while' They whisper 'I love you' So linger awhile. | PD Reprint | |
| Listen to the Mocking Bird Traditional |
1855 - Alice HawthorneWinnerAlice V - I'm dreaming of Halley, sweet Halley, sweet Hally, . . . For the thought of her is one that never dies. C - Listen to the mocking bird, listen to the mocking bird, the mocking bird is singing o'er her grave. Listen to the mocking bird . . . Still singing where the weeping willows wave. | PD Reprint | |
| Listening Popular Song |
1924 - w.m. Irving Berlin P - Music Box Revue 1925 | PD Reprint | |
| Little Annie Rooney Traditional |
1890 - Nolan | PD Reprint | |
| Little Bit of Heaven (Shure They Call it Ireland) Traditional |
1914 - m. Ernest R. Ball, w. J. Keirn Brennan V - A little bit of heaven fell from out the sky one day, and it nestled in the ocean in a spot so far away C - Shure they called it Ireland. | PD Reprint | |
| Little Boy Blue Children |
V - Little boy blue, come blow your horn. The sheep's in the meadow, the cow's in the corn; | PD Reprint | |
| Little Boy Blue (Death of a Child) Traditional |
1891 - m. Ethelbert Nevin, w. Eugene Field V - The little toy dog is cover'd with dust, but sturdy and staunch he stands | PD Reprint | |
| Little Brown Church Popular Song |
1865 - w.m. William S. Pitts V - There's a church in the valley by the wildwood, No lovelier place in the dale. No spot is so dear to my childhood, as the liitle brown church in the vale. C - Come to the church by the wildwood, Oh come to the church in the dale. No spot is so dear to my childhood, as the liitle brown church in the vale. | PD Reprint | |
| Little Brown Jug Traditional |
1869 V - My wife and I lived all alone, In a little log hut we called our own. She loved gin, and I loved rum, I tell you what, we'd lots of fun. C - Ha ha ha, you and me, 'Little brown jug' don't I love thee. Ha ha ha, you and me, 'Little brown jug' don't I love thee. | PD Reprint | |
| Little Buttercup Traditional |
Gilbert & Sullivan | PD Reprint | |
| Little David, Play on Your Harp Spiritual |
V - Little David was a shepherd boy, He killed Goliath, and he shouted for joy.
C - Little David, play on your harp, Hallelu! Hallelu!
N - Many versions with varying verses, same chorus. V - God told Moses, O Lord! Go down into Egypt, O Lord! Tell ole Pharo' O Lord! Loose my people, O Lord! |
PD Reprint | |
| Little Girl Up There College |
1908 - m. Karl Hoschna, w. O.A. Hauerbach P - Three Twins - 1908, V - Laughing and jolly and happy, The crowd wandered out in the park. C - Some like a bright girl, Say she's the right girl. Some like a girl who's just demure. Some like a sad girl, A never glad girl. Some like a girl who's show but sure. | PD Reprint | |
| Little Jazz Bird Popular Song |
1924 - w. Ira Gershwin m. George Gershwin P - Lady Be Good | PD Reprint | |
| Little White House At The End Of Honeymoon Lane Popular Song |
1926 - w. Eddie Dowling, m. James F. Handley P - Honeymoon Lane | PD Reprint | |
| Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming Christmas, Holiday |
1599 - w. 15th Century German, m. 'Es Ist Ein Ros'' V - Lo, how a rose e'er blooming, From tender stem hath sprung. Of Jesse's lineage coming, | PD Reprint | |
| Loch Lomond Traditional |
1841 - Scotch Folksong V - By yon bonnie banks, and by yon bonnie braes, Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomon', Where me and my love were ever wont to gae, On the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomon'. C - O, ye'll tak' the high road, and I'll tak' the low road, And I'll be in Scotland afore ye; But me and my true love will never meet again, On the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomon'. | PD Reprint | |
| London Bridge Children |
V - London bridge is falling down, falling down, My fair lady. | PD Reprint | |
| Londonderry Air | See Danny Boy | ||
| Londonderry Air Traditional |
1855 | PD Reprint | |
| Lonesome And Sorry Popular Song |
1926 - w.m. Benny Davis, Con Conrad | PD Reprint | |
| Lonesome Blues Popular Song |
1916 - Perry Bradford V - Want someone to love me, want someone to hug me now, Want someone to squeeze me, want someone to teach me how C - Woke up this morning feeling awfully blue, Ain't got no one to tell my trouble to. The fortune teller Has told me little fellow, That I am lonely, lonely | PD Reprint | |
| Lonesomest Girl In Town Popular Song |
1925 - w. Al Dubin, m. Jimmy McHugh, Irving Mills | PD Reprint | |
| Long Long Ago Traditional |
1843 - m. T. H. Bayly V - Tell me the tales that to me were so dear, Long, long ago, Long, long ago, Sing me the songs I delighted to hear C - Long, long ago, long ago. | PD Reprint | |
| Look for the Silver Lining Popular Song |
1920 - m. Jerome Kern, w. Bud DeSylva V - Please don't be offended if I preach to you a while, Tears are out of place in eyes that were meant to smile. C - Look for the silver lining When e'er a cloud appears in the blue. Remember somewhere the sun is shining And so the right thing to do is make it shine for you. | PD Reprint | |
| Looking At The World Through Rose Colored Glasses Popular Song |
1926 - w.m. Tommy Malie, Jimmy Steiger | PD Reprint | |
| Lorena Popular Song |
1857 - m. J. P. Webster, w. Rev. H. D. L. Webster V - The years creep slowly by, Lorena, More than we ever dared to tell; The snow is on the grass again, The sun's low down the sky, Lorena, The frost gleams where the flow'rs have been. N - Well Known Background Music in Movie 'Gone With The Wind' | PD Reprint | |
| Lost Chord Traditional |
1877 - Arthur Sullivan V - Seated one day at the organ, I was weary and ill at ease, And my fingers wander'd idly Over the noisy keys C - It may be that Death's bright angel Will speak in that chord again, It may be that only in Heav'n, I shall hear that grand Amen. | PD Reprint | |
| Louisville Lou Popular Song |
1923 - w. Jack Yellen m. Milton Ager V - Folks, you've heard of scandalous vamps; History is full of love makin' champs. But if you crave a brand new thrill Come and meet the vamp of Louisville. C - They call the lady Louisville Lou. Oh, what that vampin' baby can do! She is the most heart breakin'est shimmy shakin'est That the world ever knew. | PD Reprint | |
| Love Will Find A Way ~ Blake Popular Song |
1921 - w.m. Noble Sissle, Eubie Blake V - Come, dear, and don't let out faith weaked, Let's keep our love fires burning bright. Your love for me is heavenly beacon, Guiding me through love's darkest night. C - Clouds will soon roll by Though fate may lead us astray My dearie, mark what I say-- Love will find a way. | PD Reprint | |
| Love Will Find A Way ~ Graham Popular Song |
1917 - m. Harold Fraser-Simson, w. Harry Graham V - Poor captive So you say I might be rich and free, If I would but betray The friends who trust in me! Vain is the web your cunning weaves! What care I for rewards, reprieves . . . C - What e`er befall, I still recall that sunlit mountain side! Where hearts are true and Love`s the only guide; If faithful to my trust I stay, No fate can fill me with dismay! | PD Reprint | |
| Love's Joy (Liebesfreud) | See Liebesfreud (Love's Joy) | ||
| Love's Old Sweet Song Traditional |
1884 - w. G. Clifton Bingham V - Once in the drear dead days beyond recall, When on the world the mist began to fall C - Just a song at twilight, when the lights are low, And the flick'ring shadows softly come and go | PD Reprint | |
| Loveless Love Popular Song |
1921 - m. W. C.Handy, w. W. C. Handy V - Love is like a gold brick in a bunco game. Like a bank note with a bogus name. Both have caused many downfalls. Love has done the same. C - Love, oh love, oh loveless love Has set out hearts on goalless goals. From milkless milk, and silkless silk, We are growing used to soulless souls N - a.k.a. Careless Love. Likely from folksong known as early as 1895, it became an early jazz classic. | PD Reprint | |
| Lovely Evening Children |
V - Oh, how lovely is the evening, is the evening, When the bells are sweetly ringing, sweetly ringing, ding, dong, ding, dong, ding, dong. N - Round | PD Reprint | |
| Low Bridge Everybody Down Popular Song |
1913 P - Thomas S. Allen V - I got a mule and her name is Sal C - Fifteen Miles on the Erie Canal | PD Reprint | |
| Lucky Day Popular Song |
1926 - w. Bud DeSylva & Lew Brown, m. Ray Henderson | PD Reprint | |
| Lullaby from Erminie Children |
E. Jakobowski V - Dear mother ! In dreams I see her, With lov'd face sweet and calm, And hear her voice with love rejoice C - Bye, bye drowsiness o'er taking, Pretty little eyelids sleep. | PD Reprint | |
