HBest Known Public Domain SongsH List of 85
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. | |||
| Habanera - Carmen Traditional |
Bizet | PD Reprint | |
| Hail Columbia Patriotic |
1798 - m. Joseph Hopkinson, w. Philip Phile (Pfeil) V - Hail, Columbia, Happy land! Hail ye heroes! Heav'n born band! C - Firm united, let us be, Rallying round our liberty; | PD Reprint | |
| Hail Hail the Gang's All Here Popular Song |
1908 - m. Theodore F. Morse, Arthur Sullivan, w. D.A. Esrom V - A gang of good fellows are we, are we, are we. With never a worry you see, you see, you see. C - Hail! hail! The gang's all here. What the deuce do we care, what the deuce do we care, Hail! Hail! we're full of cheer, What the deuce do we care, Bill! | PD Reprint | |
| Hail to the Chief Patriotic |
1812 - m. James Sanderson, w. Sir Walter Scott V - Hail to the chief who in triumph advances! Honor'd and bless'd be the evergreen Pine! N - Official Song of the President of the United States, PD Lyrics from "The Lady of the Lake" | PD Reprint | |
| Hail to the Spirit of Liberty Patriotic |
1900 - m. John Philip Sousa | PD Reprint | |
| Half of It, Dearie Blues Popular Song |
1924 - w. Ira Gershwin m. George Gershwin. P - Lady Be Good | PD Reprint | |
| Hallelujah Chorus Traditional |
1767 | PD Reprint | |
| Hands Across the Sea Patriotic |
1899 - m. John Philip Sousa | PD Reprint | |
| Happy Birthday To You Popular Song |
1896 - m. Mildred and Patty Hill, w. Patty Hill
C - Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday dear [friend]. Happy Birthday To You.
N - a.k.a. Good Morning To All alternate verse. Placed in public domain by judicial judgment of USDC Central Court of California |
PD Reprint | |
| Happy Farmer Traditional |
1849 - Schumann | PD Reprint | |
| Hard Hearted Hannah Popular Song |
1924 - w.m. Jack Yellen,Milton Ager, Bob Bigelow, Charles Bates | PD Reprint | |
| Hard Times Come Again No More Traditional |
1855 - Stephen Collins Foster V - Let us pause in life's pleasures, and count its many tears, While we all sup sorrow with the poor; There's a song that will linger for ever in our ears . . . C - Tis the song, the sigh of the weary, Hard time, hard times, come again no more; Many days you have linger'd around my cabin door, Oh! Hard times come again no more. | PD Reprint | |
| Hark ! The Herald Angels Sing Christmas, Holiday |
1840 - w. George Whitefield, m. William H. Cummings V - Hark! The herald angels sing, 'Glory to the newborn King; Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!' C - Hark! the herald angels sing, 'Glory to the newborn King!' N - Music adapted from Charles Wesley, 1739. Music adapted from Felix Mendelssohn, 1840 . | PD Reprint | |
| Harp That Once Through Tara's Halls Traditional |
1750 | PD Reprint | |
| Harrigan Popular Song |
1907 - w.m. George m. Cohan | PD Reprint | |
| Has Anybody Seen Kelly? Popular Song |
1909 - w.m. C.W. Murphy, Will Letters, William C. McKenna | PD Reprint | |
| Hat Father Wore Traditional |
1876 | PD Reprint | |
| Haunting Rag Traditional |
1911 - Julius Lenzberg | PD Reprint | |
| Hawaiian Butterfly Popular Song |
1917 - m. Billy Baskette, Joe Santly, w. George A. Little | PD Reprint | |
| He Is An Englishman Traditional |
1878 - w. Gilbert, m. Sullivan | PD Reprint | |
| He Leadeth Me Hymn |
Bradbury | PD Reprint | |
| He Loves It Popular Song |
1922 - m. Pete Wendling, w. Grant Clarke, Edgar Leslie V - Fools there were, fools there are and fools there'll always be. But the greated fool of all, you see, Has the flat across the hall from me. C - She hits him on the chin ev'ry time he comes in and he loves it, how loves it. He's the 'Perfect Fool' there was . | PD Reprint | |
| He'd Have To Get Under--Get Out and Get Under Popular Song |
1913 - m. Maurice Abrahams, w. Grant Clarke, Edgar Leslie | PD Reprint | |
| He's a Devil In His Own Home Town Popular Song |
1914 - w.m. Grant Clarke, Irving Berlin V - I've got an Uncle by the name of Jerry. He's got a farm a great big farm C - He's a devil in his own home town, on the level, He's as funny as a clown | PD Reprint | |
| He's A Rag Picker Popular Song |
1914 - w.m. Irving Berlin | PD Reprint | |
| He's The Hottest Man in Town Popular Song |
1924 - w.m. Owen Murphy, Jay Gorney | PD Reprint | |
| Hearts and Flowers Instrumental, Keyboard |
1899 N - Famous silent film melody. Music only, no lyrics. | PD Reprint | |
| Heav'n Heav'n (I Got A Robe) Popular Song |
PD Reprint | ||
| Heaven is My Home Traditional |
Sullivan | PD Reprint | |
| Heaven Will Protect the Working Girl Popular Song |
1909 - m. Baldwin Sloane, w. Edgar Smith | PD Reprint | |
| Heliotroupe Bouquet Traditional |
1907 - Scott Joplin, Louis Chauvin | PD Reprint | |
| Hello Bluebird Popular Song |
1926 - w.m. Cliff Friend | PD Reprint | |
| Hello Central, Give Me Heaven Popular Song |
1901 | PD Reprint | |
| Hello Hawaii How Are You Popular Song |
1915 - m. Jean Schwartz, w. Bert Kalamnar, Edgar Leslie | PD Reprint | |
| Hello, Aloha, How Are You? Popular Song |
1926 - w. I. Wolfe Gilbert, m. Abel Baer | PD Reprint | |
| Hello, Central, Give Me Heaven Popular Song |
1901 - w.m. Charles K. Harris | PD Reprint | |
| Hello, Central, Give Me No Man's Land Popular Song |
1918 - m. Jean Schwartz, w. Sam Lewis, Joe Young | PD Reprint | |
| Hello, Frisco! (I Called You Up to Say 'Hello!') Traditional |
1915 - m. Louis A. Hirsch, w. Gene Buck P - Ziegfield Follies of 1915 - 1915, Variety Music Hall V - Hello Central, Hello Central, Can't You See, Kindly hurry, kindly hurry, just for me. C - Hello Frisco Hello. Don't keep me waiting, it's aggravating, Why can't you hurry Central you're so slow. | PD Reprint | |
| Hello! Ma Baby Popular Song |
1899 - w.m. Howard and Emerson V - I've got a little baby, but she's out of sight. I talk to her across the telephone. C - Hello my baby, hello my honey, hello ma ragtime gal! Send a kiss by wire. Baby my heart's on fire! | PD Reprint | |
| Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still Traditional |
1860 - W. T. Wrighton V - 'Tis years since last we met, And we may not meet again; I have struggled to forget, But the struggle was in vain. C - For her voice lives on the breeze, And her spirit comes at will; In the midnight on the seas, Her bright smile haunts me still. | PD Reprint | |
| Here We Come A-Caroling Christmas, Holiday |
See Wassail Song | PD Reprint | |
| Hesitating Blues Traditional |
1915 - w.m. W.C. Handy (1873 - 1958) V - Hello Central, what's the matter with this line? I want to talk to that High Brown of mine, Tell me how long I will have to wait? C - 'Procrastination is the thief of time' So all the wise owls say 'one stitch in time may save nine' Tomorrow's not today. | PD Reprint | |
| Hesitation Waltz Popular Song |
1914 - m. McNair Ilgenfritz N - a.k.a Original Hesitation Walta | PD Reprint | |
| Hey Diddle Diddle Children |
V - Hey, diddle, diddle, The cat and the fiddle, The cow jumped over the moon; The little dog laughed to see such sport, And the dish ran after the spoon. | PD Reprint | |
| Hiawatha Popular Song |
1903 - m. Neil Moret, w. James O'Dea N - Published separately as song and piano solo | PD Reprint | |
| Hiawatha's Melody of Love Popular Song |
1920 - m. George Meyers, w. Alfred Bryan, Artie Mehlinger | PD Reprint | |
| Hickory Dickory Dock Children |
V - Hickory, dickory dock! The mouse ran up the clock. The clock struck one, | PD Reprint | |
| High School Cadets Patriotic |
1890 - m. John Philip Sousa | PD Reprint | |
| High Society March Popular Song |
1901 - Porter Steele N - Originally published as a march, became a Jazz standard. Lyrics written by Walter Melrose are not performed. | PD Reprint | |
| Hilarity Rag Traditional |
James Scott | PD Reprint | |
| Hinky Dinky Parlay-Voo Popular Song |
V - The Cavalry say they won the war, Parlez-vous . . . The Cavalry say they did it all, Shooting craps in empty stall, Hinckey Dinckey Parlez-vous.. C - Oh, Madamoiselle from Marmentiers, Parlez-vous . . She ain't been kissed for forty years, Hinkey Dinkey Parlez-vous. N - a.k.a.Hinckey Dinckey Parlez-Vous | PD Reprint | |
| Hit and Miss Traditional |
1650 | PD Reprint | |
| Hitchy Koo Popular Song |
1912 - m. Lewis F. Muir, Maurice Abrahams, w. L. Wolfe Gilbert | PD Reprint | |
| HMS Pinafore Traditional |
w. Gilbert, m. Sullivan | PD Reprint | |
| Ho-Ro My Nut-Brown Maiden Traditional |
Traditional Scots | PD Reprint | |
| Hobby Horse Children |
V - Hop hop hop ! Nimble as a top. Where 'tis smooth and there 'tis stony . . . | PD Reprint | |
| Holly and the Ivy Christmas, Holiday |
1871 - Henry R. Bramley, John Stainer V - The holly and the ivy, now both are full well grown, Of all the trees that are in the wood, the holly bears the crown. C - The holly bears a blossom as white as lily flower, And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ to be our sweet saviour | PD Reprint | |
| Holy City Popular Song |
1892 - m. Stephen Adams, w. F.E. Weatherly V - Last night I lay a-sleeping, There came a dream so fair C - Jerusalem, Jerusalem . . . | PD Reprint | |
| Holy Holy Holy Hymn |
1861 - w. Reginald Heber, m. J. B. Dykes V - Holy holy holy. Lord God Almighty. Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee. | PD Reprint | |
| Home Again Traditional |
Pike V - Happy hearts, happy hearts with mine have laughed in glee, But oh, the friends I loved in youth Seem happier to me C - Home again, home again, From a foreign shore! And oh, it fills my soul with joy to meet my friends once more. | PD Reprint | |
| Home in Pasadena Popular Song |
1923 - m. Harry Warren, w. Grant Clarke, Edgar Leslie V - Oh! You railway station. Oh! You pullman train! Here's my reservation For my destination Far beyond the western plain. C - Home in Pasadena, Home where grass is greener. Where honey bees hum melodies And orange tress scent the breeze. | PD Reprint | |
| Home on the Range Folk Song |
1873 V - Oh, give me a home Where the buffalo roam And the deer and the antelope play. C - Home, home on the range, Where the deer and the antelope play; Where seldom is heard a discouraging word, And the skies are not cloudy all day. | PD Reprint | |
| Home Sweet Home Traditional |
1823 - m. Henry R. Bishop, w. John Howard Payne V - Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam, Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home. C - Home! Home! Sweet, sweet home. There's no place like home. | PD Reprint | |
| Honest and Truly Popular Song |
1924 - w.m. Fred Rose | PD Reprint | |
| Honey, I'm Waiting Popular Song |
1905 - w.m. Ted S. Barron | PD Reprint | |
| Honeysuckle And The Bee Popular Song |
1901 - m. William H. Penn, w. Albert H. Fitz | PD Reprint | |
| Hooking Cow Blues Traditional |
1917 - w. Douglas Williams, m. W.C. Handy | PD Reprint | |
| Horses Popular Song |
1926 - w.m. Richard A. Whiting, Byron Gay | PD Reprint | |
| Horsey Keep Your Tail Up Popular Song |
1923 - w.m. Walter Hirsch, Bert Kaplan V - Reuben is so silly. He will never wear a hat. Tho' the sun is shining, He don't give a darn for that. C - Oh, Horsey! keep yer tail up . . . Why don't you make it rise? Tell me how you get that way, You mean 'Yes' and say 'Neigh, neigh' | PD Reprint | |
| Hot Cross Buns Children |
V - Hot Cross Buns! One a pennty, two a penny, Hot Cross Buns. | PD Reprint | |
| Hot Lips Popular Song |
1922 - w.m. Henry Busse, Henry Lange, Lou Davis V - There's a boy that's in out band And how he blows that horn C - He's got hot lips When he plays Jazz, He draws out steps, Like no one has. | PD Reprint | |
| Hot Time in the Old Town Popular Song |
1896 | PD Reprint | |
| How Come You Do Me Like You Do Popular Song |
1924 - w.m. Roy Bergere, Gene Austin | PD Reprint | |
| How Many Times Popular Song |
1926 - w.m. Irving Berlin | PD Reprint | |
| How Ya Gonna Keep 'Em Down on the Farm Popular Song |
1919 - m. Walter Donaldson, w. Sam Lewis, Joe Young | PD Reprint | |
| How'd You Like to Spoon With Me Popular Song |
1905 - m. Jerome Kern, w. Edward Laska | PD Reprint | |
| Howdy, Howdy Spiritual |
V - An' a howdy, howdy brother, An' a howdy, howdy do. Mmmmm! C - An' I do mighty well, An' I thank God too! Mmmmm! N - Opening song with verses Howdy Howdy sisters, mothers, fathers preachers . . . | PD Reprint | |
| Humoresque Traditional |
1894 - Anton Dvorak N - Op. 101, No 7, Original Key: G-Flat | PD Reprint | |
| Humpty Dumpty Children |
V - Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall, All the King's horses and all the King's men . . | PD Reprint | |
| Hungarian Dances ~ Brahms Traditional |
1859-1869 - Brahms | PD Reprint | |
| Hungarian Rhapsodies Traditional |
Liszt | PD Reprint | |
| Hunt Theme (Tantivy Tantivy) Traditional |
1782 - Traditional | PD Reprint | |
| Hush Little Baby, Don't You Cry Children |
V - Hush, little baby, don't say a word-- Mammy gwine ter buy you a mockin'-bird! When dat bird begin to sing . . C - . N - PD source for lyrics only. No known PD source for exact melody, but possibly derived from 'Hush Little Baby Don't You Cry'. 1884, F.Belasco (M.H. Rosenfeld) | PD Reprint | |
| Hush-A-By Baby Children |
V - Hush-A-By Baby on the tree top, When the wind blows the cradle will rock; | PD Reprint | |
| Hyde Park Traditional |
1650 | PD Reprint | |
