TBest Known Public Domain SongsT List of 56
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. | |||
| Ta Ra Ra Boom De Ay Traditional |
1891 | PD Reprint | |
| Tain't Nobody's Biz-ness If I Do Popular Song |
w.m. Porter Grainger, Everett Robbins V - There ain't nothin' I can do nor nothin' I can say, That folks don't criticise me, But I'm gonna do just as I want to any way, And don't care if they despise me. C - Tain't nobody's biz-ness if I do. | PD Reprint | |
| Take Me Out To The Ball Game Popular Song |
1908 - m. Albert Von Tilzer, w. Jack Norworth V - Katy Casey was baseball mad, Had the fever and had it bad; Just to root for the home town crews, ev'ry sou Katie blew C - Take me out to the ball game, Take me out with the crowd, Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack, I don't care if I never get back | PD Reprint | |
| Take Your Girlie To The Movies (If You Can't Make Love At Home) Popular Song |
1919 - m. Pete Wendling, w. Edgar Leslie, Bert Kalmar V - Beatrice Fairfax gives advice to anyone in love C - Take your girlie to the movies if you can't make love at home | PD Reprint | |
| Tales from the Vienna Woods Traditional |
1868 - J. Strauss | PD Reprint | |
| Tamiami Trail Popular Song |
1926 - w.m. Cliff Friend, Joseph H. Santly | PD Reprint | |
| Tea For Two Popular Song |
1924 - w. Irving Caesar m. Vincent Youmans | PD Reprint | |
| Teddy Bear's Picnic Popular Song |
1907 - m. John W. Bratton N - Lyrics NOT PD. Lyrics added in 1932, Jimmy Kennedy | PD Reprint | |
| Tell Her In the Springtime Popular Song |
1924 - w.m. Irving Berlin | PD Reprint | |
| Tell Me With A Melody Popular Song |
1923 - w.m. Irving Berlin (1888 - 1989) | PD Reprint | |
| Temptation Rag Popular Song |
1909 - m. Henry Lodge, w. Lou Weslyn | PD Reprint | |
| Tenting on the Old Camp Ground Traditional |
1864 - Kittredge | PD Reprint | |
| Thanks For The Buggy Ride Popular Song |
1925 - w.m. Jules Buffano | PD Reprint | |
| That Certain Feeling Popular Song |
1925 - w. Ira Gershwin, m. George Gershwin | PD Reprint | |
| That Certain Party Popular Song |
1925 - w. Gus Kahn, m. Walter Donaldson | PD Reprint | |
| That Haunting Melody Popular Song |
1911 - w.m. George M. Cohan | PD Reprint | |
| That International Rag Popular Song |
1913 - w.m. Irving Berlin | PD Reprint | |
| That Mysterious Rag Popular Song |
1911 - w.m. Irving Berlin, Ted Snyder | PD Reprint | |
| That Old Gang of Mine Popular Song |
1923 - w. Billy Rose & Mort Dixon m. Ray Henderson V - I've got a longin' way down in my heart. For that old gang that has drifted apart. They were the best pals that I ever had, I never thought I'd want them so bad. C - Gee, but I'd give the world to see that old gang of mine. I can't forget than old quartette that sand 'Swet Adeline'. | PD Reprint | |
| That Tumbledown Shack in Athlone Popular Song |
1918 - m. Monte Carlo, Alma M. Sanders, w. Richard W. Pascoe | PD Reprint | |
| That's A Plenty Popular Song |
1909 - w.m. Bert Williams,Henry Creamer V - Twas in a hen coop one dark night I stopped to rest myself; And to my great surprise I spied some pullets on a shelf C - Mister, Mister, Oh listen like a friend No use to argue, just let the matter end. | PD Reprint | |
| That's an Irish Lullaby | See Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral | ||
| Then I'll Be Happy Popular Song |
1925 - w. Sidney Clare, Lew Brown, m. Cliff Friend | PD Reprint | |
| There Is a Tavern in the Town Traditional |
1883 - w.m. F. J. Adams V - There is a travern in the town, in the town. And there my true love sits him down, sits him down. And drinks his wine 'mid laughter free, and never, never thinks of me.. C - Fare thee well for I must leave thee, do not let my parting grieve thee, And remember that the best of friends must part, must part. | PD Reprint | |
| There'll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight | See A Hot Time in the Old Town | ||
| There's A Little Bit Of Bad in Every Good Little Girl Popular Song |
1916 - m. Fred Fisher, w. Grant Clarke V - Nobody ever sings about the bad girls, because the bad girls are sad And ev'ry body sings about the good girls because the good girls are glad. C - There's a little bit of bad in ev'ry good little girl. They're not to blame. Mother Eve was very, very good, But even she raised Cain. | PD Reprint | |
| There's A Long, Long Trail Popular Song |
1913 - m. Zo Elliott, w. Stoddard King V - Nights are growing very lonely, Days are very long. C - There's a long, long trail a-winding into the land of my dreams. | PD Reprint | |
| There's A New Star In Heaven Tonight Popular Song |
1926 - w. Irving Mills, J. Keirn Brennan, m. Jimmy McHugh | PD Reprint | |
| There's Music in the Air Traditional |
1854 - G. R. Root V - There's music in the air When the infant morn is nigh, And faint its blush is seen On the bright and laughing sky | PD Reprint | |
| There's Yes! Yes! In Your Eyes Popular Song |
1924 - w. Cliff Friend m. Joseph H. Santly | PD Reprint | |
| They Called Her Frivolous Sal | See My Gal Sal | ||
| They Go Wild Simply Wild Over Me Popular Song |
1917 - m. Fred Fisher, w. Joe McCarthy V - I hate to talk about myself, But here's one time I must. Your confidence I'll trust, I have to speak or bust. C - They go wild simply wild over me, They go mad just as mad as they can be. No matter where I'm at, All the ladies thin or fat . . . Ev'ry night how they fight over me. | PD Reprint | |
| Thinking Of You [I've Grown So Lonesome] Popular Song |
1926 - w. Paul Ash, m. Walter Donaldson | PD Reprint | |
| This Old Man Traditional |
1906 V - This old man, he played one, he played nick nack on my drum. C - With a nick nack paddy whack, give a dog a bone, this old man cam rolling home. | PD Reprint | |
| Three Little Kittens Children |
V - Once three little kitten they lost their mittens, And they began to cry. Oh, mammy dear, We sadly fear, Our mittens we have lost. What, lost your mittens,l You naughty kittens, Then you shall have no pie. C - Meow, Meow, Meow, Meow, Meow, Meow, Meow. | PD Reprint | |
| Three Little Kittens - 1 Children |
V - There were three little kittens Put on their mittens To eat some Christmas pie. C - Mew, Mew, Mew, Mew, Mew, Mew, Mew | PD Reprint | |
| Thunderer Patriotic |
1889 - m. John Philip Sousa | PD Reprint | |
| Till We Meet Again Popular Song |
1918 - m. Richard A. Whiting, w. Raymond B. Egan V - There's a song in the land of the lily Each sweetheart has heard with a sigh Over high garden walls This sweet echo falls As a soldier boy whispers good bye C - Smile the while you kiss me sad adieu When the clouds roll by I'll come to you.Then the skies will seem more blue Down in lovers lane | PD Reprint | |
| Tin Roof Blues Popular Song |
1923 - w. Walter Melrose, m. New Orleans Rhythm Kings | PD Reprint | |
| Ting-A-Ling [Waltz Of The Bells] Popular Song |
1926 - w. Addy Britt, m. Jack Little | PD Reprint | |
| Tis the Last Rose of Summer | See The Last Rose of Summer | ||
| To a Wild Rose Traditional |
1896 - Edward MacDowell | PD Reprint | |
| Tonight You Belong To Me Popular Song |
1926 - w. Billy Rose, m. Lee David V - Once more we meet, You look so sweet, Dear, can't you see how I feel? C - Though you belong to somebody else, Tonight you belong to me. Though we're apart, you're part of my heart, Tonight you belong to me. | PD Reprint | |
| Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral Popular Song |
1913 - w.m. James.Royce Shannon V - Over in Killarney, Many years ago, Me Mither sang a song to me In tones so sweet and low. Just a simple little ditty, In her good ould Irish way C - Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li, Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Hush now, don't you cry! Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li, Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, That's an Irish Lullaby. | PD Reprint | |
| Toot, Toot, Tootsie Popular Song |
1922 - w.m. Gus Kahn, Ernie Erdman, Dan Russo | PD Reprint | |
| Toreador Song - Carmen Traditional |
1873 - Bizet | PD Reprint | |
| Totem-Tom-Tom Popular Song |
1924 - w. Oscar Hammerstein II & Otto Harbach m. Rudolf Friml P - Rose Marie | PD Reprint | |
| Toyland Popular Song |
1903 - m. Victor Herbert, w. Glen MacDonough V - When you've grown up my dears, And are as old as I, You'll often ponder on the years That roll so swiftly by, my dears, That roll so swiftly by . . . C - Toyland. Toyland. Little girl and boy land. While you dwell within it, You are ever happy then. Childhood's joy-land. Mystic merry Toyland, Once you pass it's borders, You can never return again. | PD Reprint | |
| Trail of the Lonesome Pine Popular Song |
1913 - m. Harry Carroll, w. Ballard MacDonald | PD Reprint | |
| Tramp! Tramp! Tramp! Traditional |
1864 - Root | PD Reprint | |
| Traumerei Traditional |
1839 - Schumann | PD Reprint | |
| Turkey in the Straw Popular Song |
1834 N - Originally known as Zip Coon | PD Reprint | |
| Twelfth Street Rag Popular Song |
1916 - m. Euday L. Bowman N - Ragtime Arrangement Only - No Lyrics | PD Reprint | |
| Twelfth Street Rag - Song Popular Song |
1919 - m. Euday L. Bowman, w. James S. Sumner V - In a certain city where the girls are cute and pretty C - First you slide and then you glide, then shimmie for a while | PD Reprint | |
| Twelve Days of Christmas Christmas, Holiday |
ca. 1780 - English Christmas Carol, possibly as early as 1500s V - On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me A Partridge in a Pear Tree. . . C - . . . 5 Gold Rings, 4 Colly Birds, 3 French Hens, 2 Turtle Doves And a Partridge in a Pear Tree. N - The 1909 arrangement by Frederick Austin (1872-1952) which slows down on five gold rings is in the public domain in the USA. It entered the public domain worldwide in 2023, 70 years after Frederick Austin's death. | PD Reprint | |
| Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Children |
1765 V - Twinkle, twinkle, little star; How I wonder what you are. | PD Reprint | |
