SBest Known Public Domain SongsS List of 97
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.
| A | B | C
| D | E | F
| G | H | I
| J | K | L
| M | N | O
| P | Q | R
| S | T | U
| V | W | X
| Y | Z |
| Title | V=Verse C=Chorus N=Note P=Production w=Words m=Music |
1 - 3 $5 ea 4 up $4 ea | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. | |||
| Sailing Sailing Traditional |
Godfrey Marks V - Sailing, sailing, over the bound main. For many a stormy wind shall bow, ere Jack comes home again! | PD Reprint | |
| Sailor's Hornpipe Traditional |
1795 N - a.k.a. Jack's the Lad, College Hornpipe | PD Reprint | |
| Santa Claus Blues Popular Song |
1924 - w.m. Charley Straight, Gus Kahn V - The merry bells are ringing today But they don't mean nothing to me. I hear the children singing to day but I'm as blue as I can be C - No money, no honey to buy a present for me; Nobody, no toddy to make things pleasant for me. | PD Reprint | |
| Santa Lucia Traditional |
1850 - Italian Folk Song V - Now 'neath the silver moon ocean is glowing. O'er the calm billow soft winds are blowing C - Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia N - Alt Verse: Calm o'er the ocean blue, Moonlight is shining, And with its silver light, stray cloud is lining. | PD Reprint | |
| Save Your Sorrow For Tomorrow Popular Song |
1925 - w. B.G. De Sylva, m. Al Sherman | PD Reprint | |
| Say 'Au Revoir', But Not 'Good Bye' College |
1893 - w.m. Harry Kennedy V - Say 'Au Revoior' but not 'Good Bye' for parting brings a bitter sigh; the past is gone though mem'ry gives one clinging thought the future lives. C - Say 'Au Revoir', But Not 'Good Bye', Though past is dead, love cannot die. | PD Reprint | |
| Say It Again [I Don't Believe It But] Popular Song |
1926 - w. Harry Richman, m. Abner Silver | PD Reprint | |
| Say It With Music Popular Song |
1921 - w.m. Irving Berlin V - Music is a language lovers understand, Melody and romance wander hand in hand. C - Say it with music, Beautiful music. Somehow they'd rather be kissed To the strains of Chopin or Liszt. | PD Reprint | |
| Scarborough Fair Folk Song |
V - Where are you going? To Scarborough Fair? Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme C - And she shall be a true lover of mine | PD Reprint | |
| School Days Popular Song |
1906 - m. Gus Edwards, w. Will D. Cobb | PD Reprint | |
| Scotland the Brave Traditional |
1895 - m. Scottish March
N - a.k.a. Scotland For Ever, Brave Scotland, My Bonnie Lass Popular lyrics by Cliff Hanley were written in 1950 and are NOT in the public domain. |
PD Reprint | |
| Scotland's Burning Traditional |
V - Scotland's burning, Scotland's burning, Look out, look out! Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire! Pour on water, Pour on water! N - Round | PD Reprint | |
| Second Minuet Popular Song |
1924 - w. Aubrey Dowdon , m. Maurice Besly | PD Reprint | |
| Semper Fidelis Patriotic |
1888 - m. John Philip Sousa | PD Reprint | |
| Sentimental Me (And Romantic You) Popular Song |
1925 - w. Lorenz Hart, m. Richard Rodgers | PD Reprint | |
| Serenade (Student Prince) Popular Song |
1924 - w. Dorothy Donnelly, m. Sigmund Romberg P - The Student Prince | PD Reprint | |
| Serenade from the Millions of Harlequin Popular Song |
PD Reprint | ||
| Seven Or Eleven Popular Song |
1923 - w. Lew Brown m. Walter Donaldson V - At the railroad station Almost ev'ry day Hangin' round the porters therd Tryin' hard to win his fare You'll see Rufus Johnson Gamblin' his dough away. C - Seven or eleven means ev'ry thing to me. Means I'm gonna see my Mammy, Down in sunny Alabammy. | PD Reprint | |
| Shall We Gather at the River Traditional |
1864 - Robert Lowry V - Shall we gather at the river where bright angel feet have trod; With its crystal tide forever Flowing by the throne of God? C - Yes, we'll gather at the river, the beautiful, the beautiful river. Gather with the saints at the river That flows by the throne of God. | PD Reprint | |
| She Is Ma Daisy Popular Song |
1905 - m. Harry Lauder, w. J.D. Harper | PD Reprint | |
| She'll Be Comin' 'Round the Mountain Traditional |
1899
N - Music: When the Chariot Comes is public domain Words: First published in 1927 by Carl Sandburg; no known PD publication is available. |
PD Reprint | |
| Sheik of Araby Popular Song |
1921 - m. Ted Snyder, w. Harry B. Smith, Francis Wheeler V - Over the desert wild and free Rides the bold Sheik of Araby. His Arab band At his command, Follow his love's caravan. C - I'm the Sheik of Araby, Your love belongs to me. At night when you're a sleep Into your tent I'll creep. | PD Reprint | |
| Shew! Fly, Don't Bother Me Traditional |
1869 - m. Frank Campbell, w. Billy Reeves V - I think I hear the angels sing . . . The angels now are on the wing. I feel, I feel, I feel, That's what my mother said, the angels pouring 'lasses down . . . C - Shew! Fly, Don't Bother Me, Shew! Fly, Don't Bother Me, Shew! Fly, Don't Bother Me. I belong to comp'ny G. I feel, I feel , I feel, I feel like a morning star . . . | PD Reprint | |
| Shine Popular Song |
1924 - w. Cecil Mack & Lew Brown m. Ford T. Dabney | PD Reprint | |
| Shine On, Harvest Moon Popular Song |
1908 - w.m. Jack Norworth, Nora Bayes V - The night was mighty dark so you could hardly see, For the moon refused to shine, Couple sitting underneath a willow tree, For love they pine. C - Oh, sing one, shine on harvest moon up in the sky, I ain't had no lovin' since April, January, June or July | PD Reprint | |
| Show Me The Way [1924] Popular Song |
1924 - w. Benny Davis, m. Ted Lewis, Frank Ross V - Sweetheart since first that I met you I fell in love at a glance. C - Show me the way to make you love me. Show me the way to win your heart. | PD Reprint | |
| Show Me The Way To Go Home Popular Song |
1925 - w.m. Irving King, Pseud: James Alexander Campbell-Tyrie (1903–1967) and Reginald John Connelly (1895–1963) V - When I'm happy singing all the while. I don't need nobody then to show me how to smile. C - Show me the way to go home. I'm tired and I want to go to bed. I had a drink about an hour ago, And it's gone right to my head. | PD Reprint | |
| Shreveport Stomp Popular Song |
1925 - m. Ferdinand 'Jelly Roll' Morton (1890-1941) | PD Reprint | |
| Shure They Call It Ireland | See A Little Bit of Heaven (Shure They Call it Ireland) | ||
| Sidewalk Blues Popular Song |
1926 - m. Ferdinand 'Jelly Roll' Morton (1890-1941) | PD Reprint | |
| Sidewalks of New York Traditional |
1894 | PD Reprint | |
| Silver Threads Among The Gold Popular Song |
1873 - m. H.P. Danks, w. Eben E. Rexford V - When your hair is silver white, And your cheeks no longer bright, With the roses of the May; I will kiss your lips and say C - Darling, I am growing old, Silver threads among the gold, Shine upon my brow today, Life is fading fast away | PD Reprint | |
| Simon the Cellarer Traditional |
1885 - Hatton | PD Reprint | |
| Since Ma Is Playing Mahjong Popular Song |
1924 - w.m. Billy Rose, Con Conrad | PD Reprint | |
| Sipping Cider Thru A Straw Popular Song |
1919 - w.m. Carey Morgan and Lee David V - When sweetest girl I ever saw, Was selling cider in a groc'ry store. C - Thipping thider thru a thtraw, We sat there for hours or more. | PD Reprint | |
| Sittin' In A Corner Popular Song |
1923 - w. Gus Kahn m. George W. Meyer | PD Reprint | |
| Sleep Popular Song |
1923 - w.m. Earl Lebieg | PD Reprint | |
| Sleeping Beauty Waltz Traditional |
1890 - Tchaikovsky | PD Reprint | |
| Sleepy Head Popular Song |
1926 - w.m. Benny Davis, Jesse Greer | PD Reprint | |
| Sleepy Time Gal Popular Song |
1925 - w. Joseph R. Alden, Raymond B. Egan, m. Ange Lorenzo, Richard B. Whiting | PD Reprint | |
| Smile Will Go A Long Long Way Popular Song |
1923 - w.m. Benny Davis, Harry Akst V - Smiling faces always find a welcome, That's why ev'ry one should learn to smile. C - When you're blue, and kinda lonely too, You'll find a smile will go a long, long way. | PD Reprint | |
| Smilin' Through Popular Song |
1918 - w.m. Arthur A Penn | PD Reprint | |
| So Am I Popular Song |
1925 - w. Ira Gershwin m. George Gershwin | PD Reprint | |
| So Long, Oo-Long (How Long You Gonna Be Gone?) Popular Song |
1920 - w.m. Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby | PD Reprint | |
| Sobbin' Blues Popular Song |
1923 - w.m. Art Kassel | PD Reprint | |
| Softly now the Light of Day Traditional |
1885 - Weber | PD Reprint | |
| Solace - A Mexican Serenade Ragtime, Music Hall |
1909 - m. Scott Joplin (1867 - 1917) | PD Reprint | |
| Soldier Soldier Will You Marry Me? Traditional |
1750 V - Soldier, soldier, will you marry me, With you knapsack, fife and drum? | PD Reprint | |
| Solomon Levi College |
PD Reprint | ||
| Some of These Days Popular Song |
1910 - w.m. Shelton Brooks V - Two sweethearts in a country town, the neighbors say, Lived happily the whole day long, Until one day he told her he must go away; C - Some of these days You'll miss me, honey, Some of these days You'll feel so lonely; You'll miss my hugging, You'll miss my kissing | PD Reprint | |
| Some Other Day, Some Other Girl Popular Song |
1924 - w.m. Gus Kahn, Isham Jones | PD Reprint | |
| Some Sweet Day Popular Song |
1923 - w. Gene Buck m. Dave Stamper & Louis A. Hirsch V - Ever since I've been here I've been kind of lonely, Every little dear leaves me by my only. But I just feel that some sweet day I'll meet a girl that likes my way. C - Some sweet day some cutie'll Come my way, some beauty, And she may lead me astray. | PD Reprint | |
| Somebody Knows Popular Song |
1915 - w.m. Harry Von Tilzer | PD Reprint | |
| Somebody Loves Me Popular Song |
1924 - w. Ballard MacDonald, B. G. De Sylva, m. George Gershwin P - George White's Scandals of 1924 | PD Reprint | |
| Somebody Stole My Gal Popular Song |
1918 - w.m. Leo Wood | PD Reprint | |
| Someone To Watch Over Me Popular Song |
1926 - w. Ira Gershwin, m. George Gershwin | PD Reprint | |
| Sometime Popular Song |
1925 - w. Gus Kahn, m. Ted Fiorito | PD Reprint | |
| Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child Spiritual |
V - Sometimes I feel like a motherless child . . . a long ways from home. True believer. C - A long ways from home, a long ways from home | PD Reprint | |
| Song Of The Flame Popular Song |
1925 - w. Otto Harbach, Oscar Hammerstein II, m. Herbert Stothart, George Gershwin P - Song of the Flame | PD Reprint | |
| Song Of The Vagabonds Popular Song |
1925 - w. Brian Hooker, m. Rudolf Friml P - The Vagabond King | PD Reprint | |
| Song of the Volga Boatmen Traditional |
1867 N - Russian Boatmen's Chant | PD Reprint | |
| Song That Stole My Heart Popular Song |
1913 - m. Harry Von Tilzer, w. Andrew B. Sterling | PD Reprint | |
| Spain Popular Song |
1924 - w. Gus Kahn m. Isham Jones | PD Reprint | |
| Spanish Cavalier Traditional |
1881 C - A Spanish cavalier stood in his retreat, and on his guitar played a tune dear. | PD Reprint | |
| Spring Song Traditional |
1844 - Mendelssohn N - Classical Standard. Often used music for silent films. | PD Reprint | |
| St. Louis Blues Popular Song |
1914 - w.m. William C. Handy V - I hate to see de evening sun go down . . .Cause ma baby he done lef dis town. Feelin' tomorrow lak ah feel today I'll pack my trunk make ma git away C - Got de St. Louis Blues jes blue as ah can be. Dat man got a heart lak a rock cast in the sea. Or else he woulden't gone so far from me. N - a.k.a. Saint Louis Blues | PD Reprint | |
| Star Of The East Christmas, Holiday |
1890 - m. Amanda Kennedy, w. George Cooper V - Star of the East, Oh Bethlehem's Star, Guiding us on to Heaven afar! Sorrow and grief are lull'd by thy light, Thou hope of each mortal, in death's lonely night! C - Star of the East, thou hope of the soul, While round us here the dark billows roll, Lord lead us from sin to glory afar, Thou star of the East, thou sweet Bethl'em's star. N - Music a.k.a. Star of the Sea | PD Reprint | |
| Star Spangled Banner Patriotic |
1814 - m. British Drinking Song, w. Francis Scott Key V - O ! Say can you see by the dawn's early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming. C - Oh! Say does that star spangled banner yet wave, O... N - Lyrics: 9/13/1812 at Ft. McHenry | PD Reprint | |
| Stars and Stripes Forever - March Patriotic |
1897 - m. John Philip Sousa | PD Reprint | |
| Stars and Stripes Forever - Song Patriotic |
1898 - w.m. John Philip Sousa V - Let martial note in triumph float, And liberty extend it might hand C - Hurrah for the flag of the free, May it wave as our standard forever | PD Reprint | |
| Steal Away Spiritual |
V - My Lord calls me, He calls me by the thunder, The trumpet sounds within my soul. I ain't got long to stay here. C - Steal away, Steal away, Steal away to Jesus! Steal away, steal away home. I ain't got long to stay here. | PD Reprint | |
| Stella Popular Song |
1923 - w.m. Al Jolson, Benny Davis & Harry Akst | PD Reprint | |
| Streets of Laredo Traditional |
1860 V - As I walked out in the streets of Laredo, As I walked out in Laredo one day. I spied a poor cowboy wrapped up in white linen, Wrapped up in white linen as cold as the clay. N - Lyrics PD, but no known PD source of exact tune. Tune likely derived from 'Bard of Armagh' (#363) and "The Unfortunate Rake (#970) published in O'Neill's Music of Ireland, 1905, Chicago. | PD Reprint | |
| Streets of New York (In Old New York) Popular Song |
m. Victor Herbert (1859 - 1924), w. Henry Blossom (1866 - 1919) V - In old New York it's remarkable very! The name on the lampost is unnecessary! C - In old NewYork! In old New York! The peach crop's always fine! They're sweet and fair and on the square! The maids of Manhattan for mine! | PD Reprint | |
| Strike Up the Band - Here Comes a Sailor Popular Song |
1900 - m. Charles B. Ward, w. Andrew Sterling | PD Reprint | |
| Sugar Blues Popular Song |
1919 - m. Clarence Williams, w. Lucy Fletcher V - Have you heard these blues What I'm going to sing to you When you hear em they will thrill you thro' and thro' C - I've got the Sugan Blues. Every body's singing the Sugar Blues. The whole town is ringing I love me coffee I love my tea | PD Reprint | |
| Sunday Popular Song |
1926 - w.m. Ned Miller, Chester Conn, Jule Styne, Bennie Krueger | PD Reprint | |
| Sunshine Of Your Smile Popular Song |
1915 - m. Lillian Ray, w. Leonard Cooke | PD Reprint | |
| Swanee Popular Song |
1919 - m. George Gershwin, w. Irving Caesar | PD Reprint | |
| Swanee Butterfly Popular Song |
1925 - w. Bily Rose, m. Walter Donaldson | PD Reprint | |
| Swanee River Moon Popular Song |
1921 - w.m. H. Pitman Clarke | PD Reprint | |
| Sweet Adeline | See You're the Flower of My Heart, Sweet Adeline | ||
| Sweet and Low Traditional |
1863 - Barnby V - Sweet and Low, sweet and low, Wind of the western sea. | PD Reprint | |
| Sweet And Low-Down Popular Song |
1925 - w. Ira Gershwin, m. George Gershwin | PD Reprint | |
| Sweet Betsy from Pike Traditional |
1853 V - Oh, don't you remember Sweet Betsy from Pike, Who crossed the big mountains with her lover Ike, With two yoke of cattle, a large yellow dog, A tall shanghai rooster and one spotted hog. C - Toorah lal Looral lal looral lal la. Toorah lal Looral lal looral lal la. N - Tune: Villikins and His Dinah | PD Reprint | |
| Sweet Evelina | See Dear Evelina, Sweet Evelina | ||
| Sweet Genevieve Traditional |
1869 - Tucker, Cooper | PD Reprint | |
| Sweet Georgia Brown Popular Song |
1925 - w.m. Ben Bernie, Maceo Pinkard, Kenneth Casey V - She just got here yesterday. Things are hot here now they say. There's a big change in town. C - No gal made has got a shade On Sweet Georgia Brown. Two left feet but oh so neat has Sweet Georgia Brown. | PD Reprint | |
| Sweet Indiana Home Popular Song |
1922 - w.m. Walter Donaldson | PD Reprint | |
| Sweet Little You Popular Song |
1924 - w.m. Irving Bibo | PD Reprint | |
| Sweet Mamma (Papa's Getting' Mad) Popular Song |
1920 - s.m. Fred Rose, George A. Little, Peter L. Frost | PD Reprint | |
| Sweet Pickles Ragtime, Music Hall |
1907 - Theron C. Bennett (alias George E. Florence) | PD Reprint | |
| Sweet Rosie O'Grady Popular Song |
1896 - w.m. Maude Nugent V - Just down around the corner of the street where I reside, There lives the cutest little girl that I have ever spied. C - Sweet Rosie O'Grady, My dear little Rose, She's my steady lady, Most ev'ry one know, And when we are married, How happy we'll be | PD Reprint | |
| Sweetheart Of Sigma Chi Popular Song |
PD Reprint | ||
| Swing Low Sweet Chariot Spiritual |
1872 V - I looked over Jordan and what did I see, Coming for to carry me home? A band of angels coming after me, coming for to carry me home. C - Swing low, sweet chariot, Coming for to carry me home . . | PD Reprint | |
| Swingin' Down the Lane Popular Song |
1923 - w. Gus Kahn m. Isham Jones V - There's a nightingale callin'; Out where moonbeams are fallin', He's makin' love to a red, red rose C - Ev'rybody hand in hand, Swingin' down the lane, Ev'rebody feelin' grand, Swingin' down the lane. | PD Reprint | |
| Syncopated Walk Popular Song |
1914 - w.m. Irving Berlin V - Strange, but there's a change In how the people walk these days. Yes! You must confess that ever since the dancing craze ev'ry body has a syncopated walk. C - Look at 'em doin' it. That syncopated walk. Look at 'em doin' it. I know who introduced it. Wait'll he reaches you. Wait'll he teaches you. | PD Reprint | |
