Song Clearance Sheet
5 sources citedIn the Good Old Summertime
Tin Pan Alley1900sPictured: Original sheet music (Blanche Ring cover) (public domain) · source
B♭ majKey
More in B♭ major → · More “Public Domain” →
Key from published sheet music / hymnals
The verdict
Public Domain
In the public domain — but check the Rights Status below; a specific host's copy can carry its own caveat.
Used by independents?
Yes — it’s in the public domain — free for any independent artist to use, with no clearance needed.
The beach-conversation origin
Evans, Shields, and actress-singer Blanche Ring were at Brighton Beach when Evans said he preferred "the good old summer time" of all the seasons — Shields immediately seized on the phrase as a title. Evans could not write musical notation, so Ring helped him notate the piano score
The ironic rejection
New York publishers initially refused to buy it, believing a song about summer would be forgotten once the season ended — a prediction disproven by more than 120 years of continued use
How it broke out
Blanche Ring got it added to the 1902 musical comedy "The Defender," which she was starring in — a hit from opening night, with audiences joining in on the chorus
Rights Status
Licenses explained →Public domain is not one blanket badge — each source can carry its own caveat
The compositionPublic domain
The early recordingPublic domain
Cultural Impact
Documented covers, adaptations, and cultural echoes — each with a real, dated source
Adopted by John Philip Sousa's band
Recorded by Sousa's band in 1903 — a real early crossover from Tin Pan Alley pop song into the military/marching band repertoire.
Wikipedia · read it →
Inspired its own 1949 MGM musical film
"In the Good Old Summertime" (1949), starring Judy Garland, took its title directly from the song.
Quaker City String Band · read it →
Performed on-screen by Laurel and Hardy
Part of the song is sung by Laurel and Hardy in their 1930 short film "Below Zero."
Wikipedia (Ren Shields) · read it →
Still resurfacing in children's media
Reportedly used in a season 9 episode of the PBS Kids animated series "Arthur" — a single-source claim, not independently cross-verified.
Mama Lisa's World · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?Yes — free to use without clearance
References
Every source cited on this page — 5 in total
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Page history · 3 updates
Jul 2026Key added from published sheet music / hymnals (documented source)
Jul 2026Page created — full PD research (batch 8.3)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending a separate manual keyfinder pass