Song Clearance Sheet
3 sources citedGive My Regards to Broadway
Broadway1900sPictured: George M. Cohan, c. 1918 (public domain) · source
123BPM
UnconfirmedKey
More around 120 BPM → · More “Public Domain” →
Algorithmically estimated; acoustic-era recordings are a documented hard case for automated tempo/key detection.
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.
Origin
Written by George M. Cohan for his 1904 musical 'Little Johnny Jones' (debuted Nov 7, 1904, Liberty Theater, NYC); Cohan wrote the book, music and lyrics and starred
Publishing & early recording
Published by Leo Feist; one of the earliest recordings was by Billy Murray
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
James Cagney's Oscar-winning performance
Featured in a solo tap-dance sequence by James Cagney in the 1942 biopic 'Yankee Doodle Dandy,' for which Cagney won Best Actor.
Wikipedia · read it →
A university fight song borrows the tune directly
Cornell University's fight song, 'Give My Regards to Davy,' is set to this exact melody.
Wikipedia · read it →
Referenced by Paul McCartney and The Pogues
Paul McCartney's 1984 'Give My Regards to Broad Street' alludes to the title; The Pogues' 'Thousands Are Sailing' name-checks both Cohan and the song.
Wikipedia · read it →
Still surfacing in 21st-century media
Referenced in the film 'Bring It On,' used by JibJab for a 2013 year-in-review, and appears as a cue in a Johnny Cage 'Friendship' in Mortal Kombat 11 (2019).
Wikipedia · read it →
Honored with Broadway's only performer statue
A statue of Cohan bearing this song's title on its plaque was dedicated in Times Square in 1959 — the only statue of a performer in Manhattan's theater district.
NPR · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?Yes — free to use without clearance
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Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026BPM/Key fast-follow: tempo and key are interpretation-dependent across arrangements and performances — no canonical value, so both marked Unconfirmed rather than invented
Jul 2026Page created