The verdict
Cleared After Dispute
A real, formally litigated case: Belasco won a 1948 US copyright suit over the melody that became “Rum and Coca-Cola” (already in this catalog). The layered irony — Belasco himself likely borrowed the melody from the earlier Barbadian folk song “King Ja Ja” — is preserved honestly in the Receipts.
Who you need to ask
The songwriter of record — Lionel Belasco (formally credited composer)
SecondHandSongs → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Not confirmed — needs a Songview/Discogs lookup
Unknown · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
Yes — its melody became “Rum and Coca-Cola” (already in this catalog); Belasco won a 1948 US copyright suit over it.
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; a formally litigated and won copyright case establishes the melody’s authorship.
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
The hit built on this melody — Belasco won the 1948 suit over it (already in this catalog)
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Lionel Belasco (formally credited composer)
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
IMPORTANT: Belasco himself likely borrowed this melody from an earlier folk song
Per SecondHandSongs, Belasco himself likely appropriated the melody from an earlier 1880s Barbadian folk song, “King Ja Ja” — meaning the very composer who successfully sued Morey Amsterdam for stealing his melody may have engaged in the same uncredited borrowing from an even earlier source. A real, layered irony.
SecondHandSongs · read it →
The connection to Rum and Coca-Cola
Lord Invader (Rupert Grant) set new wartime lyrics to this melody; when Morey Amsterdam published it in the US under his own name, Belasco (for the melody) sued for infringement and won in 1948 — already documented on the Rum and Coca-Cola page.
Wikipedia (Rum and Coca-Cola) · read it →
A court opinion confirmed the whole chain
In Baron v. Leo Feist, Judge Simon Rifkind stated there was no doubt Amsterdam brought both words and music from Trinidad, rejecting a rival composer’s claim of original authorship as fabricated.
GWU Music Copyright Infringement Resource · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
—
Times sampled
The source melody of “Rum and Coca-Cola”
Covers
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First flip
Who to Contact
LP
Lionel Belasco (estate)
The formally credited composer of the melody
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
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References
Every source cited on this page — 3 in total
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Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Research Queue Batch 7)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending the automated GetSongBPM/Deezer pass