clearthesample
Song Clearance Sheet
5 sources cited

Greensleeves

Traditional (anonymous) · 1580

Folk1580s

More “Public Domain” →

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.
Quick Facts
Released1580
GenreFolk, Traditional
More infoWikipedia →
Origin
Composed anonymously; the earliest documented reference is a broadside ballad registered at the London Stationers’ Company on September 3, 1580, “A New Northern Dittye of the Lady Greene Sleeves.”
Mark Alburger Music Historychecked Jul 2026
A legend disproven by concrete evidence
The popular belief that Henry VIII wrote it for Anne Boleyn is contradicted by evidence, not just absence of proof: (1) Henry’s documented compositions are catalogued in the 1518 “Henry VIII Songbook” — this isn’t among them; (2) it’s built on the “romanesca” form, which originated in Italy in the mid-16th century and didn’t reach England until the 1560s, after Henry’s 1547 death; (3) its first documented appearance (1580) is 33 years after his death.
8noteschecked Jul 2026
Other debunked myths
Separate claims that the song is about a prostitute, or that it has Irish origins, have both been examined by dedicated scholarly analysis and found similarly unsupported.
Earlymusicmusechecked Jul 2026

Rights Status

Licenses explained →

Public domain is not one blanket badge — each source can carry its own caveat

The compositionPublic domain
Earliest documented reference 1580 — anonymous; in the public domainWikipediachecked Jul 2026
The early recordingPublic domain
Early recordings are pre-1923 and in the U.S. public domainWikipediachecked Jul 2026

Cultural Impact

Documented covers, adaptations, and cultural echoes — each with a real, dated source

The version we know today took shape by the 1580s

Further printed versions followed in 1581 and 1584, with a version titled “A New Courtly Sonnet of the Lady Green Sleeves,” printed by Richard Jones — essentially the version recognized and performed today.

Galaxy Music Notes · read it →
It survives in multiple Renaissance manuscripts

The tune survives in several late-16th/early-17th-century musical manuscripts, including Ballet’s MS Lute Book and the Dutch “Het Luitboek van Thysius.”

Mark Alburger Music History · read it →
Know something? Add it →

Can You Use It for Free?

How to check PD →
Is it public domain?Yes — free to use without clearance
Wikipediachecked Jul 2026

References

Every source cited on this page — 5 in total

WikipediaMark Alburger Music History8notesEarlymusicmuseGalaxy Music Notes
Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Deep Batch 3)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending a separate manual keyfinder pass
Last checked Jul 2026 · Compiled from Wikipedia, Wikidata, Discogs, MusicBrainz, Nolo, Stereogum, Songfacts.
This page is informational, not legal advice — always confirm current rightsholders before release.
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