The song as you remember it, even if you are looking at the plastic record right this minute and are reading from the label, may have been sold since it first appeared for sale in record stores, and the older the record is, the better the chances that it's moved from one publishing house to another, or now has split publishing represented. The reason is that buying songs for a publishing house account are kind of like buying stocks! The buyer knows that some songs are going to pay for years, others for special use, others because a new performer has re-recorded, and some will just settle, but are a part of a body of work.
This is one of the reasons you accept a disclaimer on the BMI website before you search for the owner of an intellectual property, because there are always changes going on. An intellectual property attorney is sometimes needed if there's any question.
"Copyright ©2012 Broadcast Music, Inc. All rights reserved. ( This is the BMI disclaimer)
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained on this website, BMI provides no warranty regarding the accuracy of the information contained herein. The materials in this site are provided “as is” and without any warranties of any kind expressed or implied. All warranties expressed or implied are excluded to the fullest extent permissible by law."
There's more legalese after that. Disclaimers are on other such sites too... we're just using BMI as an example here. The cataloging process is never ending. The changes are never ending. We don't know how they ever really catch up!
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