Paul McCartney seeks to recapture ownership of Beatles songs he wrote

There’s a benefit to longevity under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976.

As Paul McCartney is now taking steps to accomplish, the author of a song can recapture publishing rights after 56 years, if it was written before 1978, Billboard reports. Publishing rights can be recaptured after 35 years for a song written in 1978 or later.

The famed Beatles singer didn’t write all of the Fab Four’s songs (John Lennon also wrote or co-wrote many of them), but in a December filing with the U.S. Copyright Office, McCartney seeks rights to 32.

They include Hey Jude and Revolution, reports the Washington Post (reg. req.).

Once the current song rights expire in years to come, McCartney’s ownership will apply only to songs he authored, in whole or in part, and in the U.S.