sound Using a Ramones cover song

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driverrodeshotgun

I have a cover my friend did of Blitzkrieg bop by the Ramones. Now this is a song from 1976 and the writers Tommy and Dee Dee Ramone are unfortunately dead (as are Johnny and Joey, RIP.) How would I even go about looking for permission to use the cover song? I know I don't have to worry about the rights to the recorded version b/c this is a cover so I mainly need to worry about who owns the rights to the lyrics/melody, even though the cover has a different style.

Do I seek the label out? I know this song has been covered numerous times as well. This is a short film of mine, narrative, it plays for about a minute and a half and I might use it at the end somewhere. I have no idea where to start....
 
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Start with Harry Fox Agency.

There are a few copyright hurdles you have to clear. Your friend's cover needs to have copyright licensing just to be recorded at all. Plus, you're gonna have to have a sync license to put it in your film. And (note: I am not a copyright lawyer) there may be another level of licensing if you're putting this up on the Internet.
 
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What Acoustic Al said :)

Your life will be much simpler if you can come up with an original song to use instead; perhaps your friend can write something with a similar sound?
 
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As for recording the song at all, your friend's cover would need something called A Mechanical License if you're interested in a partial answer to your licensing inquiries
 
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