The lawsuit was prompted by a recent documentary that explores the history of "the world's most popular song;" the producers paid a $1,500 fee to use the song in their film to avoid up to $150,000 in liabilities for copyright infringement.

The song, composed by Patty Smith and her sister Mildred Hill in the 19th century, didn't appear in a book until 1924 -- which puts it under the 95-year protection of copyright law for works published after 1923. However, the production company alleges that the song was put in print well before 1923.

From the Hollywood Reporter:

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