I assume the laws of fair use apply in a similar manner for writing literature as they would in screenplays. Although the common practice is to never ever ever use a specific song for any reason in a screenplay as the replay of said song in the finished product (movie, show, etc) would require licensing for use, how would one go about using a few lyrics from a popular song in a book legitimately and free of legal recourse?
This has been asked a thousand times, and the answer, I'm afraid, is that in order to use any lyrics, you need the permission of the songwriter. Most often, they'll charge you for that permission. It's far easier to just not use them, when it comes down to it. Use without permission is copyright infringement, and in the event that your manuscript is picked up and published, you will be liable for legal action against you.
Fair use only applies to use in literary reviews, scholarly papers, and the like. It does NOT apply to inclusion in any work of fiction. You must obtain written permission from the copyright owner to include any lyrics in any work of siction. The sole exception is lyrics to a song which is no longer under copyright. This question has been asked too many times to count.
