NEW YORK (AP) - A federal judge in New York says Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder probably didn't commit copyright infringement when he tinkered with the lyrics of the song "Hard Sun'' while recording a version of it for the Sean Penn film "Into the Wild.''

The song's Canadian composer, Gordon Peterson, sued Vedder and Universal Music Publishing in July, claiming his licensing deal barred anyone recording the work to change the lyrics without his permission.

But U.S. District Judge Richard Sullivan said during a Friday court session that the law does allow some lyric changes by people performing songs.

Other parts of the case deal with Peterson's claim that his licensing deal prohibited the use of the song in films.