Can't restore MP3s from a Time Machine backup to new Macbook Pro running Lion

I recently purchased a new Macbook Pro, and have successfully installed Lion on it. (It had Snow Leopard coming out of the box.) I restored successfully from a Time Machine backup that was done on Leopard, on my old Macbook that died in June. However, for some reason the iTunes music folder didn't have any MP3s - it had all the folders (bands, albums, etc.), but all but a few folders were empty. (I think I restored maybe 60 MP3s total.)

The MP3s *are* on an earlier backup. But the Time Machine isn't allowing me to access/restore from any of the older backups. I opened the backup in a Finder window, but when I try to copy the "iTunes Music" folder from the backup to the MBP, it denies me permission. Ditto with the individual folders within. I *can* copy the individual MP3s, but with well over 10,000 MP3s, this is not a very good option!

Any ideas as to why I can't access the earlier backups in Time Machine, or why I'm not being allowed to copy the iTunes folder to the MBP?

Have you tried using Migration Assistant to port all of the needed data over from the Time Machine backup? I've found that's usually a lot easier.

having the same problem if I try to use Migration Assistant - getting a message saying I don't have permission.

Have you tried running Verify/Repair Permissions against the Time Machine drive, using Disk Utility?

problem resolved - spoke with AppleCare, advised to drag the iTunes music file from the back up disk to the Library in iTunes itself. This worked.