# Question about "Happy Birthday" song **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 12, 2002, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-happy-birthday-song/123608 "2002-08-12T23:20:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WSLer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a6a055/32.png) [@WSLer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WSLer)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-happy-birthday-song/123608/1 "2002-08-12T23:20:19Z")
The “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you”…etc. one. Is it in the public domain or is it still under copyright? On another message board, someone said that Paul McCartney owns the rights to it. Is this true? Thanks in advance. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-happy-birthday-song/123608/2 "2002-08-12T23:35:24Z")
[http://www.straightdope.com/columns/000728.html](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/000728.html) As always, The Master knows. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-happy-birthday-song/123608/3 "2002-08-12T23:35:24Z")
According to [this](http://www.ibiblio.org/team/fun/birthday/) site, since 1988 the rights have been owned by Warner Communications. ---
**Author:** ![erin\_uh\_oh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@erin\_uh\_oh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erin_uh_oh)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2002, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-happy-birthday-song/123608/4 "2002-08-13T05:29:16Z")
since this has already been answered, can i just say that that song is the most morbid souding tune ever? next time a group of people is singing it, just listen to the sound of the song…it sounds like the person they’re singing to is going to be executed or something. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2002, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-happy-birthday-song/123608/5 "2002-08-13T12:35:26Z")
That’s because when a group sings any song without someone leading them, they tend to sing it too slow (as they wait for everyone) and are often flat. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2002, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-happy-birthday-song/123608/6 "2002-08-13T12:52:56Z")
It’s a bit interesting in that it doesn’t begin on the tonic note. ---
**Author:** ![av8rmike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/edb3f5/32.png) [@av8rmike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/av8rmike)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2002, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-happy-birthday-song/123608/7 "2002-08-13T13:54:25Z")
Anybody catch _Live from Lincoln Center_ a few weeks ago, for Kurt Masur’s 75th birthday/farewell NY Philharmonic concert? At the very end the orchestra played it for Masur. That time it sounded good. Wonder if they secured the rights to broadcast it, even over public TV/radio? ---
**Author:** ![Newton\_meter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/57b2e6/32.png) [@Newton\_meter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Newton_meter)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2002, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-happy-birthday-song/123608/8 "2002-08-13T14:40:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Libertarian \* > \*\*It’s a bit interesting in that it doesn’t begin on the tonic note. \*\* I like to begin birthdays on a gin note. ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2002, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-happy-birthday-song/123608/9 "2002-08-13T15:29:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by erin uh oh \* > \*\*since this has already been answered, can i just say that that song is the most morbid souding tune ever? next time a group of people is singing it, just listen to the sound of the song…it sounds like the person they’re singing to is going to be executed or something. \*\* Seen **Office Space** lately? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2002, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-happy-birthday-song/123608/10 "2002-08-13T16:10:11Z")
Based on the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act, _Happy Birthday to You_ will fall in the public domain on January 1, 2030. If _Eldred v. Ashcroft_ finds the Bono act unconstitutional, then it will be public domain January 1, 2010. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2002, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-happy-birthday-song/123608/11 "2002-08-13T18:38:05Z")
[Obligatory Snopes link](http://www.snopes.com/music/songs/birthday.htm). ---
**Author:** ![erin\_uh\_oh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@erin\_uh\_oh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erin_uh_oh)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2002, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-happy-birthday-song/123608/12 "2002-08-13T22:33:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by brondicon \* > \*\* > > Seen **Office Space** lately? 😃 \*\* i’ve never seen it…should i ask why? ---
**Author:** ![erin\_uh\_oh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@erin\_uh\_oh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erin_uh_oh)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2002, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-happy-birthday-song/123608/13 "2002-08-13T22:36:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RealityChuck \* > \*\*That’s because when a group sings any song without someone leading them, they tend to sing it too slow (as they wait for everyone) and are often flat. \*\* that’s true…but i think it has a little to do with the song itself, too. because “auld lang syne” (the only other song i can think of right now that a roomful of people sing), it doesn’t sound too morbid. maybe that’s because it’s already a slower song? i dunno. ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2002, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-happy-birthday-song/123608/14 "2002-08-14T18:05:27Z")
**Erin** : In Office Space, the people sing for their evil boss the most soulless, empty, and sad version of “Happy Birthday” that has ever been recorded. ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2002, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-happy-birthday-song/123608/15 "2002-08-14T18:18:05Z")
Thanks, **Elwood**! You beat me to it, but I couldn’t have said it better. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2002, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-happy-birthday-song/123608/16 "2002-08-15T17:38:06Z")
…but the most soulless, empty, and sad version of any “Happy Birthday” song is the one that’s sung at Boy Scout camps whenever an adult leader has a birthday. Happy birthday! Ugh! Happy birthday! Ugh! Sickness, sorrow, and dispair People dying everywhere Happy birthday! Ugh! All in a slow, dragging minor key. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2002, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-happy-birthday-song/123608/17 "2002-08-15T23:17:22Z")
**Chronus** , I’ve always sung that version to the tune of the Volga Boatman, but our words are: Happy Birthday, Oh Happy Birthday, People dying everywhere Sickness, sorrow, and dispair, On your Birthday, oh Happy Birthday, One day closer to death… ---
**Author:** ![MisterThyristor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecccb3/32.png) [@MisterThyristor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MisterThyristor)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-happy-birthday-song/123608/18 "2002-08-16T04:35:23Z")
That one is known as the “Birthday Dirge”. The FAQ is[here.](http://www.faqs.org/faqs/music/birthday-dirge-faq/) That site lists about 30 verses, but I seem to recall that there are a lot more than that around. Warning: some of them are somewhat adult in subject matter.