# What's up with people not being able to sing Happy Birthday? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 4, 2017, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-people-not-being-able-to-sing-happy-birthday/795458 "2017-09-04T05:30:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-people-not-being-able-to-sing-happy-birthday/795458/81 "2017-09-08T13:34:33Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > A fifth is (for example) from C to G\*. Beginning music students can identify/sing a fifth by remembering how the song “Oh Christmas Tree, oh Christmas tree, how lovely art thou branches” starts. The “Oh Cris” is a fifth. No, that’s a fourth. The opening notes of the STAR WARS theme is a fifth. The first two notes of the solo trumpet in 2001: A Space Odyssey (aka _Also Sprach Zarathustra_) are a fifth. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-people-not-being-able-to-sing-happy-birthday/795458/82 "2017-09-08T13:57:01Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > No, that’s a fourth. > > The opening notes of the STAR WARS theme is a fifth. The first two notes of the solo trumpet in 2001: A Space Odyssey (aka _Also Sprach Zarathustra_) are a fifth. For whatever reason, I always use the piano intro for “Song For My Father” or, more popularly, “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number” as my reference for a fifth. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-people-not-being-able-to-sing-happy-birthday/795458/83 "2017-09-08T14:58:52Z")
Nobody concentrates on singing the song properly because the vast majority of people never sing and couldn’t care less about the aesthetics of the 15 seconds before the kid blows out the candles. That this annoys people is utterly baffling to me. It’s like complaining about proper shading technique on stick figures in Pictionary or grip on theclub in mini-golf. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-people-not-being-able-to-sing-happy-birthday/795458/84 "2017-09-08T16:09:52Z")
If the activity at birthday parties was “everyone draw a cat” instead of “let’s sing happy birthday”, I promise would not expect anyone’s cat to look [like this](http://webneel.com/daily/sites/default/files/images/daily/02-2014/2-cat-drawing.jpg) — I’d totally be amazed and blown away if it did — but if nearly everyone’s cat looked like [this](http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2lvz8jk&s=6#.WbK_la2ZPRY) I’d wonder what the fuck is going on, are you all doing it with your eyes closed or something? Is there something uncool about doing it at least [this well](http://img.time2draw.com/2015/01/How-to-Draw-Cat-Face-Kids-step-3-215x382.png)? What am I missing here? (etc) ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-people-not-being-able-to-sing-happy-birthday/795458/85 "2017-09-08T17:00:23Z")
One problem is that it’s hard to sing on-pitch when you have someone singing off-pitch right next to you. All it takes is one or two people singing badly (and loudly) to throw the whole group off. I was at a birthday party several months ago where one of the people sang in a loud monotone. I wasn’t able to stay on-pitch, so I stopped singing before the song was over. Of course, this gave Mr. Tone Deaf a bigger share of the “vote” as to the proper pitch. It isn’t really necessary to understand music theory to sing such a simple song. All you need is halfway decent relative pitch, a bit of voice control, and the ability (and willingness) to match your pitch to those around you. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-people-not-being-able-to-sing-happy-birthday/795458/86 "2017-09-08T20:50:29Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > If the activity at birthday parties was “everyone draw a cat” instead of “let’s sing happy birthday”, I promise would not expect anyone’s cat to look [like this](http://webneel.com/daily/sites/default/files/images/daily/02-2014/2-cat-drawing.jpg) — I’d totally be amazed and blown away if it did — but if nearly everyone’s cat looked like [this](http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2lvz8jk&s=6#.WbK_la2ZPRY) I’d wonder what the fuck is going on, are you all doing it with your eyes closed or something? I’ve never heard a version of Happy Birthday that was as unidentifiable as that cat. I’m sure it is to you, but generally you can tell what song they’re trying to sing, even if the pitches are way off and the words are removed. It’s more like a stick figure drawing of a cat. Look, some people, like me, just can’t sing for shit. It’s not that hard to understand. It annoys me that I know I can’t sing; it annoys me that my aural skills are good enough that when I hear a recording of myself singing, I know it sounds like shit; it annoys me that otherwise I am a decent instrumentalist and musician; and, yes, it annoys me that it comes so easy to some people that they can’t possibly understand how it is difficult for others not to be able to sing. For me, improvising at the piano is fairly easy; for others it looks like magic. But I totally understand how it doesn’t come easy to everyone. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-people-not-being-able-to-sing-happy-birthday/795458/87 "2017-09-09T04:57:37Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > [please avert eyes if you don’t want to read details about music] > Well, just to be completist, F to C, G to D, A to E, but not B to F–at least that’s not the same type of fifth we’re talking about. B to F is a diminished fifth, or an augmented fourth. Both are also known as a tritone (the devil’s interval, or diabolus in musica (the devil in music.) > [/music nerdiness] Yes! Nerdiness much appreciated. While I do know that, it has been so long since I’ve done anything with Western music that I didn’t think about how my explanation oversimplified. I love augmented fourths. They are beautiful. > [@AHunter3](#): > > No, that’s a fourth. Hmm. You are right: Oh Christmas Tree starts with a fourth. But somehow, I have it in my head wrong. I want to begin on the wrong tone. Must be because I’m an evil atheist who hasn’t sung Christmas carols in a long time. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-people-not-being-able-to-sing-happy-birthday/795458/88 "2017-09-09T23:57:34Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I’ve never heard a version of Happy Birthday that was as unidentifiable as that cat. :rolleyes: [Listen to me make a fool of myself](https://youtu.be/FaklojvQPPk). Maybe I was already kind of on that trajectory with this thread. But let’s quit talking theory and music-student snobbery and stuff. Poll: Which of the following most accurately reflects your musicality? a) You could sing it more or less as well as the first version, as far as being on the right pitches b) You can recognize the difference between the two versions but if you tried to sing it, it would be likely to sound no better than the second version as far as being able to be on the right pitches. c) You can’t really tell any difference between the two versions as far as being on pitch and so on. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-people-not-being-able-to-sing-happy-birthday/795458/89 "2017-09-10T00:32:48Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Poll: Which of the following most accurately reflects your musicality? I am option A. ---
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-people-not-being-able-to-sing-happy-birthday/795458/90 "2017-09-10T00:50:05Z")
I can read music. I can play music on a few instruments. I can hear correct notes. And I can’t carry a vocal tune in a bucket, with help from a sherpa. I just can’t. I want to, but I can’t. ---
**Author:** ![Allthegood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c68b51/32.png) [@Allthegood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Allthegood)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-people-not-being-able-to-sing-happy-birthday/795458/91 "2017-09-10T01:34:40Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Poll: Which of the following most accurately reflects your musicality? > > a) You could sing it more or less as well as the first version, as far as being on the right pitches. That would be me. Or I might sing harmony. ---
**Author:** ![Murderface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Murderface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Murderface)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-people-not-being-able-to-sing-happy-birthday/795458/92 "2017-09-10T01:37:11Z")
For me, it’s that I don’t want to seem like a perfectionist when I’m singing something that’s not meant to impress anyone. XD ---
**Author:** ![Allthegood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c68b51/32.png) [@Allthegood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Allthegood)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-people-not-being-able-to-sing-happy-birthday/795458/93 "2017-09-14T04:04:37Z")
I was just watching a music video of a concert where the lead singer was encouraging the audience to sing along (actually a call-and-refrain) and it occurred to me that the audience was very good at singing the correct pitches and rhythms, even though they were a bit complicated. And I realized that MOST audiences at concerts can sing along remarkably well, so I extrapolate that most people can sing reasonably well. Why then, as AHunter3 asks, are people so bad at singing Happy Birthday? What is it about that particular song? ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-people-not-being-able-to-sing-happy-birthday/795458/94 "2017-09-14T05:23:22Z")
> [@Allthegood](#): > > I was just watching a music video of a concert where the lead singer was encouraging the audience to sing along (actually a call-and-refrain) and it occurred to me that the audience was very good at singing the correct pitches and rhythms, even though they were a bit complicated. And I realized that MOST audiences at concerts can sing along remarkably well, so I extrapolate that most people can sing reasonably well. Why then, as AHunter3 asks, are people so bad at singing Happy Birthday? What is it about that particular song? I have never heard that happen before but I do appreciate the fact that we just got graped for the first time in a long time. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-people-not-being-able-to-sing-happy-birthday/795458/95 "2017-09-14T11:19:39Z")
People at concerts are self selected for at least minimal musical interest. People at birthday parties have not. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-people-not-being-able-to-sing-happy-birthday/795458/96 "2017-09-14T11:47:43Z")
> [@Allthegood](#): > > I was just watching a music video of a concert where the lead singer was encouraging the audience to sing along (actually a call-and-refrain) and it occurred to me that the audience was very good at singing the correct pitches and rhythms, even though they were a bit complicated. And I realized that MOST audiences at concerts can sing along remarkably well, so I extrapolate that most people can sing reasonably well. Why then, as AHunter3 asks, are people so bad at singing Happy Birthday? What is it about that particular song? At concerts I lip synch, which I do pretty well. In grade school (4th grade, IIRC) a friend told me the chorus desperately needed warm bodies, and you got out of classes to practice. I signed up. I never sang a note, just mouthed the words. My parents came to two recitals, amazed that I was on stage singing. The one time the teacher asked me to sing something solo, I explained that I was battling a cold _cough, cough_. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-people-not-being-able-to-sing-happy-birthday/795458/97 "2017-09-14T14:29:13Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > :rolleyes: [Listen to me make a fool of myself](https://youtu.be/FaklojvQPPk). Maybe I was already kind of on that trajectory with this thread. But let’s quit talking theory and music-student snobbery and stuff. > > Poll: Which of the following most accurately reflects your musicality? > > a) You could sing it more or less as well as the first version, as far as being on the right pitches > > b) You can recognize the difference between the two versions but if you tried to sing it, it would be likely to sound no better than the second version as far as being able to be on the right pitches. > > c) You can’t really tell any difference between the two versions as far as being on pitch and so on. Well, for me it’s B). And the pitches are pretty wavery in the first version, too. (And that is closest to how I would describe my singing.) In the second one, yeah, you float around a bit more and change keys, but it still sounds like “Happy Birthday.” When you’re singing with a whole group of people, it’s really difficult to stay in your own key, especially if some of the more tone deaf singers sing more loudly. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-people-not-being-able-to-sing-happy-birthday/795458/98 "2017-09-14T14:41:17Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Well, for me it’s B). And the pitches are pretty wavery in the first version, too. (And that is closest to how I would describe my singing.) Nah, mine is still a couple pegs below that. [Here’s me earnestly trying to sing it](http://www.pawinskiphotography.com/public/birthday2.m4a). It took me four takes before I got something where the pitches were in the general area of where they were supposed to be. And I’m also singing in a comfortable range for me, which is not often the case when somebody takes off on a spontaneous version of Happy Birthday and establishes a key. (Usually, the most dominant voice in a group.) ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-people-not-being-able-to-sing-happy-birthday/795458/99 "2017-09-14T18:16:17Z")
No offense, I hope, but critiquing the singing of Happy Birthday kind of misses the point of singing Happy Birthday. It’s a birthday party, not a flash mob of _Les Miserables_. > [@Florence Foster Jenkins](#): > > Maybe they will say that I couldn’t sing. But nobody can say that I didn’t sing. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-people-not-being-able-to-sing-happy-birthday/795458/100 "2017-09-14T20:24:36Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Nah, mine is still a couple pegs below that. [Here’s me earnestly trying to sing it](http://www.pawinskiphotography.com/public/birthday2.m4a). It took me four takes before I got something where the pitches were in the general area of where they were supposed to be. And I’m also singing in a comfortable range for me, which is not often the case when somebody takes off on a spontaneous version of Happy Birthday and establishes a key. (Usually, the most dominant voice in a group.) Sorry – if that’s the right word in this backassed context – but the version you sang in the above link is WAY closer to being on pitch throughout than my second example. Your high note (“ **BIRTH** day dear so and so…”) is a perfect or damn-near-perfect octave above the “Happy” immediately preceding it. Unlike my second example you aren’t restarting in a new key with every instance of “happy”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-people-not-being-able-to-sing-happy-birthday/795458.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-people-not-being-able-to-sing-happy-birthday/795458.md?page=6)