Origins of Happy Birthday to You

Origins of "Happy Birthday to You"

• The song "Happy Birthday to You" was written by two American sisters, Patty Hill and Mildred J. Hill, in the late 19th century.
• The song was originally called "Good Morning to All" and was intended to be sung by students before classes began.
• The song became popular as a birthday greeting in the early 20th century.

Melody and Lyrics

• The song consists of a simple melody with a repetitive structure, making it easy to remember and sing.
• The traditional lyrics are:
  1. Happy birthday to you,
  2. Happy birthday to you,
  3. Happy birthday dear [name],
  4. Happy birthday to you!

Copyright and Public Domain

• The song was copyrighted by the Hill sisters in 1935, but the copyright was later disputed.
• In 2015, a court ruling declared that the song was no longer under copyright, making it public domain in the United States.

Cultural Significance

• "Happy Birthday to You" is one of the most widely recognized and commonly sung songs in the world.
• It is traditionally sung at birthday celebrations, often with the birthday person's name inserted in the third line.
• The song has been translated into many languages and is used in various cultures to celebrate birthdays.

Origins of "Happy Birthday to You"

• Patty Hill and Mildred J. Hill, two American sisters, wrote the song "Happy Birthday to You" in the late 19th century.
• The song was originally titled "Good Morning to All" and intended for students to sing before classes.
• It became a popular birthday greeting in the early 20th century.

Melody and Lyrics

• The song has a simple and repetitive melody, making it easy to remember and sing.
• The traditional lyrics are:
  • Happy birthday to you,
  • Happy birthday to you,
  • Happy birthday dear [name],
  • Happy birthday to you!

Copyright and Public Domain

• The Hill sisters copyrighted the song in 1935.
• The copyright was later disputed, and in 2015, a court ruling declared the song public domain in the United States.

Cultural Significance

• "Happy Birthday to You" is one of the most widely recognized and commonly sung songs worldwide.
• It's traditionally sung at birthday celebrations, often with the birthday person's name inserted in the third line.
• The song has been translated into many languages and is used in various cultures to celebrate birthdays.

Origins of "Happy Birthday to You"

• Written by American sisters Patty Hill and Mildred J.Hill in the late 19th century
• Originally titled "Good Morning to All", intended for students to sing before classes began
• Patty Hill composed the melody, and Mildred J.Hill wrote the lyrics

Evolution of the Song

• Became popular and sung on various occasions, including birthdays
• Lyrics modified to "Happy Birthday to You" over time
• Gained widespread use and became a traditional birthday song

Copyright and Legal Issues

• Copyrighted in 1935 by Summy-Birchard Music, later acquired by Warner/Chappell Music
• 2015 court ruling declared the copyright had expired, making it public domain in the United States
• Still under copyright in some countries, but considered public domain in general

Cultural Significance

• One of the most widely recognized and commonly sung songs in the world
• Translated into many languages, used in various cultures to celebrate birthdays
• Integral part of birthday celebrations, often sung with candles on a cake

Interesting Facts

• Translated into at least 18 languages
• Estimated to be sung over 3 billion times a year
• Recognized by Guinness World Records as the most frequently sung song in the English language in 1998