Lyr Req: Birthday Songs

Subject: Birthday Songs
From: GUEST,Dragonfly
Date: 19 Jun 00 - 10:04 PM

I am looking for some songs other that "Happy Birthday to You" suitable for use with K-6 graders. It would be nice to have some songs from other cultures, since we have students from Latin America, Asia and the former USSR. I would appreciate the words to "Las Mañanitas" and any other birthday songs you might know, traditional or contemporary. I would also like to have English translations to any foreign language

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Birthday Songs
From: MAmie
Date: 20 Jun 00 - 08:57 AM

I don't know how much help this will be but John McCutcheon does a B-Day song on one of his CDs but I can't recall the name of that disc. My kids favorite one is from the Tom Chapin MOONBOAT CD.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Birthday Songs
From: Wolfgang
Date: 20 Jun 00 - 09:15 AM

Of course, there's always the German version of 'Happy Birhtday to you' for an easy start, but I can assure you that it is less well known over here than the English version. Anyway, here it is:

Zum Geburtstag viel Glück,
zum Geburtstags viel Glück,
zum Geburtstag, (for female) liebe'name of child',
(or: zum Geburtstag, (for male) lieber 'name of child')
zum Geburtstag viel Glück!

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Birthday Songs
From: GUEST,Mark Cohen
Date: 20 Jun 00 - 09:26 AM

Well, there's one that goes

Happy birthday, happy birthday
We love you
Happy birthday, and may all your
Dreams come true
When you blow out the candles
One light stays aglow
It's the love light in your eyes
Wheree'er you go

Don't know where it comes from. Somebody ought to be able to point you to a source for the tune. I know some more but I'm too tired (at 3AM here) to remember them. Good luck.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Birthday Songs
From: Mbo
Date: 20 Jun 00 - 09:52 AM

There's always this one that George Harrison does:

It's Johnny's birthday
It's Johnny's birthday
And we would like to wish him all the very best
It's Johnny's birthday
It's Johnny's birthday
And it's so nice to have you back to be our guest

At Johnny's birthday
At Johnny's birthday
We'd like to wish you all what you would wish yourself
On Johnny's birthday
It's Johnny's birthday
And it's so good to have you back from off the shelf
And it's so good to have...
You back from off the shelf...

But really any name could be substituted...

--Mbo

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Birthday Songs
From: Sorcha
Date: 20 Jun 00 - 10:23 AM

The one Mark posted is the John McCutcheon song. There is also the SCA Birthday song, sung to Volga Boatman. I can't remeber all of it, but

Happy Birthday, (stomp, stomp)
Happy Birthday, (stomp, stomp)
We love children, yes we do,
Boiled or baked or in our stew,
Happy Birthday (stomp)

Will look for/ask Kate regarding the rest of the words.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Birthday Songs
From: Jacob B
Date: 20 Jun 00 - 10:45 AM

The John McCutcheon song above is to the tune of "Swiftly Sailing".

When I visited the Flemish part of Belgium, I found that the following song was sung for birthdays, and any other celebration:

Lang zullen ze leven
Lang zullen ze leven
Lang zuller ze leven in der Gloria
In der Gloria
In der Gloria

which means:

Long may you live in Glory

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Birthday Songs
From: Sorcha
Date: 20 Jun 00 - 10:49 AM

Well, I found the rest of the lyrics to the SCA song. There are LOTS more than I realized, so instead of posting them, I am sending you here . Pick and choose. It is also called the Birthday Dirge, and The Barbarian Birthday song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Birthday Songs
From: GUEST,MAmie
Date: 20 Jun 00 - 09:36 PM

In reply to Mark and Sorcha-Mark got the lyrics but they are to the Tom Chapin song from the MOONBOAT CD. The John McCutcheon one traces the liftime of birthdays of the Birthday boy into his old age.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Birthday Songs
From: GUEST,Banjo Johnny
Date: 20 Jun 00 - 09:42 PM

I'll always remember the time a Welshman sang to me, "Oh why was he born so beautiful? Oh why was he born at all? He's no bloody use to anyone, He's no bloody use at all!"

Johnny in Oklahoma City

P.S. - I too would like the words to Las Mananitas.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Birthday Songs
From: GUEST,Guest Doris
Date: 20 Jun 00 - 10:34 PM

This one may have been taken from one of the kids' shows on TV of about 40 to 45 years ago; or maybe it was Uncle Don's kid's radio program on WOR (6 p.m., Mon. through Fri.) about 70 years ago. Alas, my time frame has collapsed! Maybe some of you out there are old enough and still not in your dotage and can place this one in its proper time frame:

g  c   c  c   c   d
 Today is a birthday
 g  b  b   b   b
 I wonder for whom
 g   c   c    c   c  b
 I know it's for someone
  g      a    a   a   a
 Who's right in this room
 g    c   c   c  c  b
 So look all around you
 a    b  b  c  d
 For somebody who
 d    d  c   a   d  c
 Is smiling and happy---
 a    b   b   c    d
 My goodness it's you! 

c   c  d    c   b-g
 Happy birthday friend
 g     c   c  d  c  b
 From all of us to you
 d   d  e    d   c#-a
 Happy birthday friend
 a     e  e  e  d  e    f#
 From daddy and mommy, too
 d   d   e  d  c# a
 We congratulate you
 a     d   d     d    e  d   b
 And pray good luck follows you
 b   d   c#  b   a-f#
 Happy birthday friend
 f#   e   d   c#   b    c#     e    d
 May all of your good dreams come true! 

HTML line breaks and preformat commands added. --JoeClone, 17-Oct-02.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Birthday Songs
From: Sorcha
Date: 20 Jun 00 - 10:41 PM

MAmie, and all, somehow it doesn't surprise me that it is a Tom Chapin song. John and Tom are great friends, and John sings it every year at Winfield, usually for a child in the audience whose BD it is. (Maybe every concert, for all I know!) If Tom is also there, they do it together.
I have also heard him do the one you refer to, will see if I can find it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Birthday Songs
From: Jacob B
Date: 20 Jun 00 - 10:49 PM

Sorry, the Swiftly Sailing song is indeed by Tom Chapin. The John McCutcheon song is called Cut The Cake.

Subject: Lyr Add: CUT THE CAKE^^
From: Sorcha
Date: 20 Jun 00 - 11:07 PM

A HA! found lyrics to Cut the Cake!

Lyrics

CUT THE CAKE
words & music by Tina Liza Jones

We're gonna let 2nd grade out early today
Which made little Mikey kinda blue
He just turned 7 years old that day
And he thought he'd get a party at school
He walked back home and he's taken off his guard
There's chairs and tables all over the yard
And his friends jumped up and they hollered real hard,
"Happy Birthday to You!"

CHORUS:

It makes me think of the good old days
Happy birthday to you
You sure grew out of your baby ways
Happy birthday to you
(7th 23rd, 92nd) birthday we wish you many more
Health and wealth and friends by the score
Cut the cake and let's eat some more
Happy birthday to you

Now Mike's 22 and he's working for his Pop
And his head's full of business thru and thru
He was planning out a whole new system at the shop
And he forgot he had a birthday due
He drove back home and he's taken off his guard
There's chairs and tables all over the yard
And his friends jumped up and they hollered real hard,
"Happy Birthday to You!"

CHORUS

Now it's old man Michael in a rocking chair
Admiring the view
He's still got all his teeth and he's still got all his hair
And today he's 92
He turns in his seat and he's taken off his guard
There's chairs and tables all over the yard
And his friends jumped up and they hollered real hard,
"Happy Birthday to You!"

CHORUS Also, MP3 available HERE Recorded on his album Howjadoo!

---

This song is in DT under the title "Happy Birthday to You." -JoeClone 10-Jan-2001.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Birthday Songs
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 20 Jun 00 - 11:09 PM

I know the John McCutcheon song is in (gasp) Rise Up Singing. (At least I think I know it. Seems like I don't know much of anything these days. Staying up all night with someone's sick baby doesn't help.)It was also recorded by Sandy Bradley and the Small Wonder String Band. I think the chorus goes

It makes me think of the good old days
Happy Birthday to you
You sure grew out of your baby ways
Happy Birthday to you
[Seventh] birthday, we wish you many more
Health and wealth and friends by the score
So cut the cake and let's eat some more
Happy Birthday to you

(The number changes with each verse as the boy grows up and is given a surprise birthday party by his friends.)

And Banjo Johnny, thanks for reminding me of that song; that's one of the ones I was unable to remember this morning.

Happy Birthday in Hebrew is Yom Hu-leh-det Sa-me-ach, and that's sung to the "traditional" tune. Anybody remember the names of the two women who wrote the "traditional" Happy Birthday song?

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Birthday Songs
From: Sorcha
Date: 20 Jun 00 - 11:21 PM

Beat cha, Mark!! (but I forgot to transfer the html)And no, I can't remember!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Birthday Songs
From: Mbo
Date: 20 Jun 00 - 11:31 PM

Good gravy, there's always the Disney sing-a-long song "Happy Happy Birthday To You," oy, reminds me of my youth, back 1985 'way...

--Mbo

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Birthday Songs
From: GUEST,Dragonfly
Date: 22 Jun 00 - 04:07 PM

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions on Birthday songs. Doris - I do remember a kid's program of about 50 years ago called Uncle Don & The Squirrel Cage. Thanks for the notes to go with the song - I'll see if it jogs my memory. Marc Cohen - Thanks for your song. I had forgotten it, and I know the tune. Sorcha - The 6th graders would love the Barbarian Birthday song. One of our Portland Folklore Society is also a member of SCA and knows quite a few verses of it - I'll have to compare your version with hers. Actually, I know quite a few people of "a certain age" who would also get a kick out of some of the verses, especially since it is sung to the tune of the Volga Boatmen, a common theme for people at milestone birthdays of 30+.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Birthday Songs
From: Dragonfly
Date: 23 Jun 00 - 08:08 PM

Does anyone know which recordings contain the George Harrison song that Mbo sent the lyrics to? I do not know the tune. Thanks!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Birthday Songs
From: L R Mole
Date: 26 Jun 00 - 11:52 AM

Singing the H.B. Mark Cohen mentions I had someone remark of the tune,"Oh, that's 'The Merry Widow Waltz'". I think I could play this on my little 10-button chord organ when I was a tad smaller. Just fould out yesterday that the word "accordian" means chord maker, which I should have puzzled out.

Subject: Lyr Add: WHY WAS HE BORN SO BEAUTIFUL?
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 07:13 AM

Having seen reference in the "Cosher Baily" threads to the book "Why was he born so beautiful, and other rugby songs" I thought I'd include the words.

WHY WAS HE BORN SO BEAUTIFUL?
(not known)

Why was he born so beautiful?
Why was he born so tall?
He's no bloody use to anyone,
He's no bloody use at all!
(Repeat)

Notes: This is usually sung as an immediate follow on to "Happy Birthday".
Tune: Ellacombe (Hymn tune: The day of resurrection Hymns Ancient & Modern-Revised #132)

NP

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Birthday Songs
From: Bullfrog Jones
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 09:03 AM

And of course there's that perennial favourite:

Happy Birthday to you
Squashed tomatoes and stew
You look like a monkey
And you smell like one too!

BJ

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Birthday Songs
From: GUEST,catherine yronwode
Date: 13 Sep 05 - 10:01 PM

The birthday song that was posted by Guest Doris that concludes with
d   d   e d c# a
We congratulate you
a    d   d    d    e d   b
And pray good luck follows you
b   d   c# b   a-f#
Happy birthday friend
f#   e   d   c#   b    c#    e    d
May all of your good dreams come true!
was indeed sung on a kids' show during the 1950s. I believe the show was "Big Jon and Sparky" which was a radio show in which the host, Big Jon, pre-taped and speeded up the voice of his little elf-friend Sparky, then re-recorded himself talking to Sparky -- which quite a feat of engineering in those one-track mono days. The song is in a kind of waltz tempo. There are some web sites devoted to Big Jon and Sparky, if you are interested in further information.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Birthday Songs
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Apr 10 - 05:52 PM

a birthday song from the mid 50's childrens radio show has been sung in my family ever since...it can be found on google search "big John and Sparky.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Birthday Songs
From: open mike
Date: 28 Apr 10 - 12:59 AM

some restaruants have their wait staff sing several different b.d.songs
some have lots of clapping not sure what the songs are...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Birthday Songs
From: Rowan
Date: 28 Apr 10 - 02:36 AM

WHY WAS HE BORN SO BEAUTIFUL?
(not known)

Why was he born so beautiful?
Why was he born so tall?
He's no bloody use to anyone,
He's no bloody use at all!
(Repeat)

In Oz, sung at the same context and to the same tune, the words are

Why was (s)he born so beautiful?
Why was (s)he born at all?
Because (s)he had no say in it,
Her/his parents had it all.

This is often followed (or preceded) by "For (s)he's a jolly good lassie/fellow"

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Birthday Songs
From: Allan C.
Date: 28 Apr 10 - 06:13 AM

Happy Birthday as they sing it in Brazil

Happy Birthday ( Brazilian Portuguese Version)

Parabéns pra você
Nesta data querida
Muitas felicidades
Muitos anos de vida!
Parabéns pra você
Nesta data querida
Muitas felicidades
Muitos anos de vida!


Here are the phonetics:

Parabéns = pah-rah-bains
Pra = prah
Você = Voe-sayh
Nesta = Nest-ah
Data = dah-tah
Querida = ke*-ree-dah
Muitas = moo-ee-tahs
Felicidades = fe*-lee-see-dahd-gees
Muitos - moo-ee-toes
Anos = Ahn-os**
De = de*
Vida = Vee-dah

* this "e" sounds like "a" in "pay"
** the "os" as in "tacos"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Birthday Songs
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Nov 10 - 12:12 PM

John McCutcheon's birthday song "Cut the Cake" (orig. writer Tina Jones) is the 13th track of of the CD "Water from Another Time" Sub: "a retrospective". It might well be on other of his CDs.

I remember this song from a live performance in the early 1980s. His rationale for preferring this as an alternative to the regular American birthday song: "Happy Birthday to You" was that this (the regular HBTU) was dirge- like. Since he first pointed this out I have always agreed and wished I remembered the lyrics and tune to "Cut the Cake".

I just attended a McCutcheon concert in Knoxville, November 19, 2010. Picked up the "Water from Another Time". Just finished listening. I still like it--a lot!

jv

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Birthday Songs
From: open mike
Date: 18 Mar 11 - 01:37 AM

John usually picks out someone from the audience who is
having a birth day and sings the cut the cake song for them..