History of the "Happy Birthday" song

Happy Birthday to You, the four-line ditty was written as a classroom greeting in 1893 by two Louisville teachers, Mildred J. Hill, an authority on Negro spirituals, and Dr. Patty Smith Hill, professor emeritus of education at Columbia University.

The melody of the song Happy Birthday to You was composed by Mildred J. Hill, a schoolteacher born in Louisville, KY, on June 27, 1859. The song was first published in 1893, with the lyrics written by her sister, Patty Smith Hill, as "Good Morning To All."

Happy Birthday to You was copyrighted in 1935 and renewed in 1963. The song was apparently written in 1893, but first copyrighted in 1935 after a lawsuit (reported in the New York Times of August 15, 1934, p.19 col. 6)

In 1988, Birch Tree Group, Ltd. sold the rights of the song to Warner Communications (along with all other assets) for an estimated $25 million (considerably more than a song). (reported in Time, Jan 2, 1989 v133 n1 p88(1)

In the 80s, the song Happy Birthday to You was believed to generate about $1 million in royalties annually. With Auld Lang Syne and For He's a Jolly Good Fellow, it is among the three most popular songs in the English language. (reported in Time, Jan 2, 1989 v133 n1 p88(1)

Happy Birthday to You continues to bring in approximately 2 million dollars in licensing revenue each year, at least as of 1996 accounting, according to Warner Chappell and a Forbes magazine article.

Popular rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ Song

• It was the first song to be performed in outer space. It was sung by the Apollo IX astronauts on March 8, 1969
• Famous Hollywood actress Marilyn Monroe's rendition to U.S. President John F. Kennedy in May 1962 is considered to be the most famous performances of ‘Happy Birthday to You’ song.

Lyrics of the Songs

‘Good Morning to All’ lyrics:
Good morning to you,
Good morning to you,
Good morning, dear children,
Good morning to all.

‘Happy Birthday to You’ lyrics:
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday dear (name)
Happy Birthday to you.

This traditional version of the song generally known is actually the chorus to the original. The first verse goes like this:
So today is your birthday
That's what I've been told
What a wonderful birthday
Now you're one more year old
On your cake there'll be candles
All lighted, it's true
While the whole world is singing
Happy Birthday to you ....
(Happy Birthday chorus)

Some add another phrase to the end, sung to the same tune:
How old are you now,
How old are you now,
How old are you (name),
How old are you now.

And another version:
From old friends and true,
From good friends and new,
May good luck go with you,
And happiness too.

Many alternate versions exist, most commonly sung as a joke, for example:
Happy Birthday to you,
You live/belong in a /Zoo>oo,
You look like a monkey
And you smell like one, too.

Information from about.com and

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