Happy Birthday!

What is the most recognized and most-often-sung song in English? We are all guilty of violating federal copyright law each time we sing this song. Give up?

Since 1893 when sisters, Patty and Mildred Hill, wrote the words and music to a song that became “Happy Birthday,” it has been sung millions of times.

The sisters originally wrote the words and music as a song to sing to their kindergarten students each morning, “Good Morning to You, Good Morning to You, Good Morning, Dear Students, Good Morning to You.”

The students started to sing it to each other and eventually it became the birthday song we know today.

Warner Music Group owns the rights to the song and collects around $5,000 per day when the song is used at a public gathering and up to $10,000 to use it in a movie. Restaurants avoid the royalties by singing an alternate song to their customers celebrating a birthday. The song is copyrighted until 2030.

October is a month full of birthdays and although we can’t sing it, we can wish you a Happy Birthday.

Happy Birthday to all, including Ed, Judy, Dianne, Linda, Susan, Ginger, Barbara, Beanie, Carol, Joyce, Martha, Leah and to my mother who will be 96 years old this month.