Happy Birthday to You
The most recognized English-language song, now in the public domain.
Bernd Schwabe in Hannover · CC BY-SA 4.0
"Happy Birthday to You," often shortened to "Happy Birthday," is an American song used to mark someone's birthday. The 1998 Guinness World Records lists it as the most widely recognized song in English, with "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" coming in second. Its basic lyrics have been translated into at least 18 languages. The tune comes from "Good Morning to All," a song usually credited to sisters Patty and Mildred J. Hill from 1893, though whether they actually wrote it is debated.
In the United States and the European Union, the song is now in the public domain. Warner Chappell Music once claimed a U.S. copyright and charged licensing fees for its use, but that claim was thrown out in 2015. The following year, Warner Chappell agreed to pay back $14 million in those fees.
Patty Hill, a kindergarten principal in Louisville, Kentucky, who developed teaching methods at the Little Loomhouse, and her sister Mildred, a pianist and composer, used "Good Morning to All" as a simple song for young children. The combination of the "Happy Birthday to You" lyrics with that melody first showed up in print in 1912. None of the early printed versions included credits or copyright notices. In 1935, the Summy Company registered a copyright, crediting Preston Ware Orem and Mrs. R. R. Forman. Warner/Chappell bought the company that owned that copyright in 1988 for $25 million, with the song itself valued at $5 million. Warner claimed the U.S. copyright would last until 2030 and that any public performance without paying royalties was illegal. By February 2010, a single use cost $700 in royalties. Some estimates call it the highest-earning single song ever. In the European Union, the copyright expired on January 1, 2017.
The song's U.S. copyright status gained more attention after the 1998 Copyright Term Extension Act. The Supreme Court upheld that act in 2003's *Eldred v. Ashcroft*, with Justice Stephen Breyer mentioning "Happy Birthday to You" in his dissent. Law professor Robert Brauneis studied the song and concluded in 2010 that it was "almost certainly no longer under copyright." In 2013, Good Morning to You Productions sued Warner/Chappell for falsely claiming copyright. A federal judge ruled in September 2015 that Warner/Chappell's claim was invalid, saying the copyright only covered a specific piano arrangement, not the lyrics and melody.
Quick Facts
- Published
- 1893
- Writer
- Patty S. Hill / Mildred J. Hill
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Patty Hill was a kindergarten principal in Louisville, Kentucky, developing teaching methods at the Little Loomhouse; her sister Mildred was a pianist and composer. The sisters used "Good Morning to All" as a song that young children would find easy to sing. The combination of melody and lyrics in "Happy Birthday to You" first appeared in print in 1912. None of the early appearances of the lyrics included credits or copyright notices.
The Summy Company registered a copyright in 1935, crediting authors Preston Ware Orem and Mrs. R. R. Forman. In 1988, Warner/Chappell Music purchased the company owning the copyright for US$25 million. Warner claimed that the United States copyright would not expire until 2030 and that unauthorized public performances were illegal unless royalties were paid. In February 2010, the royalty for a single use was US$700. By one estimate, the song is the highest-earning single song in history.
In 2013, documentary filmmaker Jennifer Nelson filed a class action suit against Warner/Chappell. In September 2015, a federal judge declared that the Warner/Chappell copyright claim was invalid, ruling that the copyright registration applied only to a specific piano arrangement and not to its lyrics and melody. In 2016, Warner/Chappell settled for $14 million, and the court declared that "Happy Birthday to You" was in the public domain.
Reader's Guide
"Happy Birthday to You" holds a unique place in global culture as the most recognized song in the English language, according to the 1998 Guinness World Records. Its significance extends beyond its simple melody and lyrics to its complex legal history, which shaped public understanding of copyright law. The song's melody, attributed to the Hill sisters in 1893, was originally "Good Morning to All," but the authorship of the tune is disputed. For decades, Warner/Chappell Music claimed copyright and collected substantial licensing fees, including an estimated US$2 million per year by 2008. The 2015 federal ruling that the copyright claim was invalid, followed by a $14 million settlement in 2016, established the song as public domain in the United States. This case highlighted issues of copyright overreach and the importance of public domain works. The song's lyrics have been translated into at least 18 languages, and it remains a staple of birthday celebrations worldwide, often followed by traditions such as "Hip hip hooray!" in Commonwealth countries or age-counting songs in parts of America and Canada.
Did You Know?
- According to the 1998 Guinness World Records, it is the most recognized song in the English language, followed by 'For He's a Jolly Good Fellow'.
- The melody comes from the song 'Good Morning to All', traditionally attributed to American sisters Patty and Mildred J. Hill in 1893, though the claim is disputed.
- In 2016, Warner/Chappell agreed to pay back $14 million in licensing fees after their copyright claim was declared invalid.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote "Happy Birthday to You"?
The melody is generally credited to sisters Patty and Mildred J. Hill, who are associated with the 1893 song "Good Morning to All," though whether they truly originated the tune remains debated among scholars. The birthday-specific lyrics were first printed alongside that melody around 1911.
Why is "Happy Birthday to You" considered so iconic?
Guinness World Records named it the most widely recognized song in the English language in 1998, placing it ahead of "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow." It has become a near-universal ritual for marking birthdays across cultures and generations.
Is "Happy Birthday to You" still under copyright?
No — the song entered the public domain in the United States in 2016 and in the European Union in 2017. Warner Chappell Music had collected royalties from its use for decades, but that licensing era is now over.
Where does the melody of "Happy Birthday to You" originally come from?
The tune traces back to "Good Morning to All," a simple school song linked to the Hill sisters in 1893. The birthday lyrics were later grafted onto that existing melody, with the first known printed pairing of words and tune appearing in 1911.
How widely is "Happy Birthday to You" used around the world?
The basic lyrics have been rendered into at least 18 different languages, making it one of the most internationally shared songs ever written. It remains a staple of birthday celebrations in virtually every country.
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