The “Happy Birthday” song used to make me think of an untouched tradition. I rarely thought about the origins of “Happy Birthday”. It feels like something that has remained untouched throughout its infinite existence, with the exception of restaurants creating their own versions of “Happy Birthday”. “Happy Birthday” isn’t a song you question, until you learn about the company that makes money off this incorruptible song. One thing I found unusual in the Wikipedia article is the difference between “Happy Birthday” in Europe and the United States. The song was invented in the United States and probably even used by more people in the United States but Europe gets freedom from paying royalties much sooner than we do. The other day I was in the bathroom reading the signs posted all over the walls on how to avoid catching H1N1. There are instructions on the signs on how to wash your hands properly. The instructions suggest washing your hands for 20 seconds or the amount of time it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” to yourself twice. I imagined a huge group of people in the bathroom washing their hands at the same time and singing “Happy Birthday” at the top of their lungs. With my new knowledge of the legal issues surrounding the “Happy Birthday” song I stared to wonder if it is legal for the sign to suggest people sing “Happy Birthday”. What happens when groups of people think about singing “Happy Birthday”? Is it okay to hum?
Maggie Baczewski
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