BS ... I suspect HB is freeware
Reminds me of Irish dancers and the reason they don’t use their arms.
"Still, BMI (as well as SESAC, a similar but smaller organization) has repeatedly approached the cafe with threats of lawsuits, even going so far as to secretly record performances that they claim violate the law."
My favorite HB prank...
tell the restaurant staff that it’s the B’day for one of the people you’re with....song, ice cream, the works.
Priceless expressions...
Warner Bros. claims to own the copyright to Happy Birthday To You. Others claim that the song long ago slipped into the public domain.
The melody itself was pilfered from Good Morning To You which most certainly is in the public domain now.
That’s why the “smart” restaurants come up with some variation. There’s lots of ways to sing happy birthday to someone that don’t involve the song.
Isn’t the melody based on a song kids used to sing in school - “Good Morning Dear Teacher”?
The original HB song is the most depressing song ever. Have you ever noticed that it gets slower and slower with each line as a groups sings it. I’ll take the revamped edition any day, especially my birthday....
Happy Birthday to you. We would like to sing that song, but we don’t want to pay the fine. So, A Happy Birthday for you! A Happy Birthday for you! Morning, noon and night, hope your birthday’s bright and this new birthday song bring you some delight. So Merry Birthday for you!
Okay, there’s a new birthday song, I wrote it. I claim it. I even have a tune for it, though I don’t know how to write the notes down. I claim it, it’s mine. Anyone can sing it any old time. Anyone tries to copyright, don’t bother, I’ve declared to the public it is mine.
The song is still under copyright. But it’s much like using it in church. Nobody is harmed.