[Sir_Ed]

"And singing "Happy Birthday" in a restaurant, too! "

They have this restaurant out here called Hometwon Buffet, and whenever they sing Happy Birthday to someone, they don't sign the pretty song, they sing this sorta' US Marine-chant

"I don't know but I been told,
someone here's another year old
Sound off--
Happy,
sound off--
Birthday,
To you!"

I asked them why the staff doens't sing the traditional HB, and they said it was 'casue they didn't want to have to pay royalties.

I hate their version so much, it's irtritating and grating, I wish they wouldn't even sing at all!

Ed

[Behind Liberal Lines]

I've noticed a lot of restaurants that use some sort of fake birthday song: "Happy Happy Birthday, we're so glad you came, to celebrate your birthday...."

Also Roger Ebert noticed you see this sometimes in movies: the use of a fake birthday song because the producers didn't want to pay royalties to use "happy birthday," or simply no singing at all.