The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

Birthday Celebration Festivities

At each birthday celebration in their family there are four
variations of "Happy Birthday" sung. The first of these songs is
the traditional "Happy Birthday" song. "Happy birthday to you /
Happy birthday to you / Happy birthday dear (insert name) / Happy
birthday to you." The second of these versions inserts "May the
dear Lord bless you" into the verse of the song. The third
version is sung "Happy birthday to you, you live in a zoo / You
look like a monkey, and you smell like one too." And the final
song which is sung is the Polish "Stolat." This is the Polish
"Happy Birthday" song. Patti can sing the words to the song, but
she does not know exactly how to spell them since she learned the
song through oral tradition from her Polish grandmother.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: 00-00-1974