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Title: Why they annoy us with those silly birthday songs in restaurants Post by: k4kyv on August 13, 2009, 06:18:24 PM The traditional song "Happy Birthday to You" is protected by copyright and cannot be performed in public without obtaining permission from and paying royalties to the publisher. That's why restaurants make up their own silly birthday songs for their staff to sing to patrons -- it's so they don't have to pay royalties. Every time you celebrate someone's birthday at a restaurant or other public place, you are technically committing copyright infringement by singing "Happy Birthday to You" to the birthday girl or boy.
The tune was written by sisters Mildred and Patty Hill in 1893 and copyrighted in 1934 by their sister Jessica. Although the original copyright would have expired in 1991, two intervening Acts of Congress have extended it through at least 2030. The song earns about $2 million per year in royalties and would probably make a lot more if ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) had a representative enforcing the copyright at restaurants. http://encarta.msn.com Title: Re: Why they annoy us with those silly birthday songs in restaurants Post by: Bill, KD0HG on August 13, 2009, 09:32:07 PM LOL, if you tell them ahead of time, there's a local Mexican restaurant that sends it's staff out dressed as Mariachis (Large guitar, couple of violins, trumpets, bass, etc.) to the abused's table and sings happy a Happy Birthday song in Spanish...
It's OK after you have a Grande Margarita made with a couple shots of Padrón. And a bowl of killer green chili. Title: Re: Why they annoy us with those silly birthday songs in restaurants Post by: Steve - WB3HUZ on August 14, 2009, 10:39:07 AM You can have fun with this by letting the staff know that it's the birthday of one of your table mates (even when it's not). Free entertainment and an easy practical joke.
Title: Re: Why they annoy us with those silly birthday songs in restaurants Post by: k4kyv on August 14, 2009, 10:53:59 AM Once you reach a certain age, the birthday is a day to wear a black armband, not celebrate.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej1ylPIk44o&feature=PlayList&p=F0870E40D5D86CE4&index=34&playnext=2&playnext_from=PL Title: Re: Why they annoy us with those silly birthday songs in restaurants Post by: Bill, KD0HG on August 14, 2009, 11:09:32 AM You can have fun with this by letting the staff know that it's the birthday of one of your table mates (even when it's not). Free entertainment and an easy practical joke. LOL How about a nearby table with investment bankers negotiating a big financial deal over lunch? Title: Re: Why they annoy us with those silly birthday songs in restaurants Post by: Steve - WB3HUZ on August 14, 2009, 11:10:05 AM Ha! Even better.
Title: Re: Why they annoy us with those silly birthday songs in restaurants Post by: W3SLK on August 14, 2009, 11:56:33 AM Steve said:
Quote You can have fun with this by letting the staff know that it's the birthday of one of your table mates (even when it's not). Free entertainment and an easy practical joke. Heh, heh. We did that to one of the guys at our table once when down at Hershey. Try as he might, he couldn't convince the revelers that it wasn't his birthday! ;) Title: Re: Why they annoy us with those silly birthday songs in restaurants Post by: WA1GFZ on August 14, 2009, 12:32:26 PM The owner of "happy birthday to you" song copy right thinks he should be paid every time the song is sung so that is why the weird songs. AMfone - Dedicated to Amplitude Modulation on the Amateur Radio Bands
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