They say it's your birthday...
February 29, 2024 8:45 AM Subscribe
What fun, silly lyrics can I use with the traditional Happy Birthday song?
I've got a variety of kids in my life, and part of our family tradition is to always sing to people on their birthday. If it were 30 years ago, I'd sing the 'happy birthday to you/ you live in a zoo / you smell like a monkey / and you look like one too!' song. But that's a bit more mean-spirited than I'd like.
Are there other fun variations on the birthday song that kids (age range 3-10) will find HILARIOUS? (I'm all in for the poop and fart jokes, as those are big with kids these ages.)
I'm open to other birthday songs with other tunes, but they need to be pretty simple and quick.
Time sensitive Ask, as I've got a leap day baby nibling who's turning 8/2 today!
I've got a variety of kids in my life, and part of our family tradition is to always sing to people on their birthday. If it were 30 years ago, I'd sing the 'happy birthday to you/ you live in a zoo / you smell like a monkey / and you look like one too!' song. But that's a bit more mean-spirited than I'd like.
Are there other fun variations on the birthday song that kids (age range 3-10) will find HILARIOUS? (I'm all in for the poop and fart jokes, as those are big with kids these ages.)
I'm open to other birthday songs with other tunes, but they need to be pretty simple and quick.
Time sensitive Ask, as I've got a leap day baby nibling who's turning 8/2 today!
In my household, it was "with the lions and the tigers/and the monkeys like you!" which is less mean-spirited and more silly.
(However, not to be used with children of color unless you are a close family member, lest it be taken the wrong way.)
posted by praemunire at 9:37 AM on February 29 [1 favorite]
(However, not to be used with children of color unless you are a close family member, lest it be taken the wrong way.)
posted by praemunire at 9:37 AM on February 29 [1 favorite]
Agreed that the look like a monkey is kind of mean, but the nibling's mom changed the wording.
'Happy Birthday to you/ we live in a zoo / if you dance like a monkey / then we can dance, too!'
*cue gyrations
posted by BlueHorse at 9:38 AM on February 29 [3 favorites]
'Happy Birthday to you/ we live in a zoo / if you dance like a monkey / then we can dance, too!'
*cue gyrations
posted by BlueHorse at 9:38 AM on February 29 [3 favorites]
BlueHorse’s suggestion is eminently extendable to dancing like a hippo, giraffe, elephant, python, with appropriate dance moves or gestures. Perhaps the last line scans better as “if you dance line a [creature] / we can dance like that too”.
posted by Erinaceus europaeus at 9:44 AM on February 29
posted by Erinaceus europaeus at 9:44 AM on February 29
I have a friend who sings a birthday song where she adds on -adle at the end of every line, It's goofy and fun and it's kind of her signature. I'll type it out below - hopefully it makes some sense.
Happy birdledadle toodle youdle
Happy Birdledadle toodle youdle.
Happy Birdledadle toodle youdleoodleoddle
Happy birdledadle toodle youdle
posted by mulkey at 11:31 AM on February 29 [1 favorite]
Happy birdledadle toodle youdle
Happy Birdledadle toodle youdle.
Happy Birdledadle toodle youdleoodleoddle
Happy birdledadle toodle youdle
posted by mulkey at 11:31 AM on February 29 [1 favorite]
Keep it short. Keep it sweet.
This is your birthday song, it isn't very long.
posted by Kyol at 1:05 PM on February 29
This is your birthday song, it isn't very long.
posted by Kyol at 1:05 PM on February 29
"squashed tomatoes and stew
bread and butter in the gutter"
- northern England, 80s
posted by runincircles at 4:39 PM on February 29 [1 favorite]
bread and butter in the gutter"
- northern England, 80s
posted by runincircles at 4:39 PM on February 29 [1 favorite]
My kids learned it from their school friends as:
Happy birthday to you,
You belong in the zoo,
You still go to preschool,
And your mommy does too
Which, as the relevant mommy, I think is pretty funny. For people with no mommy, you could easily substitute many other two-syllable words for mommy.
posted by potrzebie at 5:25 PM on February 29
Happy birthday to you,
You belong in the zoo,
You still go to preschool,
And your mommy does too
Which, as the relevant mommy, I think is pretty funny. For people with no mommy, you could easily substitute many other two-syllable words for mommy.
posted by potrzebie at 5:25 PM on February 29
My family tends to have a morbid sense of humor so ymmv. Viking Birthday Song
I had only heard the first verse so you could just use one verse you deem appropriate or even write your own. It's the tune and manner of singing that really sell it. I've always heard it done in a low, gutteral manner. You could also sing one verse and periodically break out another verse throughout the day.
posted by BoscosMom at 4:55 PM on March 1
I had only heard the first verse so you could just use one verse you deem appropriate or even write your own. It's the tune and manner of singing that really sell it. I've always heard it done in a low, gutteral manner. You could also sing one verse and periodically break out another verse throughout the day.
posted by BoscosMom at 4:55 PM on March 1
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Alligator puppet? Snappy birthday to you.
Old man costume beard? Pappy birthday to you.
Bird stuffy? Flappy birthday to you.
Dance shoes? Tappy birthday to you.
Got a family dog? Yappy birthday to you.
Baby doll in a diaper? Nappy birthday to you.
And so on.
posted by phunniemee at 9:00 AM on February 29 [2 favorites]