Comments on: Winner of copyright-free birthday song contest http://boingboing.net/2013/02/20/winner-of-copyright-free-birth.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Sat, 25 May 2013 19:50:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: jt71 http://boingboing.net/2013/02/20/winner-of-copyright-free-birth.html#comment-1662800 jt71 Fri, 22 Feb 2013 17:34:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214353#comment-1662800 The results were disappointing overall, exactly as you say. The second place winner is the only one I personally could even attempt to sing, but even that was so close to the original song that it'd just be confusing to try and remember it. And, curiously the third place winner seemed to be accepted after the deadline, suddenly appearing on the site.  My wife had an entry there, which I thought was perfect, though it probably failed the grade because it used the word gay in its 'classical' meaning: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kathleen_Martin/The_New_Birthday_Song_Contest/Birthday_Song_1661 Maybe we should hand it to the LGBT community.  The results were disappointing overall, exactly as you say. The second place winner is the only one I personally could even attempt to sing, but even that was so close to the original song that it’d just be confusing to try and remember it. And, curiously the third place winner seemed to be accepted after the deadline, suddenly appearing on the site. 

My wife had an entry there, which I thought was perfect, though it probably failed the grade because it used the word gay in its ‘classical’ meaning:

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kathleen_Martin/The_New_Birthday_Song_Contest/Birthday_Song_1661

Maybe we should hand it to the LGBT community. 

]]> By: Historybuff http://boingboing.net/2013/02/20/winner-of-copyright-free-birth.html#comment-1662588 Historybuff Fri, 22 Feb 2013 10:19:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214353#comment-1662588  I remember reading somewhere else that the melody (originally titled Good Morning To You) is Public Domain, and it's only the lyrics for Happy Birthday that have even the vaguest copyright assertions  I remember reading somewhere else that the melody (originally titled Good Morning To You) is Public Domain, and it’s only the lyrics for Happy Birthday that have even the vaguest copyright assertions

]]> By: Gavin R. Putland http://boingboing.net/2013/02/20/winner-of-copyright-free-birth.html#comment-1662062 Gavin R. Putland Thu, 21 Feb 2013 22:14:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214353#comment-1662062 Mark my words: No copyrighted song will enter the public domain in America in 2030. Between now and then, copyright holders will successfully lobby Congress for yet another retrospective extension of copyright, thus depriving the American people of yet another slice of the benefit that is due to the people under the agreement by which they granted the copyright in the first place. A copyright is a contract between the content-creator and the people whereby the people give the creator a monopoly for a limited time, in return for a work which will enter the public domain at the end of that time. But copyright holders have no intention of keeping their side of the bargain. Having been granted the right to milk the back-catalog for a limited time, they intend to keep milking it forever. Mark my words: No copyrighted song will enter the public domain in America in 2030. Between now and then, copyright holders will successfully lobby Congress for yet another retrospective extension of copyright, thus depriving the American people of yet another slice of the benefit that is due to the people under the agreement by which they granted the copyright in the first place.

A copyright is a contract between the content-creator and the people whereby the people give the creator a monopoly for a limited time, in return for a work which will enter the public domain at the end of that time. But copyright holders have no intention of keeping their side of the bargain. Having been granted the right to milk the back-catalog for a limited time, they intend to keep milking it forever.

]]> By: Jim Eubanks http://boingboing.net/2013/02/20/winner-of-copyright-free-birth.html#comment-1661764 Jim Eubanks Thu, 21 Feb 2013 20:02:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214353#comment-1661764 Happy Effin Birthday Dude, Happy Effin Birthday Dude, Happy Effin Birthday Dude, Now give me some cake! And now to send some year old, moldy cake to Time Warner. Happy Effin Birthday Dude,
Happy Effin Birthday Dude,
Happy Effin Birthday Dude,
Now give me some cake!

And now to send some year old, moldy cake to Time Warner.

]]> By: ChickieD http://boingboing.net/2013/02/20/winner-of-copyright-free-birth.html#comment-1661362 ChickieD Thu, 21 Feb 2013 16:12:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214353#comment-1661362 I used to work out a gym in Atlanta that had a mostly African American clientelle. The sound system in the locker rooms was tuned to a local music station that played hip hop, R&B, etc. I worked out about the time this station read their list of listeners celebrating birthdays. Then they played their special birthday song, which was a rap that went: ToDAY IS a SPECial day ToDAY's your BIRTHday! ToDAY's your BIRTHday! and I don't remember the rest of it but that first part was so damn catchy, and it was joyful and corny and funny. Even today when it's someone's birthday I'm always rapping that out. I googled to see if there was a recording anywhere but I guess they don't do it anymore and that was before the interwebs was a thing normal folks did. I used to work out a gym in Atlanta that had a mostly African American clientelle. The sound system in the locker rooms was tuned to a local music station that played hip hop, R&B, etc. I worked out about the time this station read their list of listeners celebrating birthdays. Then they played their special birthday song, which was a rap that went:

ToDAY IS a SPECial day
ToDAY’s your BIRTHday!
ToDAY’s your BIRTHday!

and I don’t remember the rest of it but that first part was so damn catchy, and it was joyful and corny and funny. Even today when it’s someone’s birthday I’m always rapping that out. I googled to see if there was a recording anywhere but I guess they don’t do it anymore and that was before the interwebs was a thing normal folks did.

]]> By: oasisob1 http://boingboing.net/2013/02/20/winner-of-copyright-free-birth.html#comment-1661322 oasisob1 Thu, 21 Feb 2013 15:09:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214353#comment-1661322 That's wonderful, but what do we do when Langsal turns twelve? That’s wonderful, but what do we do when Langsal turns twelve?

]]> By: oasisob1 http://boingboing.net/2013/02/20/winner-of-copyright-free-birth.html#comment-1661320 oasisob1 Thu, 21 Feb 2013 15:07:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214353#comment-1661320 Perfect for that sweet 16 party. Perfect for that sweet 16 party.

]]> By: abstract_reg http://boingboing.net/2013/02/20/winner-of-copyright-free-birth.html#comment-1661314 abstract_reg Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:49:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214353#comment-1661314 In that case I think you're giving us too much credit. We simply are not that smart. :( In that case I think you’re giving us too much credit. We simply are not that smart. :(

]]> By: Iron Curtain http://boingboing.net/2013/02/20/winner-of-copyright-free-birth.html#comment-1661312 Iron Curtain Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:45:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214353#comment-1661312 Dammit. Mine didn't make it. Mine is here, BTW: http://archive.org/details/happybirthdaypublicdomain Dammit. Mine didn’t make it. Mine is here, BTW: http://archive.org/details/happybirthdaypublicdomain

]]> By: Art http://boingboing.net/2013/02/20/winner-of-copyright-free-birth.html#comment-1661281 Art Thu, 21 Feb 2013 13:54:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214353#comment-1661281 As the narrator states,  "It puts the "happy" back into birthday"  Providing one exceeds their daily dosage of Prozac As the narrator states,  “It puts the “happy” back into birthday” 

Providing one exceeds their daily dosage of Prozac

]]> By: Paul Renault http://boingboing.net/2013/02/20/winner-of-copyright-free-birth.html#comment-1661274 Paul Renault Thu, 21 Feb 2013 13:33:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214353#comment-1661274  Actually, it'd be subversive.  By using Gens du Pays in this everyday fashion, the rest of Canada would disarm it a little and reverse-co-opt it.  Actually, it’d be subversive.  By using Gens du Pays in this everyday fashion, the rest of Canada would disarm it a little and reverse-co-opt it.

]]> By: Anton Gully http://boingboing.net/2013/02/20/winner-of-copyright-free-birth.html#comment-1661236 Anton Gully Thu, 21 Feb 2013 10:44:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214353#comment-1661236 " it won’t enter the public domain." Fixed. “ it won’t enter the public domain.”

Fixed.

]]> By: camfrog http://boingboing.net/2013/02/20/winner-of-copyright-free-birth.html#comment-1661220 camfrog Thu, 21 Feb 2013 09:35:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214353#comment-1661220  Don't forget that there are in total more than 100 other birthday songs you can equally use on the contest page: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Happy_Birthday_Song_Contest/The_New_Birthday_Song_Contest/ In the end, the winners don't get more than some recognition from the handful judges who voted.  There are others that I personally prefer like this one for example: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Abby_and_Chris/The_New_Birthday_Song_Contest/Happy_Birthday_Now  Don’t forget that there are in total more than 100 other birthday songs you can equally use on the contest page:
http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Happy_Birthday_Song_Contest/The_New_Birthday_Song_Contest/

In the end, the winners don’t get more than some recognition from the handful judges who voted.  There are others that I personally prefer like this one for example:
http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Abby_and_Chris/The_New_Birthday_Song_Contest/Happy_Birthday_Now

]]> By: JoJo Dancer http://boingboing.net/2013/02/20/winner-of-copyright-free-birth.html#comment-1661142 JoJo Dancer Thu, 21 Feb 2013 05:41:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214353#comment-1661142 Forget the new song - would someone from EFF please explain to me how a song that was written and sung in the 19th century (Public Domain?) was then copyrighted 40 years later?  As far as the copyright - a 1935 registration would have only been protected through 1970 (the EFF says it wasn't properly renewed).  At the bottom of all this is the fact that copyright's original intent was to protect the intellectual property of the authors and after their death their families.  SO... how did we get to the point where a huge entertainment conglomerate can own the exclusive rights to a part of American Culture created in the 1800's with a recent profit of two million dollars?  And by the way - how much money did the authors ever see out of their work? Forget the new song – would someone from EFF please explain to me how a song that was written and sung in the 19th century (Public Domain?) was then copyrighted 40 years later?  As far as the copyright – a 1935 registration would have only been protected through 1970 (the EFF says it wasn’t properly renewed).  At the bottom of all this is the fact that copyright’s original intent was to protect the intellectual property of the authors and after their death their families.  SO… how did we get to the point where a huge entertainment conglomerate can own the exclusive rights to a part of American Culture created in the 1800′s with a recent profit of two million dollars?  And by the way – how much money did the authors ever see out of their work?

]]> By: pattie666 http://boingboing.net/2013/02/20/winner-of-copyright-free-birth.html#comment-1661134 pattie666 Thu, 21 Feb 2013 05:28:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214353#comment-1661134 now this is a birthday song I can get behind.  It's got accordions! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaEmZx49BA4&playnext=1&list=PL75C141E6CDDA9644&feature=results_video now this is a birthday song I can get behind.  It’s got accordions!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaEmZx49BA4&playnext=1&list=PL75C141E6CDDA9644&feature=results_video

]]> By: Robert Holmén http://boingboing.net/2013/02/20/winner-of-copyright-free-birth.html#comment-1661115 Robert Holmén Thu, 21 Feb 2013 04:38:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214353#comment-1661115 I hope they copyright it so no one will use it. I hope they copyright it so no one will use it.

]]> By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2013/02/20/winner-of-copyright-free-birth.html#comment-1661111 Antinous / Moderator Thu, 21 Feb 2013 04:32:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214353#comment-1661111 Nursing homes. Nursing homes.

]]> By: L_Mariachi http://boingboing.net/2013/02/20/winner-of-copyright-free-birth.html#comment-1661097 L_Mariachi Thu, 21 Feb 2013 04:08:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214353#comment-1661097 How is "Happy Birthday" making any money at all, considering that every movie and TV show and chain restaurant ever go out of their way to avoid using it?  How is “Happy Birthday” making any money at all, considering that every movie and TV show and chain restaurant ever go out of their way to avoid using it? 

]]> By: abstract_reg http://boingboing.net/2013/02/20/winner-of-copyright-free-birth.html#comment-1661088 abstract_reg Thu, 21 Feb 2013 03:50:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214353#comment-1661088 I think their needs to be a little more water under the bridge before Anglo-Canadians can bring themselves to forget 1980 and 1995, and the associations Gens du Pays has. I think their needs to be a little more water under the bridge before Anglo-Canadians can bring themselves to forget 1980 and 1995, and the associations Gens du Pays has.

]]> By: Dlo Burns http://boingboing.net/2013/02/20/winner-of-copyright-free-birth.html#comment-1661044 Dlo Burns Thu, 21 Feb 2013 02:57:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214353#comment-1661044 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbwuzHGf8i0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbwuzHGf8i0

]]> By: Dlo Burns http://boingboing.net/2013/02/20/winner-of-copyright-free-birth.html#comment-1661042 Dlo Burns Thu, 21 Feb 2013 02:53:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214353#comment-1661042 You better jump the copyright on that one, I smell the big bucks. You better jump the copyright on that one, I smell the big bucks.

]]> By: K-9 http://boingboing.net/2013/02/20/winner-of-copyright-free-birth.html#comment-1661024 K-9 Thu, 21 Feb 2013 02:39:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214353#comment-1661024  Can't. Like. Enough.  Can’t. Like. Enough.

]]> By: pjcamp http://boingboing.net/2013/02/20/winner-of-copyright-free-birth.html#comment-1660999 pjcamp Thu, 21 Feb 2013 02:15:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214353#comment-1660999 They should turn Lazlo Toth loose on this problem. They should turn Lazlo Toth loose on this problem.

]]> By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2013/02/20/winner-of-copyright-free-birth.html#comment-1660900 Antinous / Moderator Thu, 21 Feb 2013 00:00:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214353#comment-1660900 <blockquote>I really like the Dutch birthday song</blockquote>After hearing that, I have a sudden urge to conquer some territory for the glorious fatherland.

I really like the Dutch birthday song

After hearing that, I have a sudden urge to conquer some territory for the glorious fatherland.

]]> By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2013/02/20/winner-of-copyright-free-birth.html#comment-1660885 Antinous / Moderator Wed, 20 Feb 2013 23:41:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214353#comment-1660885 That song makes my soul hurt.  Why don't we just repurpose the 16th century <I>We Wish You a Merry Christmas</i>? We wish you a happy birthday! We wish you a happy birthday! We wish you a happy birthday And a fuck-ton of gifts! Great presents we bring! Scotch, vodka and gin! We wish you a happy birthday And a fuck-ton of gifts! Now bring us some blow and hookers! Now bring us some blow and hookers! Now bring us some blow and hookers and show us your tits! etc. That song makes my soul hurt.  Why don’t we just repurpose the 16th century We Wish You a Merry Christmas?

We wish you a happy birthday!
We wish you a happy birthday!
We wish you a happy birthday
And a fuck-ton of gifts!

Great presents we bring!
Scotch, vodka and gin!
We wish you a happy birthday
And a fuck-ton of gifts!

Now bring us some blow and hookers!
Now bring us some blow and hookers!
Now bring us some blow and hookers
and show us your tits!

etc.

]]> By: andreasilenzi http://boingboing.net/2013/02/20/winner-of-copyright-free-birth.html#comment-1660868 andreasilenzi Wed, 20 Feb 2013 23:20:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214353#comment-1660868 The winners offered an instrumental version, and a version of the song in the key of C:  http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Happy_Birthday_Song_Contest/The_New_Birthday_Song_Contest/ The winners offered an instrumental version, and a version of the song in the key of C:  http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Happy_Birthday_Song_Contest/The_New_Birthday_Song_Contest/

]]> By: Lachlan Musicman http://boingboing.net/2013/02/20/winner-of-copyright-free-birth.html#comment-1660811 Lachlan Musicman Wed, 20 Feb 2013 22:36:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214353#comment-1660811 I've always had a soft spot for the "It Must Be Somebody's Birthday"  by the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players: http://youtu.be/1PYtIzp-za0 In fact, I'm surprised the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players haven't ever been on BB except as a comment from 2006! I’ve always had a soft spot for the “It Must Be Somebody’s Birthday”  by the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players: http://youtu.be/1PYtIzp-za0

In fact, I’m surprised the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players haven’t ever been on BB except as a comment from 2006!

]]> By: MrJM http://boingboing.net/2013/02/20/winner-of-copyright-free-birth.html#comment-1660808 MrJM Wed, 20 Feb 2013 22:34:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214353#comment-1660808 jeebus that is a downer song.  I mean damn. jeebus that is a downer song. 

I mean damn.

]]> By: Art http://boingboing.net/2013/02/20/winner-of-copyright-free-birth.html#comment-1660807 Art Wed, 20 Feb 2013 22:33:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214353#comment-1660807 What a depressing little tune! A really, REALLY bad song.  Destined for oblivion before I even log into BB.   And those are my poooooo-sitive cooooom-ments. What a depressing little tune!
A really, REALLY bad song. 
Destined for oblivion before I even log into BB.  

And those are my poooooo-sitive cooooom-ments.

]]> By: Laura http://boingboing.net/2013/02/20/winner-of-copyright-free-birth.html#comment-1660789 Laura Wed, 20 Feb 2013 22:16:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214353#comment-1660789  Yea it sounds far too melancholy for a celebratory song. Also, the focus on the line, "it's your birthday", make it a little weird to sing if you happen to be celebrating on a day <i>other</i> than your actual birthday.  Yea it sounds far too melancholy for a celebratory song. Also, the focus on the line, “it’s your birthday”, make it a little weird to sing if you happen to be celebrating on a day other than your actual birthday.

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