Very Random Fact of Day...

[NCdross]

I didn't know that the "Happy Birthday" song was copyrighted and illegal to sing it in public.



"The Summy Company registered for copyright in 1935, crediting authors Preston Ware Orem and Mrs. R.R. Forman. In 1990, Warner Chappell purchased the company owning the copyright for US$15 million, with the value of "Happy Birthday" estimated at US$5 million.[7] Based on the 1935 copyright registration, Warner claims that U.S. copyright won't expire until 2030, and that unauthorized public performances of the song are technically illegal unless royalties are paid to it."

"In 1998[11], the rights to "Happy Birthday to You" and its assets were sold to The Time-Warner Corporation. The company still strongly believes that one cannot sing the "Happy Birthday to You" lyrics for profit without paying extremely high royalties (by some accounts, upwards of $10,000 for a single use in a film or television program). This includes use in film, television, radio, anywhere open to the public, or even among a group where a substantial number of those in attendance are not family or friend to whoever is performing the song."


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Birthday_to_You

[CTsupra]

..and here I thought the use of fire extinguishers being illegal in Europe was retarded.

[plano2001]

This is why most restaurants no longer sing the standard Happy Birthday song and instead sing an alternative of it that it quick paced with clapping and such. You have to pay a royalty.

Interesting history for a song published before the 20th century by two sisters who wrote "Good Morning to All" in a song book for Kindergarten classes, before it was ever transformed into Happy Birthday to You.

Good morning to you,
Good morning to you,
Good morning dear children,
Good morning to all.

Got to learn about this when I became a waiter years back and asked around why we couldn't sing happy birthday to our tables.