Discussion:
Variations on "Happy Birthday To You" chords
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Frank
2004-01-08 18:35:08 UTC
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I've been hunting around for ways of playing "Happy Birthday". The
following chord sequence sounds the most "correct" to my ears.
However, it does sound soooo boring, since it's ben played that way
since the iron age... well, since I was a kid anyway.

I was wondering if anyone could suggest some slightly more
sophisticated chords, preferably in the same key, as I've got to play
it at a kid's birthday party next week, and there will be some
musicians present who I'd like to impress.

G D
Happy Birthday to you

D7 G
Happy birthday to you

G C
Happy birthday dear Thingamy-bob

G D7 G
Happy birthday to you




Thank you!

Frank
Mark McDonald
2004-01-08 22:25:40 UTC
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By all means do "Cut the Cake" by John McCutcheon. It is by far the best
Birthday song for kids ever. Easy to play, just variations of 1, IV, V in
G. You can find the song here, http://www.folkmusic.com/f_music.htm

They will love it and you will start a tradition with them.

--
Mark McDonald
***@sonic.net
http://www.markmcdonaldblues.com
Mark McDonald
2004-01-08 22:35:38 UTC
Permalink
Here, I'll do you one better.

G We're gonna let 2nd grade out early today
D Which made little Mikey kinda G blue
G He just turned 7 years old that day
D And he thought he'd get a party at G school
C He walked back home and he's taken off his guard
D There's chairs and tables all over the yard
C And his friends jumped up and they hollered real hard,
D "Happy Birthday to G You!"

CHORUS:

G It makes me think of the good old days
D Happy birthday to you
G You sure grew out of your baby ways
D Happy birthday to G you
C (7th 23rd, 92nd) birthday we wish you many more
D Health and wealth and friends by the score
C Cut the cake and let's eat some more
D Happy birthday to G you

Now Mike's 22 and he's working for his Pop
And his head's full of business thru and thru
He was planning out a whole new system at the shop
And he forgot he had a birthday due
He drove back home and he's taken off his guard
There's chairs and tables all over the yard
And his friends jumped up and they hollered real hard,
"Happy Birthday to You!"

CHORUS

Now it's old man Michael in a rocking chair
Admiring the view
He's still got all his teeth and he's still got all his hair
And today he's 92
He turns in his seat and he's taken off his guard
There's chairs and tables all over the yard
And his friends jumped up and they hollered real hard,
"Happy Birthday to You!"

CHORUS



There you go.


--
Mark McDonald
***@sonic.net
http://www.markmcdonaldblues.com
Geetar Dave
2004-01-08 23:29:58 UTC
Permalink
G D7 C... G
Happy birthday to you
....using the C to draw out that last "youuuuu...," and then finally
resolving on the G chord.

Extra points if you walk the bass line down from the C chord to the G
(C, B, A, G)

If that doesn't impress all the musicians in the room, then of course
you're left with no recourse but to leap upon the nearest table, do a
few Pete Townshend-styled windmills, and launch into "Radar Love."

;^)

-dave
www.themoodrings.com (green ring = sounds)
Frank
2004-01-09 09:56:42 UTC
Permalink
Post by Geetar Dave
G D7 C... G
Happy birthday to you
....using the C to draw out that last "youuuuu...," and then finally
resolving on the G chord.
Extra points if you walk the bass line down from the C chord to the G
(C, B, A, G)
If that doesn't impress all the musicians in the room, then of course
you're left with no recourse but to leap upon the nearest table, do a
few Pete Townshend-styled windmills, and launch into "Radar Love."
lol -thanks for the suggestions!

Frank
Steve2000indeja
2004-01-09 20:20:51 UTC
Permalink
Post by Frank
Post by Geetar Dave
G D7 C... G
Happy birthday to you
....using the C to draw out that last "youuuuu...," and then finally
resolving on the G chord.
Extra points if you walk the bass line down from the C chord to the G
(C, B, A, G)
If that doesn't impress all the musicians in the room, then of course
you're left with no recourse but to leap upon the nearest table, do a
few Pete Townshend-styled windmills, and launch into "Radar Love."
lol -thanks for the suggestions!
Frank
Over many years of doing "Happy Birthday" in a bunch of bands, I've noticed
that the normal chords can be used and the song made a little more catchy by
doing things with the rhythm.

One band had a funk version and a rock version (think "You Really Got Me"
rhythm, only do the happy birthday changes), which we alternated depending on
the situation. You can do it with a latin feel or embellish the countryish
feel it sorta naturally has.

And I've heard some keyboardists drop nice jazz substitution chords in place of
the standard majors and 7ths- but as I'm only just beginning to learn this
style I can't tell you what they are..

As mentioned by others, you can do some walk downs and/or add a (traditional)
Big Hollywood Turnaround at the end of the tune to punch it up.

I've also seen bands (and played a few times) do the Beatles' "Happy Birthday"
in place of the traditional tune. This is generally too much. The song is a
great one, but it's too long if you do the whole thing with the following
exception (imo):

I've played it when we were hired specifically for a suprise birthday party and
it worked Great when the guest of honor walked through the door into the
surprise. In this situation the length of the tune doesn't matter too much.

You 'could' chop up the Beatles song I guess but when playing a "Happy
Birthday" singalong for the cake cutting a variation on the traditional
standard tune seems to work best. (the other 'cut the cake' song/lyrics
suggested notwithstanding- this may work great too, I've just never heard it
done..)

hope this helps

Steve
Frank
2004-01-10 16:04:15 UTC
Permalink
Post by Steve2000indeja
hope this helps
Steve
Yes - some good suggestions there - thank you!

Frank
Stephen Calder
2004-01-10 03:22:59 UTC
Permalink
Post by Frank
I've been hunting around for ways of playing "Happy Birthday". The
following chord sequence sounds the most "correct" to my ears.
However, it does sound soooo boring, since it's ben played that way
since the iron age... well, since I was a kid anyway.
I was wondering if anyone could suggest some slightly more
sophisticated chords, preferably in the same key, as I've got to play
it at a kid's birthday party next week, and there will be some
musicians present who I'd like to impress.
G D
Happy Birthday to you
D7 G
Happy birthday to you
G C
Happy birthday dear Thingamy-bob
G D7 G
Happy birthday to you
Thank you!
Frank
You could try this alternative harmony I just worked out. Others I'm
sure can do better:


[G] Happy [Em]birth[G]day to [Bm]you
[D]Happy [Am]birth[D7]day to [G]you
Happy [Em]birthday happy [A7]birthday
[C]Happy [Em]birth[Am7]day [D7]to[G]you.


Stephen
Byron Bay, Australia
Frank
2004-01-10 15:30:15 UTC
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Post by Stephen Calder
[G] Happy [Em]birth[G]day to [Bm]you
[D]Happy [Am]birth[D7]day to [G]you
Happy [Em]birthday happy [A7]birthday
[C]Happy [Em]birth[Am7]day [D7]to[G]you.
Stephen, - I love that! It's *exactly* what I need. Thank you! You
turned a tired old song into something that's a real pleasure to
hear.. I have about 20 other songs I could send you for the S. Calder
treatment if you're up to it. <lol> I've been playing for about 15
years and I could probably have worked that out after a lot of trial
and error, but I suspect you did it quickly, yes? Where did you get
that ability from? Did you have some formal musical education or
professional experience, or did it just come naturally?

Thanks again,

Frank
Stephen Calder
2004-01-11 13:37:36 UTC
Permalink
Post by Frank
Post by Stephen Calder
[G] Happy [Em]birth[G]day to [Bm]you
[D]Happy [Am]birth[D7]day to [G]you
Happy [Em]birthday happy [A7]birthday
[C]Happy [Em]birth[Am7]day [D7]to[G]you.
Stephen, - I love that! It's *exactly* what I need. Thank you! You
turned a tired old song into something that's a real pleasure to
hear.. I have about 20 other songs I could send you for the S. Calder
treatment if you're up to it. <lol> I've been playing for about 15
years and I could probably have worked that out after a lot of trial
and error, but I suspect you did it quickly, yes? Where did you get
that ability from? Did you have some formal musical education or
professional experience, or did it just come naturally?
Thanks again,
Frank
I'm so glad it did the trick for you. If it's not too late, I would make
one final small improvement. Change the final G chord to a C6 (X32210)
on the final word "you", hold it for a beat or two before resolving to
the G. Yummy!

I've been playing for 30 years and recently been studying harmony
theory, just on my own, to help with constructing chord progressions and
working out progressions for songs I want to play. I've also been
studying a lot of the old evergreen songs, and even hymn tunes, many of
which have beautiful harmonies incorporating sometimes unexpected
changes. After looking at a lot of them you start getting a feel for
what works. I worked out that fairly easy harmony in about 15 or 30
minutes I guess. A pro jazzman would do better quicker.

Knowing the cycle of fifths helps, too. For more info on this, do a
google search on "circle of fifths as a chord progression generator" in
alt.guitar.beginner.

As for giving other songs the same treatment, well, throw just one at me
and I'll see how I go, no promises.

Stephen
Byron Bay, Australia
Frank H
2004-01-12 11:41:12 UTC
Permalink
Post by Stephen Calder
I'm so glad it did the trick for you.
Stephen,
I e-mailed you about this today. Hope you receive it.

Frank

Stephen Calder
2004-01-10 03:28:24 UTC
Permalink
Post by Frank
I've been hunting around for ways of playing "Happy Birthday". The
following chord sequence sounds the most "correct" to my ears.
However, it does sound soooo boring, since it's ben played that way
since the iron age... well, since I was a kid anyway.
I was wondering if anyone could suggest some slightly more
sophisticated chords, preferably in the same key, as I've got to play
it at a kid's birthday party next week, and there will be some
musicians present who I'd like to impress.
G D
Happy Birthday to you
D7 G
Happy birthday to you
G C
Happy birthday dear Thingamy-bob
G D7 G
Happy birthday to you
Thank you!
Frank
You could try this alternative harmony I just worked out. Others I'm
sure can do better:


[G] Happy [Em]birth[G]day to [Bm]you
[D]Happy [Am]birth[D7]day to [G]you
Happy [Em]birthday happy [A7]birthday
[C]Happy [Em]birth[Am7]day [D7]to[G]you.


Stephen
Byron Bay, Australia
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