It would be a safe guess to venture that everyone has heard or been serenaded by "Happy Birthday to You",even off key renditions count sorry as they might be. What isn't well known about this familiar song is that the title was not the original title. "Good Morning to All" was written by two sisters,Mildred Hill a kindergarten teacher and Dr. Patty Hill the principal at the same school. Mildred then added her musical talents as an organist.
The sisters published the song in a collection of children's songs in 1893. Thirty one years later Robert H. Coleman published the song without the sisters' permission,and also added a second verse,the familiar "Happy Birthday to You". Coleman's addition of the second verse popularized the song and the sisters' original first verse disappeared.
After Mildred died in 1916 Patty and a third sister took Coleman to court and proved they owned the melody.
I have to wonder at this point why they didn't change it back to "Good Morning to All"...you don't mess with success?
The sisters published the song in a collection of children's songs in 1893. Thirty one years later Robert H. Coleman published the song without the sisters' permission,and also added a second verse,the familiar "Happy Birthday to You". Coleman's addition of the second verse popularized the song and the sisters' original first verse disappeared.
After Mildred died in 1916 Patty and a third sister took Coleman to court and proved they owned the melody.
I have to wonder at this point why they didn't change it back to "Good Morning to All"...you don't mess with success?
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