Tag Archives: birthday

Folk Song

Age: 11
Occupation: Student
Residence: Westlake Village, CA
Performance Date: April 7, 2007
Primary Language: English

Happy Birthday Rendition

Happy birthday to you,

You live in a zoo,

You look like a monkey,

And you smell like one too

(And many more, On Channel 4, And a Big Fat Lady, on Channel 80, and Scooby Doo, On 32, and all the rest, on CBS)

Normal rendition = Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear (person’s name), happy birthday to you!

Talia recalls multiple occasions during which she and her friends have tried to distort the traditional happy birthday song. This comedic rendition is sung as the birthday boy/girl is receiving the birthday cake, while the majority is singing the normal song.

The modified verse is not intended to offend the person celebrating his/her birthday; instead, it coincides with many other lighthearted birthday rituals indicating rites of passage (such as receiving punches for the number of one’s age). Talia states that the birthday boy/girl almost always laughs at the gag, and the joke is mainly geared as a prank on the parents who are so methodical about the traditional song. While the lines about the monkey serve as a practical joke, the addition about the television stations is completely impersonal and aimed at adding a tone of humor to the song as a whole. Talia claims that almost every time her friends sing “Happy birthday,” someone adds in their own performance of “and many more;” in face, it is almost implied amongst kids that someone will provide an addendum to the song.

The children’s desire to amend the song indicates their desire to add excitement to a very routine traditional song. The thrill of these pranks enables the singers to enjoy themselves and show enthusiasm while harmonizing about a friend’s birthday. Perhaps, the additions also provide a brief moment in the spotlight for the children on a day where the focus lies completely on one kid’s birthday.

The lines about the television statements offer an interesting depiction about the media these days. They suggest that most television stations offer nothing more than cartoons and reality shows, and that most of the news and popular culture on TV (“all the rest”) can be found on mainstream networks such as CBS and NBC (Channel 4 in the Los Angeles area).

Tradition – Beverly Hills, California

Nationality: American
Age: 23
Residence: Beverly Hills, CA
Performance Date: March 17, 2007
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish

“The Snatch Breakfast- Well it was when I was younger, on my birthdays before any of my friends could drive so my mom would drive… to pick up all my friends. Then um they would all come back to my house and wake me up and then we would all go to breakfast…”

“In theory it’s a really fun thing but in reality it was awful because I wasn’t a morning person, and I wouldn’t continue the tradition on with my kids if they weren’t morning people either because I hated it, but it is a family ritual that I went though, then my brother, and now my sister” After recounting the family ritual of Snatch Breakfasts, Eric asked his parents where they had the idea of Snatch Breakfast and his mom explained that her parents had Snatch Breakfasts for my her when she was young. Eric is a 23-year-old USC graduate. He grew up in Beverly Hills and now continues to work in Los Angeles as an accountant. Eric and I were discussing childhood traditions and family rituals at my house with my roommate when we got stuck on the cycle of birthday rituals because every family has their own and they are always fun to share. Eric and I met his senior year of high-school so I was too late to be a part of the Snatch Breakfast but I have attended a few for his younger sister.

The Snatch Breakfast is synonymous with the their family so it was obvious that Eric would share this ritual with my roommate and I. It really is a part of their family and although he doesn’t like being woken up by a room full of his friends, Eric does like idea of it being a generational thing and no matter how crazy everyone gets, there is no doubt that on a birthday morning there will be a Snatch Breakfast.

The Snatch Breakfast is the perfect example of a family tradition. It has been done for many years and I’m sure it will continue to be done for many years. It provides a great story to share with friends and its fun to partake in.

Folk Belief – Milpitas, CA

Nationality: American
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Milpitas, CA
Performance Date: April 27, 2008
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish

Birthday Tradition

Every year on my birthday we have a family get together to celebrate my birthday.  And for dessert, we have a birthday cake.  My mom would always put the same amount of candles on the cake as the age I was turning, plus one candle for good luck.  For example, when I turned eighteen, there were nineteen candles on my birthday cake for good luck.

I believe this extra candle was put on my cake as good luck because as an American, I, and my family, have a future oriented mindset, so the extra candle represents the year to come and assumes I will be alive for at least another year and, hopefully, have good luck all year.  In my family, this tradition, typically, is only carried out on the birthdays of people twenty-five and under, which shows a focus on the young and healthy, whom will be the makers of the future of America.  I had always thought that everybody always put an extra candle on their birthday cakes for good luck, only recently had I discovered otherwise from two of my roommates.

Song

Nationality: Caucasian
Age: 7
Occupation: Student
Residence: Clayton, MO
Performance Date: March 20, 2008
Primary Language: English

Song: Happy Birthday Variation

“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, you look like a monkey, and you smell like one too.”

Connor explained to me that he learned this song at his elementary school whenever his class sang happy birthday to one of the students. He said that he learned it at Meramec Elementary School in Clayton, Missouri where he is from. However, he told me that his friends from other areas knew the song as well. A good time to perform this song is at a friend’s birthday party, where many children can get together and sing this version. He knows of other ways to continue the song but he said that this is the most popular between him and all of his friends. Parents tend to laugh at the children for singing this version because it reminds them of their own childhood when they used to sing different versions of songs to joke around.

According to Connor, the students sing as loud as they can so that everyone can hear their version over the other. He said that if people can hear the original version of the song, then their joke is not working. The goal is to embarrass the birthday kid on his or her own birthday. By telling the child that he or she looks like a monkey and smells like one too, Connor said that their friend will feel embarrassed as his or her face will hopefully turn red. But, it ends up being just a big joke for everyone to enjoy.

Connor thinks that this revision of the happy birthday song is a funny way to wish someone a happy birthday. He believes that there are many different versions but this is the one he knows the best. I agree with Connor in the sense that this joke is supposed to make people laugh. It is not supposed to mean that the child literally looks and smells like a monkey. Instead, it just makes him or her laugh. Birthdays are all about having fun with friends and family. This joke helps add to the excitement of turning another year older as a child because it gets everyone involved in the song. This song is great for adults too because although they are older now, the tune will help them remember their days as child singing similar birthday songs.

Birthday Tradition – Chinese

Nationality: Chinese
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Singapore
Performance Date: April 22, 2008
Primary Language: English
Language: Chinese

In Chinese culture a person should always eat noodles on their birthday.

The informant, Dominique, is from Singapore. She reports that in China it is traditional for a person to eat noodles on their birthday. The person is meant to eat long noodles because long noodles signify a long life. By eating long noodles on their birthday a person ensures they will have a long life. Dominique was taught the tradition by her parents who are both Chinese and says she actively practices it. She doesn’t know whether the tradition originates from Chinese or Buddhist culture, but says it is widespread. She reports it doesn’t matter what type of noodle you eat, so long as it is a long noodle.  Dominique thinks the practice connects her to her culture and says she will pass it on to her children.

Many cultures have a specific food that is associated with birthdays. In America for example we have birthday cakes. It’s interesting to note that the informant actually knows why she eats noodles on her birthday. She knows the symbolism behind the noodles, whereas I have had cake on everyone of my birthdays, but don’t know the symbolism behind it. Although eating long noodles may not prolong life it is an interesting ritual and something to look forward to on your birthday.