If you were to perform publicly or record "Happy Birthday" or "Danny Boy" would have to pay someone some money. Maybe. It's a little confusing.

According to Wikipedia, the melody of "Happy Birthday to You" was written in Louisville, Kentucky, for the sisters and teachers; Patty Hill and Mildred J. Hill in 1893.

You could just imagine the morning that in her classroom to a tune called "Good morning all ". Unfortunately, we do not know who wrote the lyrics to the song as we know it today, and so, the heirs of the lyricist MIAs never see their due!

The version we know was copyrighted in 1935 and was purchased by Warner Chappell in 1990 U.S. dollars 15 million! With the value of "Happy Birthday" estimated at U.S. $ 5 million, a musician and his heirs a check definitely lost in Nice.
While the current state copyright of the song is unclear, Warner claims that unauthorized public performances of the song are technically illegal unless royalties are paid to it.

In contrast, the mystery of the famous song of Danny Boy has been really resolved. Or not? A very interesting read by Michael Robinson, who reveals that the song Danny Boy is one of the more than 100 songs composed to the same melody.

According to Wikipedia, the root of the song Danny Boy begins with a song called Londonderry Air. Londonderry Air should be the melody that carries more than 100 songs, no doubt we should give credit to the great composer. Unfortunately, this great original tune and its composer is still shrouded in a cloud of mystery.

What we know for certain is that the lyrics of Danny Boy were originally written for a different tune in 1910 by an English lawyer, Frederick Weatherly. Interestingly, the composer never actually visited Ireland, however, the tune became an anthem for the Irish.

Weatherly modified to fit the lyrics melody Londonderry Air in 1913. The English lawyer saw fit to give the music to an opera singer by the name of Elsie Griffen, and later to a British Shakespeare actress by the name of Ellen Terry. And so, Danny Boy was in the midst of becoming a legend.

Opera, an actress of requiem, the song lasts the test of time with the musical icons of all kinds keeping Danny Boy Alive including one teacher from the creators of rock-n-roll, Elvis Presley, the great jazz pianist Bill Evans and pop culture diva Sinéad O'Connor.

One great thing about this tune, if you were to burn, you should not pay a penny to anyone. It is one of the major issues is in the public domain.

One has to wonder if Warner Chappell purchased Happy Birthday to 15 million euros, how much they would have paid for Danny Boy? Lost Heirs the musician who composed Londonderry Air, because being very proud of their musical heritage as it is in fact a great song, one that is loved by millions.

About the Author:

To see a video performance of Danny Boy by the author you can visit YouTube. Also check out Paul Tobey's website for your free piano lesson.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Danny Boy and Happy Birthday - 2 Great Songs, 2 Great Mysteries

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