Like the other versions, this is sung to the tune of '"The Volga Boatmen." On this page I've
included a number of alternate verses and different versions of verses. Thus this collection isn't
very singable as written.
It is sometimes called "The SCA Birthday Dirge," "The Viking Birthday Song" or "The Barbarian
Birthday Song." But the earliest name may have been "The Mongolian Birthday Song."
Because this version is much longer, I haven't shown the repeats of the refrain of "Happy
Birthday! (UHH!) Happy Birthday! (UHH!)" after each two-line stanza. But it's repeated as in the
shorter version. For example:
I've collected almost every verse and version I could find--at least until I got tired of looking. So
pick and choose what you want, or make up your own. To see a shorter, more singable version,
and to read more about the background of this song and hear and see it on video, click HERE.
To see a couple accounts of the original version, click HERE.
included a number of alternate verses and different versions of verses. Thus this collection isn't
very singable as written.
It is sometimes called "The SCA Birthday Dirge," "The Viking Birthday Song" or "The Barbarian
Birthday Song." But the earliest name may have been "The Mongolian Birthday Song."
Because this version is much longer, I haven't shown the repeats of the refrain of "Happy
Birthday! (UHH!) Happy Birthday! (UHH!)" after each two-line stanza. But it's repeated as in the
shorter version. For example:
- Death, destruction and despair/People dying everywhere/Happy Birthday! (UHH!)
Happy Birthday! (UHH!).
I've collected almost every verse and version I could find--at least until I got tired of looking. So
pick and choose what you want, or make up your own. To see a shorter, more singable version,
and to read more about the background of this song and hear and see it on video, click HERE.
To see a couple accounts of the original version, click HERE.
As far as I know, the lyrics are copyrighted by
no one. The tune is a traditional Russian
song, and also not copyrighted. The
wallpaper was created by The Loveshade
Family, and is released into the public
domain.
no one. The tune is a traditional Russian
song, and also not copyrighted. The
wallpaper was created by The Loveshade
Family, and is released into the public
domain.
| (Sung to the tune of "The Volga Boatmen") |
The above is from memory (with a few very slight variations of my own), various
SCAers through the years, and the sites below:
cunnan.sca.org.au/wiki/The_SCA_birthday_song
www.faqs.org/faqs/music/birthday-dirge-faq
www.filk.com/songs/THE_SCA_HAPPY_BIRTHDAY_SONG.htm
www.youtube.com/watch?v=coIv4gwXlIo
SCAers through the years, and the sites below:
cunnan.sca.org.au/wiki/The_SCA_birthday_song
www.faqs.org/faqs/music/birthday-dirge-faq
www.filk.com/songs/THE_SCA_HAPPY_BIRTHDAY_SONG.htm
www.youtube.com/watch?v=coIv4gwXlIo
 |
| Longer, more complete version |
Happy Birthday! (UHH!) Happy Birthday! (UHH!)
Death, destruction and despair,
People dying everywhere,
Now that you're the age you are
Your demise cannot be far,
For another year has passed,
Don't look now they're gaining fast!
Just be glad the friends you've got
Haven't found out you-know-what,
You'll be dead this time next year,
May the candles on your cake
Burn like pyres at your wake,
Hear the women wail and weep,
Kill them all but SAVE THE SHEEP!
Make the women wail and weep,
Slay them all but spare the sheep
May your deeds with sheep and yaks
equal those with sword and axe
Now you've aged another year
Now you know that Death is near
Your children plot to murder you
They stole your gold, your sword, your house
They stole your sheep, but not your spouse
Don't tell lies to your good friend
Tho you're turning 29
Age to you is like fine wine
You're a period cook, its true,
Ask the beetles in your stew
Now your jail-bait days are done
Let's go out and have some fun!
You must marry very soon
Baby's due the next full moon
Were I sitting in your shoes
I'd go out and sing the blues
Soon your hair will all turn grey
Then fall out (or so they say)
We brought linen, white as cloud
Now we'll sit and sew your shroud!
Black Death has just struck your town
You yourself feel quite run-down
Birthdays come but once a year
Marking time as Death draws near
Burn, then rape by firelight
Add romance to life tonight
May your deeds with sheep and yaks
Equal those with sword and axe
Children dying far and near
They say that cancer's caused by beer
We love children, yes we do
Baked or broiled or in a stew
May the children in the street
Be your barbecuing meat
Indigestion's what you get
From the enemies you 'et
They stole your sword, your gold, your house
Took your sheep but not your spouse
I'm a leper, can't you see
Have a birthday kiss from me
This one lesson you must learn
First you pillage, then you burn
While you eat your birthday stew
We will loot the town for you
Typhoid, plague and polio
Coffins lined up in a row
See the wrinkles on your face
Like the pattern of fine lace
Were I sitting in your shoes
I'd go out and sing the blues
When you've reached this age you know
That the mind is first to go
Death, destruction and despair,
People dying everywhere,
- Death and gloom and black despair
People dying everywhere
Doom, destruction, and despair
Grief and sorrow fill the air
Pain destruction and despair
People dying everywhere
Now that you're the age you are
Your demise cannot be far,
- Now you are the age you are
Your demise cannot be far
- When you've reached the age you are
Your demise cannot be far
For another year has passed,
Don't look now they're gaining fast!
- Now another year has passed
Don't look now they're gaining fast!
- So another year has passed
Don't look now they're gaining fast!
- So far Death you have bypassed
Don't look back, he's gaining fast
Just be glad the friends you've got
Haven't found out you-know-what,
- Doom and gloom and darkness but
No one's found out YOU KNOW WHAT,
Fear and gloom and darkness but
no one found out YOU KNOW WHAT
Fear and gloom and darkness but
No one found out you-know-what
You'll be dead this time next year,
- It's your birthday never fear
You'll be dead this time next year
May the candles on your cake
Burn like pyres at your wake,
- May the candles on your cake
burn like cities in your wake
- May the cities in your wake
Burn like candles on your cake,
Hear the women wail and weep,
Kill them all but SAVE THE SHEEP!
- Burn the Castle and storm the keep
Kill the Women but SAVE THE SHEEP!
Burn the castle and storm the keep
Kill the women, but save the sheep
- Hear the women wail and weep
Kill them all, but spare the sheep
May the women wail and weep
kill them all, but save the sheep
Make the women wail and weep,
Slay them all but spare the sheep
May your deeds with sheep and yaks
equal those with sword and axe
Now you've aged another year
Now you know that Death is near
- So you've aged another year
Now you know that Death is near
Now you've lived another year
Age to you is like stale beer
Your children plot to murder you
They stole your gold, your sword, your house
They stole your sheep, but not your spouse
Don't tell lies to your good friend
Tho you're turning 29
Age to you is like fine wine
You're a period cook, its true,
Ask the beetles in your stew
- You're a period cook, its true
Ask the beetles in the stew
Now your jail-bait days are done
Let's go out and have some fun!
You must marry very soon
Baby's due the next full moon
Were I sitting in your shoes
I'd go out and sing the blues
Soon your hair will all turn grey
Then fall out (or so they say)
- Long ago your hair turned grey
Now it's falling out, they say
We brought linen, white as cloud
Now we'll sit and sew your shroud!
Black Death has just struck your town
You yourself feel quite run-down
- Pestilence has struck your town
You yourself feel quite run-down
Birthdays come but once a year
Marking time as Death draws near
Burn, then rape by firelight
Add romance to life tonight
May your deeds with sheep and yaks
Equal those with sword and axe
- May your deeds with sword and axe
Equal those with sheep and yaks
Children dying far and near
They say that cancer's caused by beer
We love children, yes we do
Baked or broiled or in a stew
May the children in the street
Be your barbecuing meat
Indigestion's what you get
From the enemies you 'et
They stole your sword, your gold, your house
Took your sheep but not your spouse
I'm a leper, can't you see
Have a birthday kiss from me
This one lesson you must learn
First you pillage, then you burn
While you eat your birthday stew
We will loot the town for you
Typhoid, plague and polio
Coffins lined up in a row
See the wrinkles on your face
Like the pattern of fine lace
Were I sitting in your shoes
I'd go out and sing the blues
When you've reached this age you know
That the mind is first to go
| The Mongolian Birthday Song (aka the SCA Birthday Song) by various authors |
| See a Shorter, More Singable Version and hear it on video HERE |
| See what is possibly the Earliest Known Version and History HERE |