This is, apparently, an early version of "The Mongolian Birthday Song," aka "The SCA Birthday
Song," "The SCA Birthday Dirge," "The Viking Birthday Song" and "The Barbarian Birthday
Song." To see another short, singable version, and some basic background of this song after its
creation and to see and hear it on video, click HERE. To see a more comprehensive version and
links to other versions and variations, click HERE.
Song," "The SCA Birthday Dirge," "The Viking Birthday Song" and "The Barbarian Birthday
Song." To see another short, singable version, and some basic background of this song after its
creation and to see and hear it on video, click HERE. To see a more comprehensive version and
links to other versions and variations, click HERE.
 |
| Earliest known version and History |
| See the Longer, More Complete Version 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. The copyright for the annotation to
the history is as above.
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. The copyright for the annotation to
the history is as above.
Longer, more complete version and links to other versions HERE
| (Sung to the tune of "The Volga Boatmen") |
Happy Birthday (Grunt)
Happy Birthday (Grunt)
Death, destruction and despair,
People dying everywhere
Happy Birthday (Grunt)
Happy Birthday (Grunt)
May the candles on your cake,
Burn like cities in your wake
Happy Birthday (Grunt)
Happy Birthday (Grunt)
Now that you're the age you are,
Your demise cannot be far
Happy Birthday (Grunt)
Happy Birthday (Grunt)
Make the women wail and weep,
Slay them all but spare the sheep
Happy Birthday (Grunt)
Happy Birthday (Grunt)
Happy Birthday (Grunt)
Death, destruction and despair,
People dying everywhere
Happy Birthday (Grunt)
Happy Birthday (Grunt)
May the candles on your cake,
Burn like cities in your wake
Happy Birthday (Grunt)
Happy Birthday (Grunt)
Now that you're the age you are,
Your demise cannot be far
Happy Birthday (Grunt)
Happy Birthday (Grunt)
Make the women wail and weep,
Slay them all but spare the sheep
Happy Birthday (Grunt)
Happy Birthday (Grunt)
| The Mongolian Birthday Song (aka the SCA Birthday Song) by various authors (see below) |
| Most information on this page and the copyright notice above are from history.westkingdom.org/Year12/CalafiaMayDay.htm |
“The Mongolian Birthday song [above], ala Caid, was actually created at this
tourney. I had heard a snippet of a song as rendered by Duke James
Grayhelm. When I asked for more, he had said that was all there was or all he
knew. I took it back to Caid (Robear du Bois and I had been "researching"
Mongol dancing – the Mongol Stomp I believe it was called), and introduced
the song snippet to the populace at this event and hosted a contest to come
up with new verses. At day's end, we retained the original verse and accepted
three more. It became a Caiden standard at all subsequent birthday
celebration. While the song has been wildly accepted, no one seems to want
to do the stomp. (It's a somewhat physically painful dance, go figure.) “Sung
to a "Russian" style dirge (I think you'll know the "tune" I mean.)”
– Martin the Temperate
“Clint Bigglestone (Harald of Breakstone), Steve Henderson (Steven
MacEanruig) and I first sung this song to Paul Moslander (Don Segundo
Sombre de Muerte Christiano) a couple of years before the SCA began. We
made it up rather extempore and decided we liked it, so we sang it again at
various affairs. Since it was a gag birthday song, we never felt the need to
add verses.
“Once the SCA got going, so did the song. However, I think putting something
like these words to this tune is too easy to do; I think it had parallel evolution
in other venues, because I've heard it in places that I don't think it could have
gotten to from us. After all, this was well before the Internet became common
and I don't think that Steven and William put it in their songbooks (though I
could be mistaken about that). I know the song got a lot of exposure during
one of the early Pleasure Faires when the Sheriff's Men sang it during "Robin
Hood's Birthday." Their recitation brought down the house (good thing it was
an open air venue).”
– Stefan de Lorraine, who wonders just how this song did travel so far and
so thoroughly...
“I know that we assembled the rest of the verses from the contest entries
submitted that day. If you've heard those particular verses in other venues,
then I submit it's of SCA origin. I've shared it with many non-SCA'ers (and long
before the Internet) and I'm sure many others have too. It may have made it's
way into one of the Caiden songbooks.”
– Martin the Temperate
Note: Sir Gregory of York won the prize for creating two new verses for the
Mongolian Birthday Song, receiving a golden kazoo and a bottle of
champagne.
tourney. I had heard a snippet of a song as rendered by Duke James
Grayhelm. When I asked for more, he had said that was all there was or all he
knew. I took it back to Caid (Robear du Bois and I had been "researching"
Mongol dancing – the Mongol Stomp I believe it was called), and introduced
the song snippet to the populace at this event and hosted a contest to come
up with new verses. At day's end, we retained the original verse and accepted
three more. It became a Caiden standard at all subsequent birthday
celebration. While the song has been wildly accepted, no one seems to want
to do the stomp. (It's a somewhat physically painful dance, go figure.) “Sung
to a "Russian" style dirge (I think you'll know the "tune" I mean.)”
– Martin the Temperate
“Clint Bigglestone (Harald of Breakstone), Steve Henderson (Steven
MacEanruig) and I first sung this song to Paul Moslander (Don Segundo
Sombre de Muerte Christiano) a couple of years before the SCA began. We
made it up rather extempore and decided we liked it, so we sang it again at
various affairs. Since it was a gag birthday song, we never felt the need to
add verses.
“Once the SCA got going, so did the song. However, I think putting something
like these words to this tune is too easy to do; I think it had parallel evolution
in other venues, because I've heard it in places that I don't think it could have
gotten to from us. After all, this was well before the Internet became common
and I don't think that Steven and William put it in their songbooks (though I
could be mistaken about that). I know the song got a lot of exposure during
one of the early Pleasure Faires when the Sheriff's Men sang it during "Robin
Hood's Birthday." Their recitation brought down the house (good thing it was
an open air venue).”
– Stefan de Lorraine, who wonders just how this song did travel so far and
so thoroughly...
“I know that we assembled the rest of the verses from the contest entries
submitted that day. If you've heard those particular verses in other venues,
then I submit it's of SCA origin. I've shared it with many non-SCA'ers (and long
before the Internet) and I'm sure many others have too. It may have made it's
way into one of the Caiden songbooks.”
– Martin the Temperate
Note: Sir Gregory of York won the prize for creating two new verses for the
Mongolian Birthday Song, receiving a golden kazoo and a bottle of
champagne.
| May Day Tourney -- Barony of Calafia May 7-8, 1977 |
| Description of this event, © Copyright 1980 by William R. Keyes (Wilhelm von Schlüssel) This is from The History of the West Kingdom, Volume 1 (the only volume produced). When reading this text, please keep in mind the following disclaimer: Disclaimer: This history may have errors in it, as much of the detail is “remembered” history, or as one of the cover pages of the original type-written manuscript states “The material within is derived from the information printed in The Crown Prints and in The Page, and from the memories of the participants.” The original document was typed on onion-skin paper, with hand-written notes (often in the margins). All attempts have been made to reconcile the notes with the original document. Annotations, when they are added, are from The Annotated History of the West, Volume 1, which is the same text as Master Wilhelm's mentioned above, with commentary from members of the SCA who were active at the time of the event, and are added to help clarify questions and expand on what happened and why. This volume is copyright © Ken Mayer (Hirsch von Henford). |
| See a Shorter, More Singable Version and hear it on video HERE |