Whose Tune Is Happy Birthday to You?

Mildred J. Hill and Patty Smith Hill were teachers in Louisville, Kentucky, who wrote 'Good Morning to All' for young children. It was published in 1893 in their book Song Stories for the Kindergarten. The birthday lyrics later spread informally and appeared in print by the early 20th century. For decades a music publisher collected royalties by claiming copyright over the song. In 2015 a US federal judge ruled that claim invalid, and a 2016 settlement confirmed the song is in the public domain.