The SCA birthday song
The SCA birthday song is an old, but happy tradition. It seems to have fallen out of favour recently (mostly because no-one can remember the words). This song has has several names, such as 'The SCA Birthday Dirge', 'The Barbarian Birthday Song', 'The Viking Birthday Song' etc. and is sung to the tune of 'The Volga Boatmen'. After each "Happy birthday" is sung/chanted, it is followed by a thud or grunt you get if you lift something heavy. This isn't a copyrighted song, and variations run free through the SCA and can be found everywhere. There are loads of variations, but here are several:
The Birthday Dirge
Happy Birthday! thud! Happy Birthday! thud!
- Now you've aged another year
Now you know that Death is near
Happy Birthday! thud! Happy Birthday! thud!- So you've aged another year
Now you know that Death is near
- So you've aged another year
- Children dying far and near
They say that cancer's caused by beer- Children dying everywhere
Women crying in despair
- Children dying everywhere
- Death, destruction, and despair
People dying everywhere- Doom and gloom and dark despair
People dying everywhere! - Doom, destruction, and despair
Grief and sorrow fill the air - Doom, destruction, and despair
People dying everywhere - Death and gloom and black despair
People dying everywhere - Pain destruction and despair
People dying everywhere
- Doom and gloom and dark despair
- Typhoid, plague and polio
Coffins lined up in a row - 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
- Now you are the age you are
Other popular verses:
- Black Death has just struck your town
You yourself feel quite run-down- Pestilence has struck your town
You yourself feel quite run-down
- Pestilence has struck your town
- Birthdays come but once a year
Marking time as Death draws near - Long ago your hair turned grey
Now it's falling out, they say- Soon your hair will all turn grey
Then fall out (or so they say)
- Soon your hair will all turn grey
- So you're 29 again
Don't tell lies to your good friend - So another year has passed
Don't look now they're gaining fast! - Fear and gloom and darkness but
no one found out YOU KNOW WHAT - It's your birthday never fear
You'll be dead this time next year - 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 - Though you're turning 29
Age to you is like fine wine - Now you've lived another year
age to you is like stale beer
The Viking/Barbarian Verses:
- Burn the castle and storm the keep
Kill the women, but save/spare the sheep- Hear the women wail and weep
Kill them all, but save/spare the sheep - May the women wail and weep
kill them all, but save/spare the sheep - Women wail and men do weep
kill them all, but save/spare the sheep
- Hear the women wail and weep
- Burn, then rape by firelight
Add _romance_ to life tonight - Indigestion's what you get
From the enemies you 'et - May the candles on your cake
Burn like cities in your wake.- May the cities in your wake
Burn like candles on your cake,
- May the cities in your wake
- May the children in the street
Be your barbequeing meat- We love children, yes we do
Baked or broiled or in a stew
- We love children, yes we do
- May your deeds with sheep and yaks
Equal those with sword and axe - They stole your sword, your gold, your house
(They) Took your sheep but not your spouse - 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.
The SCA Verses:
- We brought linen, white as cloud
Now we'll sit and sew your shroud - You're a period cook, its true
Ask the beetles in the stew - Your servants steal, your wife's untrue
Your children plot to murder you
And yet another version: Death destruction and despair, people dying everywhere.
May the Candles on your cake, burn like cities in your wake.
I like children yes I do, baked or boiled or in a stew.
