View source for 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!''<br>
#Now you've aged another year<br>Now you know that Death is near<br> Happy Birthday! ''thud!'' Happy Birthday! ''thud!''
##So you've aged another year<br>Now you know that Death is near
#Children dying far and near<br>They say that cancer's caused by [[beer]]
##Children dying everywhere<br>Women crying in despair
#Death, destruction, and despair<br>People dying everywhere
##Doom and gloom and dark despair<br>People dying everywhere!
##Doom, destruction, and despair<br>Grief and sorrow fill the air
##Doom, destruction, and despair<br>People dying everywhere
##Death and gloom and black despair<br>People dying everywhere
##Pain destruction and despair<br>People dying everywhere
#Typhoid, [[plague]] and polio<br>[[Coffin]]s lined up in a row
#Now that you're the age you are<br>Your demise cannot be far
##Now you are the age you are<br>Your demise cannot be far
##When you've reached the age you are<br>Your demise cannot be far

Other popular verses:<br>
#[[Black Death]] has just struck your town<br>You yourself feel quite run-down
##Pestilence has struck your town<br>You yourself feel quite run-down
#Birthdays come but once a year<br>Marking time as Death draws near
#Long ago your hair turned grey<br>Now it's falling out, they say
##Soon your hair will all turn grey<br>Then fall out (or so they say)
#So you're 29 again<br>Don't tell lies to your good friend    
#So another year has passed<br>Don't look now they're gaining fast!   
#Fear and gloom and darkness but<br>no one found out YOU KNOW WHAT      
#It's your birthday never fear<br>You'll be dead this time next year  
#You must [[marriage|marry]] very soon<br>Baby's due the next full moon  
#Were I sitting in your [[shoe]]s<br>I'd go out and sing the blues  
#Though you're turning 29<br>Age to you is like fine [[wine]]  
#Now you've lived another year<br>age to you is like stale beer 

The Viking/Barbarian Verses:<br>
#Burn the [[castle]] and storm the [[keep]]<br>Kill the women, but save/spare the [[sheep]]
##Hear the women wail and weep<br>Kill them all, but save/spare the sheep
##May the women wail and weep<br>kill them all, but save/spare the sheep
##Women wail and men do weep<br>kill them all, but save/spare the sheep
#Burn, then rape by firelight<br>Add _romance_ to life tonight
#Indigestion's what you get<br>From the enemies you 'et
#May the [[candle]]s on your cake<br>Burn like [[city|cities]] in your wake.
##May the cities in your wake<br>Burn like candles on your [[cake]],
#May the children in the street<br>Be your barbequeing [[meat]]
##We love children, yes we do<br>Baked or broiled or in a stew
#May your deeds with sheep and yaks<br>Equal those with sword and axe
##May your deeds with [[sword]] and [[axe]]<br>Equal those with sheep and yaks
#They stole your sword, your [[gold]], your house<br>(They) Took your sheep but not your spouse
#This one lesson you must learn<br>First you pillage, then you burn
#While you eat your birthday stew<br>We will loot the town for you.

The SCA Verses:<br>
#We brought [[linen]], [[white]] as cloud<br>Now we'll sit and sew your shroud
#You're a [[period]] [[cook]], its true<br>Ask the beetles in the stew
#Your [[servant]]s steal, your wife's untrue<br>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.

[[category:SCAism]]