Unbirthday (thing)

The Unbirthday Song

Statistics prove, prove that you've one birthday, one birthday ev'ry year. But there are three hundred and sixty four unbirthdays. That is why we're gathered here to cheer. A very merry unbirthday to you, to you. A very merry unbirthday to you, It's great to drink to someone and I guess that you will do. A very merry unbirthday to you ¹

A very merry unbirthday To me To who? To me Oh, you

A very merry unbirthday To you Who, me? To you Oh, me Let's all congratulate us with another cup of tea A very merry unbirthday to me

chorus

Now blow the candle out, my dear And make your wish come true A very merry unbirthday to you²

____________________

As far as I’m concerned, this is one of the best songs in Walt Disney’s Alice in Wonderland. I had the long-playing record and the accompanying book as a child, and I just about wore it out, listening and singing along. The original conversation about unbirthdays is between Alice and Humpty Dumpty, in Chapter 6 of Through the Looking Glass:

”I mean, what is an un-birthday present?"

"A present given when it isn't your birthday, of course."

Alice considered a little. "I like birthday presents best," she said at last.

"You don't know what you're talking about!" cried Humpty Dumpty. "How many days are there in a year?"

"Three hundred and sixty-five," said Alice.

"And how many birthdays have you?"

"One."

"And if you take one from three hundred and sixty-five, what remains?"

"Three hundred and sixty-four, of course."

Humpty Dumpty looked doubtful. "I'd rather see that done on paper," he said.

Alice couldn't help smiling as she took out her memorandum-book, and worked the sum for him:

                               365
                                 1
                               ___

                               364
                               ___

Humpty Dumpty took the book, and looked at it carefully. "That seems to be done right -- " he began.

"You're holding it upside down!" Alice interrupted.

"To be sure I was!" Humpty Dumpty said gaily, as he turned it round for him. "I thought it looked a little queer. As I was saying, that seems to be done right -- though I haven't time to look it over thoroughly just now -- and that shows that there are three hundred and sixty-four days when you might get un-birthday presents -- "

"Certainly,"' said Alice.

"And only one for birthday presents, you know. There's glory for you!" ³

¹ (No author listed) http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/aliceinwonderland/theunbirthdaysong.htm ²Music: Sammy Fain / Lyrics: Bob Hilliard http://disneytickets0.tripod.com/alicelyrics4.html ³ Lewis Carroll, Through The Looking-Glass (And What Alice Found There), 1872.