For He's a Jolly Good Fellow

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2007)

"For He/She's A Jolly Good Fellow" is a song which is sung to congratulate a person on a significant event, such as a retirement, a promotion, a birthday, the birth of a child, or the winning of a championship sporting event. The melody originates from that of the French song "Marlbrough s'en va-t-en guerre."

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" is the second-most popular song in the English language, following "Happy Birthday to You" and followed by "Auld Lang Syne." It is frequently used instead of Happy Birthday to You in films and TV to avoid possible copyright issues.

History

The tune was originally composed the night after the Battle of Malplaquet in 1709 ^[1]

American lyrics

For he/she's a jolly good fellow, for he/she's a jolly good fellow

For he/she's a jolly good fellow (pause), which nobody can deny

Which nobody can deny, which nobody can deny

For he/she's a jolly good fellow, for he/she's a jolly good fellow

For he/she's a jolly good fellow (pause), which nobody can deny

British and Australian lyrics

For he/she's a jolly good fellow, for he/she's a jolly good fellow

For he/she's a jolly good fellow (pause), and so say all of us

And so say all of us, and so say all of us

For he/she's a jolly good fellow, for he/she's a jolly good fellow

For he/she's a jolly good fellow (pause), and so say all of us

Variations

• Amongst certain groups a different word is substituted for "fellow." Also the British and American versions can be combined, normally with 'and so say all of us' in the middle of the verse, and "which nobody can deny" at the end.
• In addition the song can be altered to agree with the sex of the intended recipient, "he" being replaced with "she."
• In some parts of the United Kingdom, when singing the song to the driver of a bus or coach, usually on a specially commissioned trip rather than a standard scheduled journey, it is customary to add "on the bus" to the line "and so say all of us," resulting in "and so say all of us on the bus."^{[citation needed]}

• The 1977 Disney animated feature film The Rescuers featured a variation of the song called "For Penny's a Jolly Good Fellow."
• The song was also sung to Mrs. Peacock in the second ending of the 1985 film Clue.
• Also, the "People's Front of Judea" sung it to Brian in the ending scene of Monty Python's Life of Brian.
• Fans of Arsenal F.C. also have a variation called "Jolly Good Vela," named after fan-favorite Carlos Vela.
• The Bear Went Over the Mountain is sung to the same tune.
• In the 2009 film G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, the character Zartan (played by Arnold Vosloo) has the habit of whistling the song.

See also

• Sto lat - traditional Polish song that is sung to express good wishes to a person

References

• For He's a Jolly Good Fellow, Lyrics and Sound