Mildred J. Hill and Patty S. Hill · Key of E · Public domain
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This is Happy Birthday moved from G to the key of E, with every chord already worked out. In this key the song uses E, B7, E7, A. If you would rather keep open chord shapes and still sound in E, play it capo 2 with the D shapes, or capo 4 with the C shapes, or capo 7 with the A shapes.
The story behind the song and tips for playing it are on the main Happy Birthday chords and lyrics page. Other easy guitar keys: key of G, key of A, key of C, key of D, key of F.
Tap any chord for its diagram, other voicings, and the notes inside it.
In the key of E, Happy Birthday uses 4 chords: E, B7, E7 and A. The chords sit over the words in the chart above, and tapping a chord name under Chords in This Song opens its diagram.
G and C. In G the chords are G, D7, G7 and C; in the key of C they are C, G7, C7 and F, which sits a little lower for most voices. Pianists and choirs often use the key of F. Every key is one tap away at the top of the chart, with capo options for keeping the open shapes.
It is a waltz, three beats to the bar. Strum down on beat one, then down-up on beats two and three, or pick the bass note on one and strum two and three. The word "Happy" is a pickup before the first beat: "birth-" lands on the downbeat, and the chord moves to D7 on "you". Slow down a little on the last line and let the final G ring while everyone claps.
No. In 2015 a federal court found that Warner/Chappell did not hold a valid copyright to the lyrics, and the 2016 settlement declared the song public domain in the United States; the melody, published as Good Morning to All in 1893, had been free for decades. You can print this sheet, sing it, and record it without a license.
All the kids' song chord sheets, each one in every key.
