For He's a Jolly Good Fellow

"For He's A Jolly Good Fellow" is a British and American song which is sung to congratulate a person on a significant event, such as a retirement. 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."

British and Australian lyrics

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

American lyrics

:For he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow:For he's a jolly good fellow (pause), which nobody can deny:Which nobody can deny, which nobody can deny:For he's a jolly good fellow (pause), which nobody can deny

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."Fact|date=September 2008

The 1977 Disney animated feature film "The Rescuers" featured a variation of the song called "For Penny's a Jolly Good Fellow."

ee also

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

References

* [http://www.niehs.nih.gov/kids/lyrics/jollygood.htm For He's a Jolly Good Fellow, Lyrics]