The tune is of French origin and dates at least from the 18th century. Allegedly it was composed the night after the Battle of Malplaquet in 1709. It became a French folk tune and was popularised by Marie Antoinette after she heard one of her maids singing it. The melody became so popular in France that it was used to represent the French defeat in Beethoven's composition "Wellington's Victory" Opus 91 written in 1813.
The melody also became widely popular in the United Kingdom. By the mid-19th century it was being sung with the words "For he's a jolly good fellow", often at all-male social gatherings. By 1862, it was already familiar in America.
The British and the American versions of the lyrics differ. "And so say all of us" is typically British, while "which nobody can deny" is regarded as the American version,[ but "which nobody can deny" has been used by non-American writers, including Charles Dickens in Household Words, Hugh Stowell Brown in Lectures to the Men of Liverpool and James Joyce in Finnegans Wake. (In the short story 'The Dead' from Dubliners, Joyce has a version that goes, "For they are jolly gay fellows..." with a refrain between verses of "Unless he tells a lie".) The 1935 American film Ruggles of Red Gap, set in rural Washington State, ends with repeated choruses of the song, with the two variations sung alternately. That may have been chosen by the writer or director because, although the singing crowd is almost completely American, they are singing it about a British person.
In the United States, the "And so say all of us" version is often found east of the Mississippi River, and the "which nobody can deny" variation is far more common west of the Mississippi.[citation needed] In both regions, prior to the popularization of the "Happy Birthday to You" song, "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" was the most commonly sung birthday song.
British version
- 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 version
- 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, for he's a jolly good fellow
- For he's a jolly good fellow (pause), which nobody can deny!
Danish version
- For han/hun er en af vor egne, for han/hun er en af vor egne
- For han/hun er en af vor egne (pause), en rigtig guttermand
- En rigtig guttermand, en rigtig guttermand
- For han/hun er en af vor egne, for han/hun er en af vor egne
- For han/hun er en af vor egne (pause), en rigtig guttermand!
French version
- Car c'est un bon camarade, Car c'est un bon camarade
- Car c'est un bon camarade (pause), Buvons à sa santé
- Buvons à sa santé, Buvons à sa santé
- Car c'est un bon camarade, Car c'est un bon camarade
- Car c'est un bon camarade (pause), Buvons à sa santé !
Irish version
- Sláinte an uasail fhónta, sláinte an uasail fhónta
- Sláinte an uasail fhónta, is go maire sé céad nó dhó
- Go maire sé céad nó dhó, gan mhairg gan athrú cló
- Sláinte an uasail fhónta, sláinte an uasail fhónta
- Sláinte an uasail fhónta, is nár fheice sé gruaim go deo![14]
Italian version
- Perché è un bravo ragazzo, perché è un bravo ragazzo
- perché è un bravo ragazzo (pause), nessuno lo può negar
- Nessuno lo può negar, nessuno lo può negar
- Perché è un bravo ragazzo, perché è un bravo ragazzo
- perché è un bravo ragazzo (pause), nessuno lo può negar!
Polish version
- Bo fajny z niego jest kumpel, bo fajny z niego jest kumpel
- Bo fajny z niego jest kumpel (pauza) i nie zaprzeczy nikt
- I nie zaprzeczy nikt i nie zaprzeczy nikt
- Bo fajny z niego jest kumpel, bo fajny z niego jest kumpel
- Bo fajny z niego jest kumpel (pauza) i nie zaprzeczy nikt
Portuguese (Brazil) version
- Ele é um bom companheiro, ele é um bom companheiro
- Ele é um bom companheiro (pause), ninguém pode negar
- ninguém pode negar, ninguém pode negar
- Ele é um bom companheiro, ele é um bom companheiro
- Ele é um bom companheiro (pause), ninguém pode negar!
Spanish (Spain) version
- Porque es un chico excelente, porque es un chico excelente
- Porque es un chico excelente..., y siempre lo será.
- Y siempre lo será, y siempre lo será.
- Porque es un chico excelente, porque es un chico excelente
- Porque es un chico excelente..., y siempre lo será.
- Y siempre lo será, y siempre lo será...
Spanish (Latin America) version
- Porque es un buen compañero, porque es un buen compañero
- Porque es un buen compañero (pausa), y nadie lo puede negar
- Y nadie lo puede negar, y nadie lo puede negar
- Porque es un buen compañero, porque es un buen compañero
- Porque es un buen compañero (pausa), y nadie lo puede negar!
Swedish version
- För han är en jättebra kompis, för han är en jättebra kompis
- För han är en jättebra kompis..., fy fan vad han är bra!
- Fy fan vad han är bra, fy fan vad han är bra
- För han är en jättebra kompis, för han är en jättebra kompis
- För han är en jättebra kompis (paus), fy fan vad han är bra!
Croatian version
- Jer on je najbolji kompa, jer on je najbolji kompa,
- jer on je najbolji kompa, (pauza) i nitko to nemre poreć'!
- I nitko to nemre poreč' i nitko to nemre poreć'.
- Jer on je najbolji kompa, jer on je najbolji kompa,
- jer on je najbolji kompa, (pauza) i nitko to nemre poreć'!
Catalan version
- És un xicot excel·lent, és un xicot excel·lent.
- És un xicot excel·lent..., això no es pot negar.
- Això no es pot negar, això no es pot negar.
- És un xicot excel·lent, és un xicot excel·lent.
- És un xicot excel·lent..., això no es pot negar.
- Això no es pot negar, això no es pot negar...
Hebrew version
- Ki hu bahur ka'erez, ki hu bahur ka'erez
- Ki hu bahur ke'e-e-e-rez
- Kulanu pe ehad YEEEH!
Russian version
- Какой хороший парень, какой хороший парень,
- Какой хороший парень...
- Приятно, что он среди нас,
- Приятно, что он среди нас, приятно, что он среди нас.
- Какой хороший парень, какой хороший парень,какой хороший парень...
- Приятно, что он среди нас.
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