Ask Mr. Know It All

Q. I’ve read the story behind the song “Happy Birthday” many times, but I always forget the details. If you print an answer to my question, I’ll cut it out and save it for future use.

S.J., Marshalltown, Iowa

A. Two sisters, Mildred Hill, a teacher, and Patty Hill, a principal, wrote a song called “Good Morning to All.” The song was published in the collection “Song Stories for the Kindergarten” in 1893.

In 1924, a man named Robert H. Coleman published the song without the sisters’ permission. Coleman added a verse, “Happy Birthday to You.” This verse quickly became the song’s new title. Mildred died in 1916, but Patty and a third sister, Jessica, took Coleman to court and proved they wrote and owned the original song. The court agreed that all royalties for the song belonged to the Hills.

Q. What was originally at the site of the Empire State Building? I was once told it was the last farm in Manhattan. How long did it take to build the structure?

Panama City, Fla.

A. I am sure that at one time the site of the Empire State Building was a farm, but it was not when construction of the soon-to-be world’s tallest building began. In its place was the Waldorf Astoria hotel.

Excavation for the new building began Jan. 22, 1930, and construction started March 17. The framework rose at a rate of 41/2 stories per week. As many as 3,400 people worked on the construction of the building, racking up a total of 7 million hours of work. With crews working Sundays and holidays, the job was finished in 410 days. The Empire State Building was opened on May 1, 1931. President Herbert Hoover pressed a button in Washington, D.C., to turn on the building’s lights.

Q. “Pseudonym” is another word for “pen name.” Is there a gender distinction if a female writer uses a male name or a male writer uses a female name?

M.H., Fulton, N.Y.

A. There is. “Pseudandry” is when a female writer uses a male’s name as a pen name; “pseudogyny” is when a male writer uses a female’s name as a pen name.

Q. When did Elvis Presley get out of the Army? When was he drafted?

O.S., Butler, Pa.

A. Presley was inducted March 24, 1958, and he got his world-famous haircut the next day at Fort Chaffee, Ark. His serial number was 53310761. Although he was offered a position in the Special Services, Presley declined, and spent much of his time in Germany. He was discharged with the rank of sergeant March 5, 1960.

Q. Was Jimmy Stewart’s father so upset with his son’s movie “Anatomy of a Murder” that he took out an ad in a national newspaper advising people to not see the “dirty movie”?

K.T., Hastings, Neb.

A. When the movie was released in 1959, Stewart’s father opposed the portrayal of rape, and he took out an ad in his hometown newspaper, not a national publication.

Q. My former girlfriend used to say, “In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.” Who wrote this?

G.C., Hamburg, Pa.

A. The proverb is credited to Desiderius Erasmus, in his collection “Adagia” (1500). Erasmus was a Dutch Renaissance humanist, Catholic priest, social critic, teacher and theologian. One common interpretation of this proverb is that even those without much ability or talent are viewed highly by those with no ability or talent at all.

In 1904, H.G. Wells wrote a fantastic short story called “The Country of the Blind.” He revised and expanded it in 1939. It’s the tale of a mountaineer who falls while climbing in Ecuador. He finds himself in a valley cut off from the rest of the world because of steep precipices on all sides. He’s stuck in the fabled Country of the Blind. Because of genetic defects, all residents of the valley are unable to see. The climber realizes that with his sight, he can be king. The locals don’t think that way, and they consider the intruder an aberration who needs an operation to remove his eyes. It’s a good story with an unusual ending, and it definitely puts a twist on Erasmus’ proverb.

Q. There is a great Budweiser commercial that premiered during the 2013 Super Bowl. In it, a breeder and trainer of Clydesdales becomes attached to a foal. When it’s time for the horse to join the Budweiser team, the two must say goodbye. Later, the Clydesdales come to visit Chicago, and the horse lets his trainer know that he was not forgotten. There is a great song in the background. Who is the singer, and what is the name of the song?

K.J., Mesa, Ariz.

A. The song is “Landslide,” which was released in 1975 by Fleetwood Mac and sung by Stevie Nicks. It’s a song of changes and regrets and getting older. You’re right — the commercial is a heart-tugging montage of scenes from the birth of the horse until the day he gets called up to join the big team of Budweiser horses.

Send questions to Mr. Know-It-All at AskMrKIA@gmail.com or c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

2013 Gary Clothier