OK, Folks, you know the drill. Allright everyone, let’s gather in front of our large, 13″, Black and White TV set, and watch as a tall, lanky man in a khaki uniform strides out, introduces himself as Sheriff John, and pulls out his accordion, and then starts singing the Birthday Cake Polka for [assignment: name]:
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Put another candle on my birthday cake
We’re gonna bake a birthday cake
Put another candle on my birthday cake
I’m another year old today
I’m gonna have a party with my birthday cake
Come on and take some birthday cake
Put another candle on my birthday cake
I’m another year old today
We’ll have some pie and sandwiches
And chocolate ice cream too
We’ll sing and play the day away
And one more thing I’m gonna do
I’ll blow out the candles on my birthday cake
And when I do, a wish I’ll make
Put another candle on my birthday cake
I’m another year old today
Happy Birthday to You
You’re another year old today.
Video: Link
I remember this well, makes me remember good times of my life. I didn’t realize that Sheriff John wrote the song.
The “Birthday Cake Polka” was actually written by Lee Penny. Sheriff John (J. Rovick) did share writing credits with L. Penny on other songs such as “Laugh and Be Happy” which was used as the intro song for Sheriff John’s Lunch Brigade.
Cool. Thanks for the info.
I can’t resist commenting. I was born in 1952 and Sheriff John was my lunchtime companion thru all of those early years. I anxiously awaited The Birthday Polka EVERY day, it was the highlight for me. Engineer Bill was ok too, he played red light/green light with drinking your milk, but Sheriff John, his friendliness and positivity and most of all the song, it was something I never forgot all these years.
If only he had had satellite syndication, perhaps the world could have been exposed to it and he may have had a chance to dethrone the Hill sisters’ birthday standard (way overdue IMHO). Hey, Georgia changed their state song due to popular demand for Ray Charles’ song of the same name.
But then, Sheriff John on a 52″ LCD just wouldn’t be the same.
I was born in 1952.
Loved Sheriff John.
Liked Engineer Bill, Cuckoo the Clown, Mr Wizard and Tom Hatten.
Loved Crusader Rabbit and Raggs, too.
Mr. Wizard. After years of chemistry, and physics I realized all the science really needed was learned from Mr. Wizard. Don Herbert.
I sing this every year. I sing this to my co-workers, and to my friends and to my family. I sang this in a restaurant recently and was applauded. Yes, I do remember this song and have to say it is still my favorite birthday song. (And yes, all those people think I am cracked!)
My brothers,sisters and I used to watch ‘ Sheriff John ‘ everyday, I one day had played this Song for one of my sisters ( I’ve so many sisters I forgot which sister it was for)),,Till this day we all Still remember ‘ Our ( Everybodies) ‘ Sheriff John ‘.
RIP,” OUR SHERIFF JOHN ” ( A Memory of Our Past To Remember and Never To Be Forgotten,A fan Always , Marlene Romero, 04~21~2016
I share this song with all of my FB friends born and raised in Southern California. It was a unique shared experience and a part of our collective childhood that was a happy time.
I sing it every year too to everyone in my immediate family on their birthday, whether they like it or not!’ Lol!
I will always Cherish Our Chldhood with Our friend ” Our Sheriff John m. romero
I absolutely love this song. My mom would sing this song to me, my brothers and sister’s on our birthday every year. This was something I looked forward to on my birthday. My moms passed away 2years ago so I’m going to learn the word’s to song. So can sing it my kids and grandkids in her honor.
Most people say “WHAT” but remember it well! Dan Barnes
I’m having pie and sandwiches today. We already sang the song. Still smiling thinking of Sheriff John.
I recall watching his show every day and he’d call out names of boys and girls who had parents send in their names and birthdays. I’m told he called out my name on my birthday. We need more sheriffs like him.
Good old S California – all the good kids shows on TV
. Wasn’t in school yet so watched em all. Really liked Sheriff John. When feeling low I go to my “Happy Place” and it includes the Birthday cake song
Today is my birthday. My brother just called and sang the Birthday Cake Polka to me over the phone. Now, I’m ridiculously nostalgic, but very happy for his reminder of our childhood. It really was a golden era of TV for those of us fortunate to have grown up in So Cal.
My wife’s birthday is next week. This monring as we stood in the kitchen and discussed plans for our celebration we both started singing …”I’ll blow out the candles on my Birthday Cake..!” We have been together for a very long time and smiled when we realized that our connection as ‘Lunch Brigaders’ through Sherrif John take us back a bunch more years… what a gift! I hope this song and the memories it holds go on forever… Happy Birthday to YOU!
My favorite memory is being 4 or 5 years old and watching Sheriff John and on my birthday when he was saying names whonhe was wishing a Happy birthday to, she would distract me just for a second and then yell “oh they called your name they called your name” all excited. Did he call my name? Not likely but she loved me enough to make me believe he did. I’m 62 now wnd she’s long gone to heaven bit that’s one of my favorite memories of her.
Today is my birthday. Having pie and sandwiches, chocolate ice cream too.
I met Sheriff John once as a kid, at one of those supermarket meet and greet things they use to have. I have a picture with him still.
My dad had a grocery store (market basket) on fair oaks & colorado in pasadena.sheriff john & the lone ranger,still have the aluminum colt .45 “silver bullet”!those shows still in my memory bank among others.
Today is my birthday, I celebrated by singing this. I had my picture taken with Sheriff John when I was a kid, still have the picture. Good memories..
Tomorrow is my friend’s 68th birthday and she lives in Las Vegas now. We met in Los Angeles on my 18th birthday (she was 20 at the time) and I sang the Birthday Polka to myself out loud with every Los Angeleno in the restaurant joining in with me. Great memory! I will be calling her at 5:08 a.m. tomorrow, the time she was born, and singing this song to her as I have done for 48 years. Thank you Sheriff John!
I remember this song well! This and Laugh and Be Happy were two of my fav songs during my early childhood. I remember running home from kindergarten so I wouldn’t miss Sheriff John’s show. I was so in love with Sheriff John that I would cry if I missed a single afternoon watching him and listening to him sing. Of course, those days were rare!
This song and ‘Laugh and Be Happy’ were two of my fav songs as a 5 yr. old. I used to run home after kindergarten to watch and listen to Sheriff John. I so loved that man that I would cry if I missed a single program, lol! Such fond memories… I still sing Laugh and Be Happy’ to this day when I wake up every day!
Wow! I too sat in front that televison set everyday without fail eating my lunch with the sheriff I to was in kindergarten and my grandmother sent in a post card to the sheriff with my name and birthday and on my birthday 6th birthday to be exact and low and behold right there in front of me from that televison that great man wished me happy birthday!!! I will never forget that day it was a great day I was so excited I yelled nanny! nanny! Sheriff john just wished me happy birthday! She was peeking around the kitchen doorway just grinning and laughing I heard that you are a special boy aren’t you ! And he sang the song what a day that was thank you nanny wherever you are I miss you tremendously !! And then sheriff john would eat your DiMaggio carrots you know they’re DiMaggio when they have the blue tag that says DiMaggio right on it!!! Thank you sheriff john you taught us some good values that just dont exist anymore I miss you sheriff john you were a great role model I am so lucky that I lived in that wonderful time before things changed I would live it over again and again if I could !!!!
I was born in 1954, my birthday is in a few days and this is the song for me! I have so many happy memories sharing my lunch time with Sheriff John everyday. I learned kindness and more from this gentle man. I hope he knew how many lives he touch and that he is still in our hearts! I love you Sheriff John, thank you and Laugh and be Happy! Nancy