"Happy Birthday" is a song by Scottish band

Altered Images Altered Images are a Scottish new wave/post-punk band who found success in the early 1980s. Fronted by singer Clare Grogan, the group branched into mainstream pop music, having six UK top-40 hit singles and three top-30 albums from 1981 to 1 ...

, released as a single from their 1981 album of the same name. The song entered the UK charts in September 1981 and peaked at number two the following month, holding that position for three weeks. It was the 15th-best-selling single in the UK in 1981 and has been certified silver by the BPI for sales in excess of 250,000 copies. "Happy Birthday" is the only song on the album that was produced by

Martin Rushent Martin Charles Rushent (11 July 1948 – 4 June 2011) was an English record producer, best known for his work with The Human League, The Stranglers and Buzzcocks. Early life Rushent was born on 11 July 1948 in Enfield, Middlesex. His father ...

, who had already scored major success that year producing for

the Human League The Human League are an English synth-pop band formed in Sheffield in 1977. Initially an experimental electronic outfit, the group signed to Virgin Records in 1979 and later attained widespread commercial success with their third album ''Dare' ...

and would win the Producer of the Year award for 1981 at the BPI Awards. Accordingly, the band chose Rushent to produce their next album, '' Pinky Blue'' (1982), in its entirety.

Track listings

7-inch single :A. "Happy Birthday" :B. "So We Go Whispering" 12-inch single :A1. "Happy Birthday" :B1. "So We Go Whispering" :B2. " Jeepster"

Personnel

Clare Grogan Claire Patricia Grogan (born 17 March 1962), known professionally as Clare Grogan or sometimes as C. P. Grogan, is a Scottish actress and singer. She is best known as the lead singer of the 1980s new wave music group Altered Images, as well as ...

– lead vocals * Jim McKinven, Tony McDaid – guitars *

Johnny McElhone John Francis McElhone (born 21 April 1963 in Glasgow, Scotland) is a Scottish guitarist and songwriter. He has played with three bands who have enjoyed a top-20 presence in the UK Singles Chart; the new wave bands Altered Images and Hipsway, ...

– bass * Tich Anderson – drums

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Cover versions

"Happy Birthday" has been covered by

the Ting Tings The Ting Tings are an English indie pop duo from Salford, Greater Manchester formed in 2007. The band consists of Katie White (vocals, guitar, bass drums, bass guitar, cowbells) and Jules De Martino (drums, lead guitar, bass guitar, keyboards ...

for the children's television show ''

Yo Gabba Gabba! ''Yo Gabba Gabba!'' is a children's musical television series created by Christian Jacobs and Scott Schultz. The series is about five costumed toys come-to-life and their friend DJ Lance Rock (Lance Robertson). It is co-produced by Magic Stor ...

'' in 2008, by

the Wedding Present The Wedding Present are an English indie rock group originally formed in 1985 in Leeds, England, from the ashes of The Lost Pandas. The band's music has evolved from fast-paced indie rock in the vein of their most obvious influences The Fall, ...

for their 1993 compilation album ''John Peel Sessions 1987–1990'', and by Thomas Fagerlund ( The Kissaway Trail) with Christian Hjelm (

Figurines A figurine A figurine (a diminutive form of the word ''figure'') or statuette is a small, three-dimensional sculpture that represents a human, deity or animal, or, in practice, a pair or small group of them. Figurines have been made in many medi ...

) for the Danish radio programme ''Det Elektriske Barometer'' (''The Electric Barometer'') in 2010.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Happy Birthday 1981 singles 1981 songs Altered Images songs Epic Records singles Music videos directed by Tim Pope Portrait Records singles Song recordings produced by Martin Rushent Songs about birthday parties Songs about birthdays