Happy Birthday (Stevie Wonder song) - Wikipedia

"Happy Birthday" is a song written, produced and performed by Stevie Wonder for the Motown label. Wonder, a social activist, was one of the main figures in ... HappyBirthday(StevieWondersong) FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia Jumptonavigation Jumptosearch Thissonghasnorelationtothesongtraditionallysungatchildren'sbirthdays. 1981singlebyStevieWonder"HappyBirthday"UKsinglepicturesleeveSinglebyStevieWonderfromthealbumHotterthanJulyB-side "HappyBirthday"(singalongversion,7-inch) ExcerptsfromMartinLutherKing'sspeeches(12-inch) ReleasedJune 26, 1981 (1981-06-26)[1]Recorded1980GenrePop,R&BLength5:53LabelMotownSongwriter(s)StevieWonderProducer(s)StevieWonderStevieWondersingleschronology "Lately"(1981) "HappyBirthday"(1981) "DidIHearYouSayYouLoveMe"(1981) "HappyBirthday"isasongwritten,producedandperformedbyStevieWonderfortheMotownlabel.Wonder,asocialactivist,wasoneofthemainfiguresinthecampaigntohavethebirthdayofMartinLutherKingJr.becomeanationalholiday,andcreatedthissingletopromulgatethecause.[2]Thesonghassincebecomeastandardforuseduringbirthdaysingeneral,particularlyamongAfrican-Americans. "HappyBirthday"wasreleasedasthefourthsingleofWonder'sHotterthanJuly(1980)albuminJune1981.ItwasoneofhismostpopularentriesintheUKSinglesChart.[3]ItwasnotreleasedintheUnitedStates,butisstillregardedasoneofhissignaturesongs. Contents 1Background 2Personnel 3Charts 4Certifications 5References Background[edit] Thesong,oneofmanyofWonder'ssongstofeaturetheuseofakeyboardsynthesizer,featuresWonderlamentingthefactthatanyonewouldopposetheideaofaDr.Kingholiday,where"peaceiscelebratedthroughouttheworld"andsingingtoKinginthechorus,"Happybirthdaytoyou".Theholiday,heproposes,wouldfacilitatetherealizationofDr.King'sdreamsofintegrationand"loveandunityforallofGod'schildren". Wonderusedthesongtopopularizethecampaign,andcontinuedhisfightfortheholiday,holdingtheRallyforPeacePressConferencein1981.UnitedStatesPresidentRonaldReaganapprovedthecreationoftheholiday,signingitintoexistenceonNovember2,1983.ThefirstofficialMartinLutherKingJr.Day,heldthethirdMondayinJanuaryofeachyear,washeldonJanuary20,1986,andwascommemoratedwithalarge-scaleconcert,whereWonderwastheheadliningperformer. "HappyBirthday"wasreleasedasasingleinseveralcountries.IntheUK,thesongbecameoneofWonder'sbiggesthits,reachingnumbertwointhechartsin1981.[3] WhenWonderperformedthesongatNelsonMandelaDayatRadioCityMusicHallonJuly19,2009,heslightlychangedthelyrics,"ThankstoMandelaandMartinLutherKing!"inthesecondverse.WonderalsoperformedthissongattheDiamondJubileeConcertinLondonfortheDiamondJubileeofElizabethII.[4] Personnel[edit] StevieWonder –vocals,synthesizer,drums,backgroundvocals,ARPsynthesizer,keyboards,bassmelodeon Charts[edit] Chart(1981) Peakposition Australia(KentMusicReport)[5] 31 Belgium(Ultratop50Flanders)[6] 13 Ireland(IRMA)[7] 5 Israel(IBA)[8] 1 Netherlands(DutchTop40)[9] 10 Netherlands(SingleTop100)[10] 12 NewZealand(RecordedMusicNZ)[11] 23 Switzerland(SchweizerHitparade)[12] 8 UKSingles(OCC)[13] 2 WestGermany(OfficialGermanCharts)[14] 18 Zimbabwe(ZIMA)[15] 20 Chart(1999) Peakposition USHotR&B/Hip-HopSongs(Billboard)[16] 70 Certifications[edit] Region Certification Certifiedunits/sales UnitedKingdom(BPI)[17] Gold 400,000 Sales+streamingfiguresbasedoncertificationalone. References[edit] ^"StevieWonder-HappyBirthday". ^"MLKDay:WhyonMondayandwhatwasStevieWonder'srole?".USATODAY.Retrieved2016-01-18. ^ab"StevieWonder–Singles".OfficialCharts.RetrievedFebruary1,2020. ^"StarsperformatDiamondJubileeconcert".BBCNews.2012-06-04.Retrieved2012-06-06. ^Kent,David(1993).AustralianChartBook1970–1992(illustrated ed.).StIves,N.S.W.:AustralianChartBook.ISBN 0-646-11917-6. ^"StevieWonder–HappyBirthday"(inDutch).Ultratop50. ^"TheIrishCharts–SearchResults–HappyBirthday".IrishSinglesChart. ^"IsraelSinglesCharts1987-1995".www.ukmix.org.Retrieved6September2020. ^"NederlandseTop40–StevieWonder"(inDutch).DutchTop40. ^"StevieWonder–HappyBirthday"(inDutch).SingleTop100. ^"StevieWonder–HappyBirthday".Top40Singles. ^"StevieWonder–HappyBirthday".SwissSinglesChart. ^"StevieWonder:ArtistChartHistory".OfficialChartsCompany. ^"Offiziellecharts.de–StevieWonder–HappyBirthday".GfKEntertainmentcharts. ^Chartsventes(2015-09-08)."WorldsingleschartsandsalesTOP50in58countries:StevieWONDER".WorldsingleschartsandsalesTOP50in58countries.Retrieved2020-09-06. ^"StevieWonderChartHistory(HotR&B/Hip-HopSongs)".Billboard. ^"Britishsinglecertifications–StevieWonder–HappyBirthday".BritishPhonographicIndustry.RetrievedFebruary12,2021. vteStevieWonderDiscographyStudioalbums TheJazzSoulofLittleStevie TributetoUncleRay WithaSonginMyHeart StevieattheBeach Up-Tight DowntoEarth IWasMadetoLoveHer SomedayatChristmas EivetsRednow ForOnceinMyLife MyCherieAmour Signed,Sealed&Delivered WhereI'mComingFrom MusicofMyMind TalkingBook Innervisions Fulfillingness'FirstFinale SongsintheKeyofLife HotterthanJuly InSquareCircle Characters ConversationPeace ATimetoLove Livealbums RecordedLive:The12YearOldGenius StevieWonderLive LiveattheTalkoftheTown NaturalWonder Soundtracks StevieWonder'sJourneyThrough"TheSecretLifeofPlants" TheWomaninRed TheLastDragon JungleFever Compilations LookingBack StevieWonder'sOriginalMusiquariumI SongReview:AGreatestHitsCollection AttheCloseofaCentury TheDefinitiveCollection TheCompleteStevieWonder Singles "Fingertips" "HeyHarmonicaMan" "Uptight(Everything'sAlright)" "WithaChild'sHeart" "Blowin'intheWind" "APlaceintheSun" "SomedayatChristmas" "HeyLove" "IWasMadetoLoveHer" "I'mWondering" "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day" "YouMetYourMatch" "Alfie" "ForOnceinMyLife" "IDon'tKnowWhy" "MyCherieAmour" "Yester-Me,Yester-You,Yesterday" "NeverHadaDreamComeTrue" "Signed,Sealed,DeliveredI'mYours" "HeavenHelpUsAll" "WeCanWorkItOut" "NeverDreamedYou'dLeaveinSummer" "IfYouReallyLoveMe" "WhatChristmasMeanstoMe" "Superwoman(WhereWereYouWhenINeededYou)" "Superstition" "YouAretheSunshineofMyLife" "HigherGround" "LivingfortheCity" "Don'tYouWorry'boutaThing" "He'sMisstraKnow-It-All" "YouHaven'tDoneNothin'" "BoogieOnReggaeWoman" "IWish" "SirDuke" "AnotherStar" "As" "Pops,WeLoveYou(ATributetoFather)" "SendOneYourLove" "MasterBlaster(Jammin')" "IAin'tGonnaStandforIt" "Lately" "HappyBirthday" "ThatGirl" "EbonyandIvory" "DoIDo" "RibbonintheSky" "FrontLine" "IJustCalledtoSayILoveYou" "LoveLightinFlight" "Part-TimeLover" "That'sWhatFriendsAreFor" "GoHome" "Overjoyed" "Skeletons" "YouWillKnow" "GetIt" "GottaHaveYou" "ForYourLove" "SoWhattheFuss" "FromtheBottomofMyHeart" "AllAbouttheLoveAgain" "Faith" "Can'tPutItintheHandsofFate" Featuredsingles "MyLove" "HowCome,HowLong" "CaliforniaRoll" Othersongs "YouandI(WeCanConquertheWorld)" "IBelieve(WhenIFallinLoveItWillBeForever)" "GoldenLady" "AllinLoveIsFair" "TheyWon'tGoWhenIGo" "KnocksMeOffMyFeet" "PastimeParadise" "Isn'tSheLovely" "BlackMan" "WeAretheWorld" "JustGoodFriends" "SeasonsofLove" "TruetoYourHeart" "StopTryingtoBeGod" Songwritingcredits "It'saShame" "TearsofaClown" "TellMeSomethingGood" "UptownFestival" "Let'sGetSerious" "You'reSupposedtoKeepYourLoveforMe" Tours SongsintheKeyofLifeTour Relatedarticles LulaMaeHardaway SyreetaWright KJLH SuperEgo Wonderin' "Wonder-ful" Category vteMartinLutherKingJr.Speeches,writings,movements,andprotestsSpeeches "GiveUstheBallot"(1957) "IHaveaDream"(1963) "HowLong,NotLong"(1965) "BeyondVietnam:ATimetoBreakSilence"(1967) "I'veBeentotheMountaintop"(1968) Writings StrideTowardFreedom(1958) "WhatIsMan?"(1959) "SecondEmancipationProclamation" StrengthtoLove(1963) "LetterfromBirminghamJail"(1963) WhyWeCan'tWait(1964) ConscienceforChange(1967) WhereDoWeGofromHere:ChaosorCommunity?(1967) Movementsandprotests Montgomerybusboycott(1955–1956) PrayerPilgrimageforFreedom(1957) AlbanyMovement(1961–1962) Birminghamcampaign(1963) MarchonWashingtonforJobsandFreedom(1963) St.Augustinemovement(1963–1964) SelmatoMontgomerymarches(1965) ChicagoFreedomMovement(1966) MississippiMarchAgainstFear(1966) Anti-VietnamWarmovement(1967) Memphissanitationstrike(1968) PoorPeople'sCampaign(1968) PeopleFamily CorettaScottKing(wife) YolandaKing(daughter) MartinLutherKingIII(son) DexterKing(son) BerniceKing(daughter) MartinLutherKingSr.(father) AlbertaWilliamsKing(mother) ChristineKingFarris(sister) A.D.King(brother) JamesAlbertKing(grandfather) AlvedaKing(niece) Otherleaders RalphAbernathy(mentor,colleague) EllaBaker(colleague) JamesBevel(strategist/colleague) DorothyCotton(colleague) JesseJackson(protégé) BernardLafayette(colleague) JamesLawson(colleague) JohnLewis(colleague) JosephLowery(colleague) BenjaminMays(mentor) DianeNash(colleague) JamesOrange(colleague) BayardRustin(advisor) FredShuttlesworth(colleague) C.T.Vivian(colleague) WyattWalker(colleague) HoseaWilliams(colleague) AndrewYoung(colleague) Assassination LorraineMotel(nowNationalCivilRightsMuseum) Riots Funeral JamesEarlRay JackKershaw U.S.HouseSelectCommitteeonAssassinations(HSCA) MartinLutherKingJr.RecordsCollectionAct LoydJowers Trial Conspiracytheories MediaFilm King:AFilmedRecord...MontgomerytoMemphis(1970documentary) OurFriend,Martin(1999animated) Boycott(2001film) TheWitness:FromtheBalconyofRoom306(2008documentary) Selma(2014film) AlltheWay(2016film) KingintheWilderness(2018documentary) Television King(1978miniseries) "TheFirstStore"(TheJeffersons,1980) "GreatX-Pectations"(ADifferentWorld,1993) "ThePromisedLand"(NewYorkUndercover,1997) "ReturnoftheKing"(TheBoondocks,2006) AlphaMan:TheBrotherhoodofMLK(2011documentary) Genius Plays TheMeeting(1987) TheMountaintop(2009) IDream(2010) AlltheWay(2012) Illustrated MartinLutherKingandtheMontgomeryStory(1957comicbook) Music "Abraham,MartinandJohn"(Dion) "March!ForMartinLutherKing"(JohnFahey) "MartinLutherKing'sDream"(Strawbs) "HappyBirthday"(StevieWonder) "Pride(IntheNameofLove)"(U2) "MLK"(U2) "KingHoliday"(KingDreamChorusandHolidayCrew) "BytheTimeIGettoArizona"(PublicEnemy) "ShedaLittleLight"(JamesTaylor) "UptotheMountain"(PattiGriffin) "NeverAloneMartin"(JasonUpton) "SymphonyofBrotherhood"(MiriBen-Ari) JosephSchwantner:NewMorningfortheWorld;NicolasFlagello:ThePassionofMartinLutherKing(1995album) "ADream"(Commonfeaturingwill.i.am) "Glory"(CommonandJohnLegend) Related EstateofMartinLutherKing,Jr.,Inc.v.CBS,Inc. Kingv.TrusteesofBostonUniv. Relatedtopics SouthernChristianLeadershipConference(SCLC) MartinLutherKingJr.Day passage MartinLutherKingJr.Memorial NationalHistoricalPark KingCenterforNonviolentSocialChange DexterAvenueBaptistChurch NationalCivilRightsMuseum BigSix Authorshipissues FBI–Kingsuicideletter AlphaPhiAlphafraternity SeasonforNonviolence U.S.CapitolRotundasculpture OvalOfficebust HomagetoKingsculpture,Atlanta HopeMovingForwardstatue,Atlanta StatuesofMartinLutherKingJr. Atlanta Denver Houston JerseyCity Milwaukee MexicoCity Newark Pueblo,CO MartinLutherKingJr.Memorial,SanFrancisco LandmarkforPeaceMemorial,Indianapolis TheDreamsculpture,Portland,Oregon Kennedy–KingCollege MartinLutherKingJr.MemorialLibrary,Washington,D.C. Dr.MartinLutherKingJr.Library,SanJose MemorialstoMartinLutherKingJr. KingCounty,Washington Eponymousstreets AmericaintheKingYears Civilrightsmovementinpopularculture Lee–Jackson–KingDay HighschoolsnamedafterKing SchoolsinFrancenamedafterKing Authoritycontrol MusicBrainzwork Retrievedfrom"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Happy_Birthday_(Stevie_Wonder_song)&oldid=1098007771" Categories:1980songs1981singlesMotownsinglesNumber-onesinglesinIsraelProtestsongsSongrecordingsproducedbyStevieWonderSongsaboutbirthdaysSongsinmemoryofMartinLutherKingJr.SongswrittenbyStevieWonderStevieWondersongsHiddencategories:ArticleswithshortdescriptionShortdescriptionmatchesWikidataArticleswithhAudiomicroformatsSinglechartusagesforBelgium(Flanders)SinglechartusagesforIreland2SinglechartcalledwithoutartistSinglechartusagesforDutch40SinglechartusagesforDutch100SinglechartusagesforNewZealandSinglechartusagesforSwitzerlandSinglechartusagesforUKsinglesbynameSinglechartcalledwithoutsongSinglechartusagesforWestGermanySinglechartusagesforBillboardrandbhiphopCertificationTableEntryusagesforUnitedKingdomPagesusingcertificationTableEntrywithstreamingfiguresPagesusingcertificationTableEntrywithstreamingfootnoteArticleswithMusicBrainzworkidentifiers Navigationmenu Personaltools NotloggedinTalkContributionsCreateaccountLogin Namespaces ArticleTalk English Views ReadEditViewhistory More Search Navigation MainpageContentsCurrenteventsRandomarticleAboutWikipediaContactusDonate Contribute HelpLearntoeditCommunityportalRecentchangesUploadfile Tools WhatlinkshereRelatedchangesUploadfileSpecialpagesPermanentlinkPageinformationCitethispageWikidataitem Print/export DownloadasPDFPrintableversion Languages FrançaisItalianoעברית日本語Português Editlinks