Happy Birthday (Altered Images song)
| "Happy Birthday" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Altered Images | ||||
| from the album Happy Birthday | ||||
| B-side |
| |||
| Released | August 1981 | |||
| Format | 7", 12" | |||
| Recorded | Genetic Studios, Berkshire (1981) | |||
| Genre | New wave | |||
| Length | 3:00 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Writer(s) | Altered Images | |||
| Producer(s) | Martin Rushent | |||
| Certification | Silver (UK) | |||
| Altered Images singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Happy Birthday" is a song by the Scottish band Altered Images 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 2 in October, holding that position for three weeks.[1] It has been certified Silver by the BPI for sales in excess of 250,000 copies.[2]
"Happy Birthday" is the only song on the album that was produced by Martin Rushent, who had already scored major success that year producing The Human League 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.
The song appeared in the 1984 John Hughes movie Sixteen Candles.
"Happy Birthday" has been covered by The Ting Tings, for the children's television show Yo Gabba Gabba! in 2008,[3] and by The Wedding Present, for their 1993 compilation album John Peel Sessions 1987-1990[4] as well as by Thomas Fagerlund (The Kissaway Trail) with Christian Hjelm (Figurines) in 2010.
Personnel
- Vocals: Clare Grogan
- Guitar: Jim McKinven, Tony McDaid
- Bass: Johnny McElhone
- Drums: Tich Anderson
Charts
| Chart (1981-1982) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] | 23 |
| Germany (German Singles Chart)[6] | 56 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[7] | 3 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[8] | 16 |
| UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[9] | 2 |
| South Africa [10] | 2 |
References
- ↑ "The Official Charts Company - Happy Birthday by Altered Images Search". The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013.
- ↑ BPI database
- ↑ Lapatine, Scott (24 September 2008). "More Indie Rockers Visit Yo Gabba Gabba!". Stereogum. Buzz Media. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
- ↑ Robbins, Ira. "Wedding Present". Trouser Press. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
- ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St. Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 16. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ↑ "Charts.de - Altered Images - "Happy Birthday"" (in German). Media Control Charts. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
- ↑ "The Irish Charts". Retrieved 21 June 2013.
- ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Altered Images – Happy Birthday". Singles Top 100.
- ↑ "Altered Images: Artist Chart History" Official Charts Company.
- ↑ http://rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(A).html