by Robert Wilkinson
Since my wife (and several more Leos I know and love) have had or are having birthdays over the next 4 weeks, I figured this is a perfect set for the day! Even if it’s your unbirthday, this music is sure to help you cheer up!
Get ready to shake it! First, Sir Paul McCartney live in Kiev 2008, cranking out his absolutely rocking version of “Birthday”
We'll follow that with a gem written by the Boss, a fantastic "surprise" of a birthday song! For your enjoyment, the video of "Surprise Surprise."
We now move to two original compositions called “Happy Birthday” which have absolutely nothing to do with the traditional tune by that name!
Here’s a rare piece by the Master, Jimi Hendrix, doing his unique version of “Happy Birthday” Classic Hendrix!
From his 1980 album Hotter Than July, here’s Stevie Wonder live in 1991 at Nelson Mandela's birthday doing his own composition of “Happy Birthday”
Here are Bono and the Edge for Nelson Mandela’s 90th in an acoustic duet of Stevie's version of “Happy Birthday 2U”
Going back 68 years, this version was written in 1952 by Gilbert Lopez and his sister Margo Sylvia, who formed the Tune Weavers and recorded this iconic version which went to #5 on the Top 100 in 1957! For your enjoyment, the original studio version by the Tune Weavers of the doowop classic, “Happy Happy Birthday Baby”
Here’s the great Wanda Jackson’s version of “Happy Happy Birthday Baby”
From 1958, Elvis giving us his unique delivery of the Tune Weavers’ classic! “Happy Happy Birthday Baby”
We close these versions with a great classic live performance by Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson in 1984 giving up “Happy Happy Birthday Baby”
Here’s the ever-fantastic Muppet Show Band doing a Dixieland version of the classic version of “Happy Birthday To You”
From 1996, here’s Whitney Houston singing “Happy Birthday” for her father.
We’ll close the traditional version of the song with a rare piece from the Beatles very early on singing for the BBC Saturday Club, “Happy birthday to you.” It's a great twist number! (“Birthday” came many years later!)
Bringing it back home, I found the studio version on the Beatles’ White Album of “Birthday” and this rocking version by Sir Paul cranking it out in Knebworth! “Birthday”
Our final version is Sir Paul at Ringo’s birthday in 2010 having a good time! “You say it’s your “Birthday”
A Happy and Merry Birthday and Unbirthday to you all!!
© Copyright 2024 Robert Wilkinson
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