Happy Birthday (Altered Images song)

"Happy Birthday"
Single by Altered Images
from the album Happy Birthday
B-side	"So We Go Whispering" "Jeepster"
Released	August 1981
Studio	Genetic (Berkshire, UK)
Genre	New wave [1] pop [2] synth-pop [3]
Length	3:00
Label	Epic
Songwriter	Altered Images
Producer	Martin Rushent
Altered Images singles chronology
"A Day's Wait" (1981) "Happy Birthday" (1981) "I Could Be Happy" (1981)

"Happy Birthday" is a song by 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 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 British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for sales in excess of 250,000 copies.

"Happy Birthday" is the only song on the album that was produced by Martin Rushent, who had already scored major success that year producing for 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.

Track listings

7-inch single ^[4]

A. "Happy Birthday"

B. "So We Go Whispering"

12-inch single ^[5]

A1. "Happy Birthday"

B1. "So We Go Whispering"

B2. "Jeepster"

Personnel

• Clare Grogan – lead vocals
• Jim McKinven, Tony McDaid – guitars
• Johnny McElhone – bass
• Tich Anderson – drums

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1981–1982) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report) [6] 23 Ireland (IRMA) [7] 3 South Africa (Springbok Radio) [8] 2 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [9] 16 UK Singles (OCC) [10] 2 West Germany (GfK) [11] 56

Year-end charts Chart (1981) Position UK Singles (OCC) [12] [13] 15 Chart (1982) Position South Africa (Springbok Radio) [14] 14

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [15]	Silver	250,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Cover versions

"Happy Birthday" has been covered by the Ting Tings for the children's television show Yo Gabba Gabba! in 2008, ^[16] by the Wedding Present for their 1993 compilation album John Peel Sessions 1987–1990, ^[17] and by Thomas Fagerlund (The Kissaway Trail) with Christian Hjelm (Figurines) for the Danish radio programme Det Elektriske Barometer (The Electric Barometer) in 2010. ^[18]

References

1. Kellman, Andy. Various Artists - New Wave Hits of the '70s and '80s (2002) Review at AllMusic. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
2. Reynolds, Simon (1 January 2005). "New Gold Dreams 81-82-83-84: The Peak and Fall of New Pop". Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978-1984. Faber & Faber. p. 406. ISBN   0-571-21570-X . Retrieved 18 December 2024.
3. Harvell, Jess (11 September 2005). "Now That's What I Call New Pop!". Pitchfork . Retrieved 12 June 2025. ...this slice of proto-twee synth-pop ['Happy Birthday']...
4. Happy Birthday (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Epic Records. 1981. EPC A1522.
5. Happy Birthday (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Epic Records. 1981. EPC A 13 1522.
6. 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.
7. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Happy Birthday". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
8. "South African Rock Lists Website – SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (A)". rock.co.za. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
9. "Altered Images – Happy Birthday". Singles Top 100.
10. "Altered Images: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
11. "Offiziellecharts.de – Altered Images – Happy Birthday" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
12. Scaping, Peter, ed. (1982). "The Top 200 Singles: January–December 1981". BPI Year Book 1982 (5th ed.). London, England: The British Phonographic Industry Ltd. pp. 46–49. ISBN   0-906154-03-0.
13. Copsey, Rob (5 March 2021). "The Official Top 50 best-selling songs of 1981". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 12 August 2021.
14. "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1982". South African Rock Lists. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
15. "British single certifications – Altered Images – Happy Birthday". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 23 July 2020.
16. Lapatine, Scott (24 September 2008). "More Indie Rockers Visit Yo Gabba Gabba!". Stereogum . Buzz Media . Retrieved 15 October 2012.
17. Robbins, Ira. "Wedding Present". Trouser Press . Retrieved 15 October 2012.
18. Friberg, Lennart (3 November 2010). "Det Elektriske Barometer fylder 24 (The Electric Barometer turns 24)". Gaffa. Retrieved 20 September 2019.