Favorite Birthday Songs

My top 3 favorite birthday songs of all time are …

Reggae Birthday by Jim Eaglesmith & Phil Johncock – Can’t find a recording to this one. It’s a great song to sing “live”. When I find one, I’ll put it in the comment section below. If you’re a musician, simply tap the Reggae rhythm in your body and alternate playing A and D chords. Click here for a sample

Birthday Song-On-The-Spot by Anyone – Click here to hear a birthday song made up on-the-spot for my friend Nan Moore. The key is to make up a song at anytime, anywhere, for anyone who has a birthday. No rules, except have fun. No singing or musical talent required. Passion and fun beats perfection.

Birthday by the Beatles – Shown in the video above. Did you know that the song was “literally written … right there in the studio”? Read more below …

According to Wikipedia, “George Martin was away so his assistant Chris Thomas produced the session. His memory is that the song was mostly Paul’s: ‘Paul was the first one in, and he was playing the birthday riff. Eventually the others arrived, by which time Paul had literally written the song, right there in the studio.’ Everyone in the studio sang in the chorus and it was 5 a.m. by the time the final mono mix was completed.

John Lennon said in his Playboy Interview in 1980:” Birthday’ was written in the studio. Just made up on the spot. I think Paul wanted to write a song like ‘Happy Birthday Baby,’ the old fifties hit. But it was sort of made up in the studio. It was a piece of garbage.”

“Birthday” begins with an intro drum fill, then moves directly into a blues progression in A (in the form of a guitar riff doubled by the bass) with McCartney singing at the top of his chest voice with Lennon on a lower harmony. After this section, a drum break lasting eight measures brings the song into the middle section, which rests entirely on the dominent. A repeat of the blues progression/guitar riff instrumental section, augmented by piano brings the song into a bridge before returning to a repeat of the first vocal section. The song is among McCartney’s most intense vocal performances given the range in which he sings during the blues run. This song is the only track on The Beatles in which Lennon and McCartney share lead vocal duties.”

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What’s your favorite birthday song?

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