![]() “It’s not a political song that would scare people - it’s a political song that’s a singalong song,” said George. The music - a rubbery groove percolating with joyful gospel spirit - made the message hard to deny. ![]() It was a really nice thing to see Stevie leverage his cultural authority in pursuit of this.” Politics and social commentary had always been part of his music, so when he got involved in this it wasn’t out of character. He was without a doubt the preeminent black artist in America and arguably the preeminent music artist in America. “The thing that people probably don’t know who are younger now is how big Stevie was at that time. I was covering it because it was a music story Stevie,” said the author, filmmaker and culture critic. “I had just started work at Record World magazine. ![]() Alamy Stock Photoīrooklyn native Nelson George, 63, took the Amtrak train down from New York to DC to join the masses. King was a champion for justice and liberty.”Ĥ “Happy Birthday” debuted on Wonder’s 1980 album Hotter Than July. Designating his birthday a national holiday would create an event for all Americans, for Dr. In his speech delivered that day, Wonder said, “We ought to have a way to honor this human being and reaffirm the ideals he lived and died for. More than 25,000 people descended upon the National Mall, marching from the Capitol to the Washington Monument in the quest for MLK Day. The song - with its jubilant “Happy birthday to ya!” chorus - has been sung at countless birthday celebrations in the 40 years since it was released as a single in 1981 after first appearing on Wonder’s 1980 album “Hotter Than July.”īut the R&B legend gave perhaps the most important performance of the tribute tune at a Washington, DC rally he spearheaded, which was held on King’s birthday, Jan. Reinventing the “Happy Birthday” song is kind of like reinventing the “ABC’s.”īut that’s exactly what the genius of Stevie Wonder accomplished with his “Happy Birthday” classic that became the anthem of the movement to make Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday a national holiday. New James Brown doc reveals how he helped make black beautiful with his ‘Say It Loud’ anthem In subsequent performances, Stevie Wonder has tweaked the song's lyrics to honor other influential figures, notably at the 2009 Nelson Mandela Day and the Diamond Jubilee Concert for Queen Elizabeth II in 2012.The left’s attacks on the basic core American ideal of colorblindness Stevie Wonder's dedication led to the Rally for Peace Press Conference in 1981, culminating in President Ronald Reagan signing the holiday into law on November 2, 1983. The song is famous for Stevie Wonder's innovative use of the keyboard synthesizer, creating a celebratory atmosphere that invites listeners to join the cause. Although not released in the United States, it attained significant popularity in the UK, reaching Number 2 on the UK Singles Chart. " Happy Birthday" was first released in June 1981 as the fourth single from Stevie Wonder's acclaimed 1980 album, Hotter than July. Its origins are rooted in activism, reflecting Stevie Wonder's commitment to social issues. It was written to support the campaign to declare Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday a national holiday and over the years has become a popular birthday anthem. ![]() " Happy Birthday" is a song by American singer and songwriter Stevie Wonder, standing as one of his most iconic and enduring songs.
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