About The Song
The third number one single from Conway Twitty’s album “Cross Winds” represented a new level of achievement. “Happy Birthday Darlin’” was his 28th chart-topping record, tying him with Eddy Arnold on the all-time list for most Billboard number ones. In later years, that mark would be surpassed several times by various artists.
“Happy Birthday Darlin’” came from the pen of Chuck Howard, who also wrote Waylon Jennings’ “Come with Me” and Merle Haggard’s “I’m Always on a Mountain When I Fall.” “Happy Birthday Darlin’” had already been released once before by the time Twitty heard it through his booking agent, Jimmy Jay.
Now and then, Jay would pitch a song to Conway that someone had left there, or play him a tune by an artist the agency had just signed, etc. Usually the material was bad, but on this particular occasion, Twitty was enamored with the song he heard. He did some background research on “Happy Birthday Darlin’” and discovered that the first version of the tune had made the rounds with no success. Conway decided then and there to release his own rendition.
Looking back, one wonders why “Happy Birthday Darlin’” wasn’t pitched to Conway Twitty in the first place, instead of him having to hear the song by accident at a booking agency. It seemed the perfect follow-up to his 1970 megahit “Hello Darlin’” and that’s the way it belatedly turned out.
Under his updated contract with MCA Records, Conway had more freedom to improvise on his performances, so he re-arranged “Happy Birthday Darlin’” to suit his style and added the opening line of the 1970 hit at the beginning of the new song. It was a brilliant move. By connecting his past with a reinvigorated present, Twitty cinched the record’s #1 peak on Billboard’s country singles chart in that magazine’s Christmas Day issue on December 25, 1979.
Video
Lyric
Hello darlin’ happy birthday
I’ve decided not to give you a present this year
In fact I think it’s about time I took some things away
I’d like to take away this suspicion that I know clouds your world at times
By giving you some faith to hold on to honey whenever your hand is not in mine
Happy birthday darlin’ I’ve no presents, no fancy cake
But I hope I’ll make you happy with everything I take
I’d like to take away some of your lonely moments, by spendin’ more of mine with you
And I’d like to take away some of those so-so kisses
And replace them with ones that really say I love you
And I wanna take away the doubt you sometimes have about my love
By showin’ more much more that I’ve shown lately
And then if someone said asked you what I’ve got you for your birthday
Well you can say, why, he didn’t give me anything, but he sure took a lotta things away
Happy birthday darlin’ I’ve no presents, no fancy cake
But I hope I’ll make you happy with everything I take
Happy birthday darlin’ I’ve no presents, no fancy cake
But I hope I’ll make you happy with everything I take
Happy birthday darlin’