View source for Happy Birthday to Me (Hank Locklin song)

{{Infobox song
| name          = Happy Birthday to Me
| cover         = Hank Locklin--Happy Birthday to Me.jpg
| type          = single
| artist        = [[Hank Locklin]]
| album         = [[Happy Journey (album)|Happy Journey]]
| A-side        = "[[You're the Reason]]"
| released      = {{Start date|1961|07}}
| recorded      = March 14, 1961
| studio        = RCA Victor Studio
| genre         = {{hlist|[[Country music|Country]]|[[Nashville Sound]]<ref name="Allmusic">{{cite web |title=''Happy Journey'': Hank Locklin: Songs, Reviews, Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/happy-journey-mw0000946958 |website=[[Allmusic]] |access-date=December 9, 2020}}</ref>}}
| length        = {{duration|m=02|s=25}}
| label         = [[RCA Records|RCA Victor]]
| writer        = [[Bill Anderson (singer)|Bill Anderson]]
| producer      = [[Chet Atkins]]
| prev_title    = [[From Here to There to You]]
| prev_year     = 1961
| next_title    = [[Happy Journey (song)|Happy Journey]]
| next_year     = 1962
}}
'''"Happy Birthday to Me"''' is a song written by [[Bill Anderson (singer)|Bill Anderson]] that was originally recorded by American [[Country music|country]] singer–songwriter [[Hank Locklin]]. In 1961, it was released as a [[Single (music)|single]] and became a top ten hit on the American country chart that year. It would later be released on Locklin's 1962 studio album ''[[Happy Journey (album)|Happy Journey]].''
==Background, release and chart performance==
In 1960, Hank Locklin had the biggest hit single of his career with the song "[[Please Help Me, I'm Falling]]." The song became his second to top the country charts and also crossed over into the pop market, becoming a top ten hit there. Its success elevated Locklin's career and he had further fits after the single. These further hits included "[[One Step Ahead of My Past]]" and "[[Happy Journey (song)|Happy Journey]]" and "Happy Birthday to Me."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Leigh |first1=Spencer |title=Hank Locklin: Country singer and guitarist |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/hank-locklin-country-singer-and-guitarist-1687238.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220509/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/hank-locklin-country-singer-and-guitarist-1687238.html |archive-date=2022-05-09 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |website=[[The Independent]] |access-date=20 December 2020}}</ref> The song was composed by Bill Anderson, who had written several major hits for other country performers and was a singer in his own right. The track was recorded on March 14, 1961 at the RCA Victor Studio, located in [[Nashville, Tennessee]]. The session was produced by [[Chet Atkins]], Locklin's long-time producer at RCA Records.<ref name="Liner Notes">{{cite journal |last1=Locklin |first1=Hank |title="You're the Reason"/"Happy Birthday to Me" (7" single sleeve insert information) |journal=[[RCA Records|RCA Victor Records]] |date=July 1961}}</ref>
"Happy Birthday to Me" was released as a single in July 1961 on RCA Victor Records.<ref name="Billboard Singles">{{cite book|last=Whitburn|first=Joel|title=Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008|publisher=Record Research, Inc.|year=2008|isbn=978-0-89820-177-2}}</ref> The single was released as a [[Gramophone record|seven-inch RPM record]] and was actually the [[A-side and B-side|B-side]] of the actual single release. On the A-side was Locklin's cover of "[[You're the Reason]]."<ref name="Discogs US">{{cite web |title="Happy Journey"/"I Need You Now" (1961, Single) |url=https://www.discogs.com/Hank-Locklin-Happy-Journey/master/499544 |website=[[Discogs]] |access-date=19 January 2021}}</ref> The song spent a total of 14 weeks on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Hot Country Songs|Hot Country and Western Sides]] chart, peaking at number seven in November 1961.<ref>{{cite magazine |title="Happy Birthday to Me" chart history |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/hank-locklin/chart-history/csi/ |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |access-date=19 January 2021}}</ref> The song became Locklin's ninth top ten hit on the country singles chart. He would not have another top ten hit until 1968's "[[The Country Hall of Fame]]."<ref name="Billboard Singles"/> It was later released on Locklin's 1962 studio album, also titled ''[[Happy Journey (album)|Happy Journey]].''<ref name="Allmusic"/>
==Track listing==
'''7 inch vinyl single'''<ref name="Discogs US"/>
* "[[You're the Reason]]" – 2:17
* "Happy Birthday to Me" – 2:25
==Chart performance==
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|-
! scope="col"| Chart (1961–62)
! scope="col"| Peak<br /> position
|-
{{single chart|Billboardcountrysongs|7|artist=Hank Locklin|rowheader=true|accessdate=January 21, 2021}}
|-
|}
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Hank Locklin}}
[[Category:1961 singles]]
[[Category:1961 songs]]
[[Category:Hank Locklin songs]]
[[Category:RCA Victor singles]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Chet Atkins]]
[[Category:Songs written by Bill Anderson (singer)]]