Happy Birthday Cassette

by Marie Babineaux
(Lafayette, LA, US)

My family birthday tradition began when my younger brother, Jared, reached the age of 5 (now 15). He was going to have a skating birthday party and among the party favors my mother found a tape in the thrift store that has young kids singing a special Happy Birthday style song.

Within the song there is a personalized lyric of the birthday individuals name, in particular, Jared. On the day of the party my mother played the song for my little brother and myself and other siblings sang along to the song.

I always remembered the song, it was stuck in my head. Also my elder sister and my brother Jared kept the song in memory. Now, whenever it is either of our birthdays we find some way to sing the song on the phone or I type the lyrics into my sister's facebook page.

I love how we always know the lyrics and laugh so much after singing. Is just one of those special and silly family bonds we share.The song begins with a man in the background shouting "It's Jared's (insert name in place) today, lets all sing" and then the kids in the background begin singing,
"Happy Birthday, to you,
Happy Birthday, to you, have a Happy Birthday, Jared (stretched syllables),
happy birthday, to you".

The song continues in variation of the same lyrics, it had this cute 1980's beat to it.