Rhythm of the News

Dear readers, yesterday was an exciting day. No, not because it was National Penny Day (although that is pretty exciting, too), but because it was my birthday. You might wonder, how is the birthday of this columnist exciting for me? The answer is simple: With the theme of birthdays on my mind, I am presenting to you a list of wonderful birthday songs.

No longer will you have to simply sing the typical “Happy Birthday” song. Instead, you will have an entire playlist to play during a birthday party or maybe give to a friend as a wonderful present. I highly recommend the latter because your friend will love receiving it, and you have to put minimal effort in!

As a 20 year old, I have officially left the teenage years behind me. I am fully embracing the knowledge that I have lived a full two decades, and as the baby of the family, I am sure my mother is trying to deny this fact. People often look down upon the 20th year because of its infamous association with being that much closer to being 21, while still not being 21. However, a birthday is the celebration of one’s existence. No celebration is complete without a good playlist. Here are some recommended birthday songs:

WARNING: The titles of these songs might become tedious.  

1. “Birthday” — The Beatles — “White Album”
This was the first birthday song I ever knew other than the one sung after blowing out the candles. Therefore, it is near and dear to my heart, and its catchy riffs and screams of having a good time perfectly accompany a birthday mood.

2. “Birthday” — Destiny’s Child — “Destiny’s Child”
I have written about my love for Beyoncé before in this column, and Destiny’s Child is no exception. Combining Destiny’s Child with a birthday celebration is like a gift in itself. This song might slow things down a bit, so I suggest listening to it while in the post-cake-eating-food-coma.

3. “The Birthday Party” — Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five — “Message From Beat Street: Best of Grandmaster Flash, Melle Mel & The Furious Five”
To speed things up a bit and get the people dancing, you need to have this song on your birthday playlist. This song expresses how fun birthdays should be, and it also includes each member saying his birthday.

4. “Happy Birthday” — Stevie Wonder — “Hotter Than July”
Both of my favorite musicians have birthday songs, and one of them is “Happy Birthday” by Stevie Wonder. This song, like the previous song, is an upbeat exclamation of birthday enthusiasm. It will surely keep your party guests dancing and singing along!

5. “The Happy Birthday Song” — Andrew Bird — “Andrew Bird & The Mysterious Production of Eggs”
As guests begin to tire and leave, playing this song will lull them into birthday bliss. I decided to finish this playlist with my other favorite musician, Andrew Bird. Hearing his soothing voice blend beautifully with the trills of his violin as he sings “Happy Birthday” truly tops this birthday cake with a cherry on top.

There you have it, folks! A solid five songs to embed in any birthday playlist and assure that the ups and downs of any birthday will have a great soundtrack. Have a fantastic day, and to all those birthday buddies out there: Happy birthday!

­— bafinkel@indiana.edu