This is 1981’s “Happy Birthday,” by Altered Images, now described as a post-punk or new wave band from Scotland. None of their original singles appear to have been released in the US, although their first album was. I’m pretty sure I learned of them from hanging around Modern Records in Syracuse, and I was probably quite taken with the cover of “Bite,” which we’ve talked about. Maybe I even heard the music in-store; who can remember at this remove? This was their first album, but the last one I bought.
Happy Birthday album front cover 
Happy Birthday album back cover
The title song is a definite earworm, which went to #2 on the UK Singles chart but, as I said, wasn’t even released in the US — though it does seem to appear on the “Sixteen Candles” movie soundtrack album. “Happy Birthday” is probably the most memorable song on the album. I love Clare Grogan’s voice, but this is very 1981.
There was a time when the only modern birthday song alternative to the traditional one was The Beatles’ “Birthday,” which stands as perhaps not their finest. So I was a little glad when Altered Images gave us something appropriate to play on a birthday. (Since then, however, Cracker stepped up and took over the extremely limited genre with “Happy Birthday to Me.”)
Happy Birthday sleeve front 
Happy Birthday sleeve back 
Happy Birthday label
This record had a very ’80s looking picture sleeve, with handwritten credits and colorful art and photographs – quite the comparison, in fact, to the beautiful black and white austerity of “Bite.”
I listened to this again the other day, and for me, it’s the least of their records; had I not loved “Bite” I probably wouldn’t have bought it in the first place (I used to be quite the completist), and I also probably wouldn’t have held onto it in the purges of a few years ago. It doesn’t need much listening.