The secret political message hidden in Stevie Wonder’s ‘Happy Birthday’

Posted On April 4, 2025April 4, 2025

Music has always been an excellent form of expression. Whether people want to talk about something that is personal to them or put forth a reflection of the world around them, music is a suitable means to do it. One of the reasons why Bob Dylan became so famous wasn’t just because his songs were good but because of how unwaveringly he wrote about the world as he saw it.

Bruce Springsteen was always very upfront about how much Bob Dylan meant to him because listening to him was the first time he heard someone sing about politics. “I was very influenced by Dylan. I always say he’s the father of my country,” he said. “He initially provided me with a picture of a country that I recognised. One that feels real, feels like the truth.”

Springsteen continued, saying that Bob Dylan’s music made him want to write something with an equally powerful message: “I want people to get the same experience from listening to one of my records as I had when I listened to Highway 61 Revisited.” He further explained, “The idea that something was revealed to them that was fundamentally true and essential, and gave you a view of your world, your country, your town, your neighbours, your family.”

Springsteen went on to write tracks like ‘Born in the USA’ as a result of this influence. The song has a clear political message as he sings about the Vietnam War and the harrowing pitfalls that often come with blind patriotism when people don’t ask questions about controversial situations.

Of course, while people like Springsteen and Dylan have both written political songs that are very blatant in their message, there are other songs where the political reference is much more subtle. These songs can also be effective, as many people shut off when they have a clear political message shoved in their faces, so having a song where it isn’t obvious is a significantly smart move.

A great example of this is Stevie Wonder’s classic track, ‘Happy Birthday’. While many people hear this song and associate it with being the often disharmonious chorus for celebrating birthdays, there is actually a political reason why Stevie Wonder wrote it. It was recorded in a bid to lobby for Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday, January 15th, being declared a national holiday. Given that he was such a critical part of the Civil Rights Movement, many people felt his birthday should be celebrated, but this motion received pushback from the government. Subsequently, Wonder stepped in, planning to raise awareness with this track.

He went even further than just writing the song; he held a massive rally on January 15th, 1981, where a number of Black leaders and celebrities attended to raise awareness for this cause. “As an artist, my purpose is to communicate the message that can better improve the lives of all of us,” Wonder concluded. “I’d like to ask all of you. just for one moment, if you will, to be silent and just to think and hear in your mind the voice of our Dr Martin Luther King.”

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