Concrete Blonde had a lot of standout tracks on Free, but this one is timeless. “Happy Birthday” is a great song any day of the year, but on the 30th anniversary of my 21st birthday, it’s my go-to song of the day.
[youtube https://youtu.be/w6eg7-6_KsY]
How this song didn’t rocket the charts is beyond me. At less than three minutes it’s a perfect little slice of alterna-pop, Johnette’s voice is in great form, the groove is undeniable, and it totally (as the kids say) slaps. All that, and the lyrics resonate perfectly. (Or maybe that’s just me.)
Check out the video on YouTube if you haven’t heard the song before. Or put the entire album on via your favorite streaming service of choice. Free is one of those perfect albums, especially the sequence from “Happy Birthday” to “Carry Me Away” at the end of the album.