Happy Birthday (song)

## **Happy Birthday**

"**Happy Birthday**" is the sixth track and fourth single off of Sean Kennedy's third album, *What's Left Unsaid*. The track was written between May and August 15, 2020.

## Background and Release

Prior to the song's release, Kennedy shared a snippet of the track on his Instagram along with an explanation of its lyrical content:

> You wish that you could tell [an old friend] how much you miss them and how you wish you weren't distant with each other, but the only words that you can say are, 'happy birthday!'
>
>

On January 21, 2022, the Instagram account @SeanKennedyOfficial posted three images of candles with the caption, "announcement tomorrow". On January 22, Sean announced the track would be the fourth and final single from the record and shared a teaser for the song's music video, staring friends Diana Antonecchia, Chloe Imhof and Emma Kaseta. Kennedy explained that he wanted to make a visual for the song since he had written it.

## Composition

Musically, "Happy Birthday" is a mid-tempo alt pop song. It is composed in the key of C Major, and it's in common time with a tempo of 80 beats per minute. The song features electric guitars, pianos, synthesizers, strings, drums and percussion.

## Music Video

 **Location** | New York, US

 **Location** | New York, US

The music video for "Happy Birthday" was released on January 29, 2022. The video completes a trilogy between What's Left Unsaid's two previous music videos, "Regret" and "Cross Your Mind". Chloe Imhof reprises her role as Sean's ex girlfriend, and friends Diana Antonecchia and Emma Kaseta play her party guests. Giuliana Calandrucci makes a quick appearance on Chloe's phone in the beginning of the video. The video sees Sean distressed during Chloe's birthday party, and he eventually decides to show up. The video and its teaser feature a cover of the classic "Happy Birthday to You" that was produced by Kennedy.

### Lyric Video

The lyric video for "Happy Birthday" was released alongside the song on June 11, 2021.

## Cross-References

* Gold and blue are mentioned in "I Wish You Were Here".
* Secrets are mentioned in "It Sucks" and "Tell Me".
* The color grey is also mentioned in "It's Alright".

## Official Versions

* Album Version - 3:36
* Music Video Version - 4:16

## Lyrics

The one time a year we keep in touch

A quick text back

Don't talk much

Our once golden love has gone so blue

From secrets shared

To, "I knew you"

'Cause we had closed the chapter

Crossed out happy ever after

And I wish that I would've made the call

Today's your special day

But there's something still so grey

And I don't know if time could slow itself enough

To tell you I miss you

How I wish that I could pull through

But you're a thousand laughs we never got to make

Happy birthday

These moments in time are in my head

In 7th grade

Right when you said,

"I promise that I'll stick by your side"

Know you meant it

Know you tried

'Cause we had closed the chapter

Crossed out happy ever after

And I wish that I would've made the call

Today's your special day

But there's something still so grey

And I don't know if time could slow itself enough

To tell you I miss you

How I wish that I could pull through

But you're a thousand laughs we never got to make

Happy birthday

I don't wanna be someone that you can barely recognize

I don't wanna be someone who you see once more this lifetime

'Cause I was your number one

I was where you would run

Today's your special day

But you know that I have to say

Oh I wish that we didn't slowly drift apart

Today's your special day

But there's something still so grey

And I don't know if time could slow itself enough

To tell you I miss you

How I wish that I could pull through

But you're just someone who I still pretend to know

I wish I had the guts to say

More than, "happy birthday"

More than, "happy birthday"

## References

1. ↑ Sean Kennedy - The High School Trilogy (Live From Home).
2. ↑ Sean's "WLU" Story Highlight.
3. ↑ Happy Birthday Teaser.
4. ↑ Sean's Tweet About Happy Birthday.
5. ↑ Sean on Twitter: "fun fact...".