Song · The Smiths
“Unhappy Birthday” by The Smiths
From the album Strangeways, Here We Come (1987)
“Unhappy Birthday” by The Smiths appears on 4 radio countdowns from 2 stations between 1987 and 1994. It was first released in 1987 on the album Strangeways, Here We Come. Its best result is #41 on the 91X Top 91 Songs of 1987. In the combined RockLists rankings it is the #69 alternative song of 1987, #4,295 alternative song of all time and #478 of the '80s.
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"Unhappy Birthday" comes from Strangeways, Here We Come, the Smiths' album from 1987, and the title tells you exactly how festive Morrissey is feeling. He wrote the words to Johnny Marr's music, and the two produced it with Stephen Street.
Marr plays both guitar and piano, Andy Rourke holds down the bass and Mike Joyce the drums, the four-piece locked in tight. A couple of stations kept it on their countdowns well into the next decade.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz.
RockLists rankings
Alternative & Modern Rock
All Rock Formats
Year-end countdowns
| Year | # | Station | Countdown | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 41 | 91X San Diego, CA / Tijuana | 91X Top 91 Songs of 1987 | 91 |
| 1987 | 64 | Live 105 San Francisco, CA | Live 105 Top 105.3 Songs of 1987 | 105 |
All-time and decade countdowns
| Year | # | Station | Countdown | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 239 | Live 105 | Live 105 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1988) | 501 |
| 1994 | 314 | Live 105 | Live 105 Revolutionary 500 (July 1994) | 500 |
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