Happy Birthday, Mr. President
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Happy Birthday, Mr. President is a variant on the traditional Happy Birthday to You song. This version was originally sung by Marilyn Monroe to then-President of the United States John F. Kennedy.
History
President Kennedy celebrated his forty-fifth birthday on May 19, 1962 at Madison Square Garden. More than 15,000 people attended along with numerous celebrities, including Marilyn Monroe. Monroe's dress was noted for being flesh colored with 2500 rhinestones sewn into it. The dress was so tight-fitting that Monroe had to be literally sewn into it once she had dressed. It was designed by Jean Louis.
Peter Lawford was at the event that night to introduce Monroe. He made a play on the actress's lateness by giving her a number of introductions throughout the night, after which she did not go on stage. As she finally came on stage several hours into the show, Lawford introduced her as the "late Marilyn Monroe."
The song itself simply took the traditional Happy Birthday to You lyrics, with "Mr. President" inserted as Kennedy's name. While the original song is generally sung for children, Monroe's performance was notably sultry. Monroe continued the song with a snippet from the classic song Thanks for the Memory, for which she had written new lyrics specifically aimed at Kennedy.
Monroe's delivery, her racy dress, and her general image as a sex symbol made the President's response humorous when he said, "I can now retire from politics after having had Happy Birthday sung to me in such a sweet, wholesome way."
Impact
The song and Monroe's performance have been remembered for numerous reasons. First, it was one of her last major public appearances (Monroe died August 5, 1962). In addition, there are persistent rumors that President Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe had had an affair, giving Monroe's performance another layer of meaning. Monroe's dress has become famous as a symbol of the song, selling in 1999 at auction in New York for over US$1.26 million.
