Both an unfiltered rebuke of MLK Day opponents and a contagious celebratory anthem, the song quickly became a sort of rallying cry for the campaign.Īs the song grew in popularity, so did the MLK Day movement. The song was later released as a single in the U.K. In 1980, Wonder, already a veteran creator of social justice-minded music, gave the campaign a boost with “Happy Birthday”. Despite widespread efforts, however, the holiday wasn’t signed into law until 1983, and wasn’t officially observed for the first time until 1986. ![]() The famed civil rights activist had been assassinated in 1968, and the campaign to mark his birthday, January 15th, with a national holiday began not long after. The track was born of more than a decade of frustration. in “Happy Birthday”, the final track on 1980’s Hotter Than July. ![]() ![]() “You know it doesn’t make much sense, there ought to be a law against anyone who takes offense at a day in your celebration,” Stevie Wonder wonders to the late Dr.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |