Conway Twitty – Happy Birthday Darlin’, is a song written by Chuck Howard, and recorded by American country music artist Conway Twitty. It was released in October 1979 as the third and final single from his album Cross Winds. The song was Twitty’s 23rd number one on the country chart as solo artist. The single stayed at number one for three weeks and spent a total of 11 weeks on the country chart.

The song begins with the spoken lyric «Hello, Darlin’,» calling back to Twitty’s 1970 hit of the same name that starts in the same way. The song otherwise tells a narrative through the eyes of a man who vows to right a number of wrongs in his relationship. Here, instead of giving his wife a present for her birthday, he vows to take some things away, such as suspicion, lonely moments, «so-so kisses» and doubt, replacing them with such things as faith and companionship. In the end, the man confidently says that his wife can tell friends, «He didn’t give me anything but he sure took a lot of things away.»

Conway Twitty – Happy Birthday Darlin’
From the album Cross Winds
B-side «Heavy Tears»
Released October 3, 1979
Recorded February 28, 1979
Woodland Studio «B», Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Genre Country
Length 2:57
Label MCA
Songwriter(s) Chuck Howard
Producer(s) Conway Twitty, David Barnes

COUNTRYPEDIA

Conway Twitty – Happy Birthday Darlin’ Lyrics

[Verse 1: Conway Twitty, spoken]
Hello, darlin’, happy birthday
I’ve decided not to give you a present this year
In fact I think it’s about time
I took some things away

[Verse 2: Conway, spoken]
I’d like to take away the suspicion
That I know clouds your world at times
By giving you some faith to hold onto honey
Whenever your hand is not in mine

[Chorus: Conway, sung]
Happy birthday darlin’
I’ve no presents, no fancy cake
But I hope I’ll make you happy
With everything I take

[Verse 3: Conway, spoken]
I’d like to take away some of your lonely moments
By spending more of mine with you
And I’d like to take away some of those so-so kisses
And replace them with ones that really say «I love you»

[Verse 4: Conway, spoken]
And I wanna take away the doubt you sometimes have about my love
By showing more…much more that I’ve shown lately
And then if someone should ask you what I’ve got you for your birthday
Well you can say, «Why he didn’t give me anything but he sure took a lotta things away»

[Chorus: Conway, sung]
Happy birthday darlin’
I’ve no presents, no fancy cake
But I hope I’ll make you happy
With everything I take
Happy birthday darlin’
I’ve no presents, no fancy cake
But I hope I’ll make you happy
With everything I take

[Tag: Conway, spoken]
Happy birthday darlin’

GENIUS