Marilyn sings happy birthday to JFk at his birthday party in New Yorks Madison Square Garden. Skip navigation. Marilyn Monroe's 'Happy Birthday, Mr President' Gown - Duration: 4:18.
Marilyn Monroe's original performance of the song | |
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Monroe sings to John Kennedy during the Madison Square Garden event
Monroe with U.S. Attorney GeneralRobert F. Kennedy and President John F. Kennedy at the birthday celebration
Monroe's dress from the event, designed by Jean Louis
'Happy Birthday, Mr. President' is a song sung by actress and singer Marilyn Monroe on May 19, 1962, for President John F. Kennedy at a celebration of his 45th birthday, 10 days before the actual date (May 29).
Performance[edit]
Monroe sang the traditional 'Happy Birthday to You' lyrics in a sultry, intimate voice, with 'Mr. President' inserted as Kennedy's name. She 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.
Thanks, Mr. President
For all the things you've done
The battles that you've won
The way you deal with U.S. Steel
And our problems by the ton
We thank you so much
For all the things you've done
The battles that you've won
The way you deal with U.S. Steel
And our problems by the ton
We thank you so much
Afterwards, as an enormous birthday cake was presented to him, President Kennedy came on stage and joked about Monroe's version of the song, saying, 'I can now retire from politics after having had Happy Birthday sung to me in such a sweet, wholesome way,' alluding to Marilyn's delivery, skintight dress, and image as a sex symbol.[1]
The performance was one of her last major public appearances before her death less than three months later on August 5, 1962. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, who rarely attended Democratic Party events, spent the day at the Loudon Hunt Horse Show with her children, John and Caroline.
Monroe was accompanied by jazz pianist Hank Jones.[2]
History[edit]
President Kennedy's birthday celebration was held at the third Madison Square Garden[3] on May 19, 1962, and more than 15,000 people attended, including numerous celebrities. The event was a fundraising gala for the Democratic Party.[4]
Monroe's dress was made of a sheer and flesh-colored marquisette fabric, with 2,500 shimmering rhinestones sewn into it. The dress was so tight-fitting that Monroe had difficulty putting it on; she wore nothing under it.[5] It was designed by Jean Louis.[6]
Peter Lawford was at the event that night to introduce Monroe. He made a play on the actress's reputation for tardiness by giving her a number of introductions throughout the night, after which she did not appear on stage. When Monroe finally appeared in a spotlight, Lawford introduced her as the 'late Marilyn Monroe'. Monroe peeled off her white ermine fur coat, revealing the dress, and the audience gasped.
The event was staged and produced by Broadway composer and lyricist Richard Adler.[7] It was choreographed by Carol Haney of The Pajama Game fame.[citation needed]
Legacy[edit]
Monroe's iconic dress was made by designer Jean Louis and originally cost $1,440.33 (equivalent to $9,342 in 2018[8]). The dress sold in 1999 at an auction in New York City for over $1.26 million (equivalent to $1.82 million in 2018[8]).[5] Canadian Billionaire Jim Pattison subsequently purchased the dress on November 17, 2016, at a Los Angeles auction for $4.8 million.[9]
In the 1992 film Wayne's World, Mike Myers imitates the song as his character, Wayne, while Wayne's girlfriend Cassandra (Tia Carrere) is on the phone.[10] In 1994, Mathilda (Natalie Portman) reenacts Myer's scene in Leon: The Professional. At the time, she had never seen Marilyn Monroe's performance.[11]
On the January 16, 1993, episode of Saturday Night Live the musical guest, Madonna, parodied the song as 'Happy Inauguration, Mr. President', alluding to Bill Clinton's January 20th presidential inauguration.[12]
Spice Girl Geri Halliwell performed the song in 1998 for Prince Charles' 50th birthday celebration, replacing the line 'Happy Birthday, Mr. President' with 'Happy Birthday, Your Royal Highness'.[13][14]
In 2002 the Texas Rangers had an actress reenact the song for Alex Rodriguez's 27th birthday.
In an episode of Breaking Bad, Skyler White sings the song to her boss Ted Beneke for his birthday.
In 2012 American musician Lana Del Rey reenacted the performance in the music video for her song 'National Anthem', with herself as Monroe.[15]
References[edit]
- ^Marilyn Monroe Forever in Our Hearts (May 19, 2014). President Kennedy, JFK Comments on Marilyn Monroe's Happy Birthday. YouTube. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
- ^'Hank Jones: The Man Who Accompanied Marilyn'.[self-published source?]
- ^'Madison Square Garden III'. Ballparks.com.
- ^Branch, Taylor (2007). Parting the Waters: America in the King Years 1954–63. p. 590.
- ^ ab'Happy Birthday, JFK'. University of Massachusetts Lowell. Retrieved February 2, 2010.
- ^'Jean Louis: Nude Illusionist'. Colette. May 4, 2011. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
- ^'Musical composer, lyricist Richard Adler dies at 90'. CBC News. June 22, 2012.
- ^ abThomas, Ryland; Williamson, Samuel H. (2019). 'What Was the U.S. GDP Then?'. MeasuringWorth. Retrieved April 6, 2019. United States Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the Measuring Worth series.
- ^'Marilyn's 'Happy Birthday, Mr. President' Dress Sells for $4.8M'. NBC News. Reuters. November 18, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
- ^Kris J (July 2, 2012). happy birthday mr president. YouTube. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
- ^Aquino T (October 8, 2015). '11 Expert Facts About Leon: The Professional'. Mental Floss. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
- ^'Clinton Inaugural Gala'. snltranscripts.jt.org. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
- ^'Cover Story: Nifty at Fifty'. People. Vol. 50 no. 20. November 30, 1998. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
- ^Gustavo Pezzini (February 10, 2008). Geri Halliwell: Singing Happy Birthday to Prince Charles. YouTube. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
- ^'Lana Del Rey and A$AP Rocky Play Presidential in 'National Anthem''. Rolling Stone. June 27, 2012. Retrieved June 27, 2012.
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Happy_Birthday,_Mr._President&oldid=902163167'
On May 19, 1962, actress Marilyn Monroe sang “Happy Birthday” to U.S. President John F. Kennedy during an event celebrating JFK’s 45th birthday at the Madison Square Garden in New York City. Monroe, wearing a skin-tight dress covered in rhinestones, sang the ordinary birthday song in such a sultry, provocative manner that it made headlines and became an iconic moment of the 20th century.
Marilyn Monroe Is “Late”
Marilyn Monroe had been working on the movie Something’s Got to Give in Hollywood when she took a plane to New York to participate in President John F. Kennedy’s birthday celebration at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Things had not been going well on the set, mostly because Monroe had been frequently absent. Despite her recent illnesses and trouble with alcohol, Monroe was determined to make a grand performance for JFK.
The birthday event was a Democratic Party fundraiser and included many famous names of the time, including Ella Fitzgerald, Jack Benny, and Peggy Lee. Rat Pack member (and JFK’s brother in law) Peter Lawford was the master of ceremonies and he made Monroe’s famous lateness a running joke throughout the event. Several times, Lawford would introduce Monroe and the spotlight would search the back of the stage for her, but Monroe would not step out. This had been planned, for Monroe was to be the finale.
Finally, the end of the show was near and still, Lawford was making jokes about Monroe not appearing on time. Lawford stated, “On the occasion of your birthday, the lovely lady who is not only pulchritudinous [breathtakingly beautiful] but punctual. Mr. President, Marilyn Monroe!” Still no Monroe.
Lawford pretended to stall, continuing, “Ahem. A woman about whom, it truly may be said, she needs no introduction. Let me just say…here she is!” Again, no Monroe.
This time, Lawford offered what seemed to be an impromptu introduction, “But I’ll give her an introduction anyway. Mr. President, because in the history of show business, perhaps there has been no one female who has meant so much, who has done more…”
Mid-introduction, the spotlight had found Monroe at the back of the stage, walking up some steps. The audience cheered and Lawford turned around. In her skin-tight dress, it was hard for Monroe to walk, so she scampered across the stage on her tiptoes.
When she reaches the podium, she rearranges her white mink jacket, pulling it close to her chest. Lawford put his arm around her and offered one last joke, “Mr. President, the late Marilyn Monroe.”
Monroe Sings “Happy Birthday”
Before exiting the stage, Lawford helped Monroe remove her jacket and the audience was given their first full glimpse of Monroe in her nude-colored, skin-tight, sparkly dress. The huge crowd, stunned but excited, cheered loudly.
Monroe waited for the cheering to die down, then placed one hand on the microphone stand and started singing.
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday, Mr. President
Happy birthday to you
By all accounts, the usually somewhat boring “Happy Birthday” song had been sung in a very provocative way. The whole rendition seemed even more intimate because there had been rumors that Monroe and JFK had been having an affair. Plus the fact that Jackie Kennedy was not present at the event made the song seem even more suggestive.
Then She Sang Another Song
What many people don’t realize is that Monroe then continued with another song. She sang,
Thanks, Mr. President
For all the things you’ve done,
The battles that you’ve won
The way you deal with U.S. Steel
And our problems by the ton
We thank you so much
Then she threw her arms open and yelled, “Everybody! Happy birthday!” Monroe then jumped up and down, the orchestra began playing the “Happy Birthday” song, and a huge, lighted cake was brought out from the back, carried on poles by two men.
President Kennedy then came up onto the stage and stood behind the podium. He waited for the massive cheering to die down and then began his remarks with, “I can now retire from politics after having had ‘Happy Birthday’ sung to me in such a sweet, wholesome way.” (Watch the full video on YouTube.)
The whole event had been memorable and proved to be one of the last public appearances of Marilyn Monroe – she died of an apparent overdose less than three months later. The movie she had been working on would never be finished. JFK would be shot and killed 18 months later.
The Dress
Marilyn Monroe’s dress that night has become nearly as famous as her rendition of “Happy Birthday.” Monroe had wanted a very special dress for this occasion and so had asked one of the finest costume designers of Hollywood, Jean Louis, to make her a dress.
Louis designed something so glamorous and so suggestive that people are still talking about it. Costing $12,000, the dress was made of a thin, flesh-colored souffle gauze and covered in 2,500 rhinestones. The dress was so tight that it had to be literally sewn onto Monroe’s naked body.
In 1999, this iconic dress went up for auction and sold for a shocking $1.26 million. As of this writing (2015), it remains the most expensive piece of clothing ever sold at auction.