I Want A Boy For My Birthday

THE SMITHS song
Name	I Want A Boy For My Birthday
Album/single	Unreleased
Length	2:58
Writer/composer	Sylvester Bradford
Producer	Tape cassette recording only Tape given to Dale Hibbert
Release	Not applicable
Recorded	Circa August 1982

Information

This is a cover of The Cookies song ("Willpower" B-side, 1963).
Played live only once at their first gig.
Dale Hibbert teased releasing this via a countdown alongside mention of other rarities.
On December 15/16, 2019, he streamed & released the audio via YouTube.
Although only watched by 112 people at the time, it was quickly shared by the media due to its historical importance.
On December 17, 2019, Dale held a Q&A on this site and answered questions about the recording.
On December 20, 2019, Dale removed this song and all his YouTube content citing:

I have taken the channel down, before the gossip and rumours, no one has forced this, it was my choice. I made it available for people with an interest in the music, and in the embryonic development of bands.

I did not make it available for the likes of the the f***ers at NME and other music rags to use as click bait.

What frustrated me the most was the absolute shit arsed laziness of the journalists, copying and pasting from old wiki entries, absolutely no fact checking. This was never intended for you.

I would imagine that everybody that wanted to hear it, now has.

Lyrics

Sha la la la la la la la
Sha la la sha la la
Sha la la la la la la la
Sha la la sha la la

I want a boy for my birthday
That's what I've been dreaming of
I won't have a happy birthday
Without a boy to love

Don't want a bracelet with golden charms
Because that won't fill my empty arms
Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah
I want a boy to love

Sha la la la la la la la
(oh oh oh)
Sha la la sha la la

I want a boy for my birthday
That's the present that I need the most
Just a boy for my birthday
One who'll love to hold me close
Doesn't matter if he's short or tall
Just as long as he gives his all
Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah
I want a boy to love

I want a boy who's gonna treat me right
(yeah yeah yeah)
Hug me, kiss me, squeeze me day and night

I want a boy for my birthday
He doesn't have to be too smart
Just as long as he loves me
And keeps me in his heart
I want a boy to comfort me
And treat me tenderly
Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah
I want a boy to love

Sha la la la la la la la
(I want a boy to love)
Sha la la sha la la
(I want a boy for my birthday)

Live History

Play count (The Smiths concert): 2

The Smiths live history:

• Manchester, England 1982-10-04 (The Smiths concert)
• Manchester, England 1983-01-25 (The Smiths concert)

Play count (Morrissey concert): 0

Mentioned In

• Portrait Of The Artist As A Consumer - NME (September 17, 1983)
• Yeahs And Yeuks - No. 1 (1985)

Related Forum Threads

• "Suffer Little Children" full demo, "I Want A Boy For My Birthday" teased - Domu Kafe / YouTube - Morrissey-solo (Jan 05, 2019)
• Dale Hibbert YT: "I Want A Boy For My Birthday" premiere (December 15/16, 2019) - Morrissey-solo (Dec 15, 2019)
• Boy for my Birthday - Dale Hibbert Q&A - Morrissey-solo (Dec 17, 2019)
• "I Want A Boy For My Birthday"/Dale Hibbert YouTube channel removed - Morrissey-solo (Dec 20, 2019)
• The Smiths A-Z: "I Want a Boy for My Birthday" - Morrissey-solo (Mar 13, 2022)