Green Tunes - Happy Birthday

Sometimes songs take on a life of their own in our minds.  We associate them with things completely unrelated to any lyrics if they exist.  This is one of those songs for me and this is the story of my association.

We had just discovered that Amy was pregnant.  My family was very excited, especially my grandmother.  I hadn't heard happiness in her voice like that for years.  Not long after, we got a call from my parents.  Grandma was in the hospital.  Amy and I booked a quick flight home from Chicago.  When we arrived at the hospital, she was in ICU but in good spirits.  We sat and talked for as long as we all could.  We talked quite a bit about Amy's pregnancy and collectively dreamed about the baby to come.  A nurse arrived and told us that she needed us to leave briefly while she attended to my grandmother.  While we sat in a nearby waiting room, I was staring out the window at the sunlight reflecting off of the leaves of nearby trees when this song began playing on my iPod.  I was suddenly overcome by a feeling that my grandmother would not see this baby.  This song suddenly became a lullaby to be sung by my grandmother to her great-grandbaby but only in my imagination.

At the end of our visit, I absorbed every memory I could about that moment of goodbye.  I kissed my grandmother on the forehead and, not knowing exactly what to say to her, I eeked out, "I love you, grandma.  Take care of yourself."  I somehow knew that I'd never see her again.  It was only a few days later, back in Chicago, when my parents called again.  Grandma had passed away and I would hold this song, this beautiful lullaby, as her song to her great-grandson.

When you wake up sun will shine,
we will not go under any cloud.
Let balloons go up in town.
Ring out every bell.

Happy Birthday, beautiful.
All the birds of this day
sing a song, sing a song.

Dream of trains carrying you
through the state parks with the cherry flowers.
When you wake up it will be
the beginning of the world.

Happy Birthday, beautiful,
through the fields of this day.
Hear a song, hear a song.

Oh undeserved sweetness and light
stay by my side
we will go out in the morning now.
A crown of maple leaves
a crown of flowers
circling your sweet head.

Happy Birthday, beautiful.
In the streets of this day
play a song, play a song.