Birthday Star '92

Release: Mar. 1992 - Jan. 1995
Media Duration: 2:41

Credits:

• Scott Wilson: Voice of Chuck E. Cheese, Mr. Munch
• Karlissa McKinney: Voice of Helen Henny
• Bob West: Voice of Jasper T. Jowls, Pasqually the Chef

Birthday Star ‘92 was a live show that was available from March 1992 through January 1995.

Release

Released to stores alongside Physical Fitness, this is the first edition of Birthday Star, the long-running original birthday song performed at Chuck E. Cheese’s restaurants for over two decades. Originally released as a hidden birthday track on the same videocassette as its debut showtape and all subsequent showtapes, it was re-released in September 1992, on a separate VHS tape, much like other live shows of the time. Peculiarly, Birthday Star ‘92 is an audio-only show and has no Cyberstar footage as it was intended to play during intermissions over the top of the show countdown. Like all birthday shows that came before it, Birthday Star was not produced to be a live show. All of the animatronic characters, including Chuck E. Cheese, were programmed to perform the song at birthday parties at the press of a button. As was standard practice since the brand’s inception, however, the Chuck E. Cheese walk-around character was present in the showroom and stores found that the show lent itself well to live performances on account of it being a straightforward three-minute song with no character dialogue or skits. It was later reissued in 1993 without Chuck E.’s animatronic, light, and curtain signals. The show was succeeded by Birthday Star '95 in January 1995.

Summary

Birthday Star ‘92 is an upbeat and eclectic big band/swing number. The show opens with the band shouting ‘Happy birthday’ as they play their instruments. Chuck E. Cheese comes out and encourages the audience to get on their feet and clap their hands. Pasqually interjects, ‘It’s time for cake!’, with Mr. Munch following with, ‘And it’s time to celebrate a birthday Chuck E. Cheese style!’ From there, Chuck E. leads the audience in the first of an iconic call-and-response that would be reused in almost every birthday show to follow: ‘I say happy, you say birthday! Happy! (birthday) Happy! (birthday) Now clap your hands (clap, clap, clap) and stomp your feet! (Stomp stomp stomp) The band proceeds to sing the song’s chorus, followed by a repeat of the Happy Birthday chant. Helen and Jasper share a harmonized duet as they sing the bridge as Chuck E. leads into a reprise of the Happy Birthday chant. After that, Chuck E. quips ‘Alright, everybody, you all know this part. Sing along!’ and Chuck E. Cheese, the band, and the audience in the showroom sing the traditional ‘Happy Birthday’ song to a powerful trumpet-blasting instrumental. Once the song is sung, the band shouts, ‘Now get ready to blow out your candles!’ The music builds to a climax as the candles are lit, and the birthday stars blow them out to thunderous applause from the band and the rest of the party, as the music decrescendos. The band performs a reprise of the chorus, joined now by the Chuck E. Kids, followed by another, this time in a higher key. One last time, Chuck E leads the showroom in the Happy Birthday chant. The number ends with Chuck E. shouting ‘This is Chuck E. Cheese wishing you the very best!’ and joins the band and the Chuck E. Kids singing ‘Happy Birthday to You!’ With a few trumpet blasts, the song comes to an en,d and the curtains close to the sound of thunderous applause.

Showtape Releases

Birthday Star was released in March 1992 alongside Physical Fitness. It was produced exclusively on Cyberstar SVHS tapes for the three supported stage types in stores at the time: 3-Stage, C & R (C-Stage and Rocker Stage), and R-1-2 (Road Stage, 1-Stage, and 2-Stage). It would be officially succeeded by Birthday Star '95

Floppy Disk Label

The floppy disk is labeled as “BIRTHDAY STAR 3ST-ROA-C&R” “File used in show tapes” “#91-27”.

APS Files

All three segments’ files were last updated between January 10, 1992, and January 20, 1992, being finalized over 2 months before it was released.