The demo was uploaded onto You Tube this week by Dale Hibbert, original bassist for The Smiths. Hibbert was given the demo by Marr in order to learn/create bass parts for the song so he'd be able to play it live at their debut gig. Hibbert held onto the demo and at the beginning of this year shared a snippet of "I Want A Boy For My Birthday" and promised he'd unleash the full song by the end of the year. He made good on his promise Tuesday, which was timed to coincide with Hibbert's own birthday, which is December 16th.
Hibbert revealed to fansite Morrissey Solo:
I suppose the main question is "why now" ? It's been a long time. I once had a friend, who found a singer, for six months we rehearsed, talked, examined possibilities. The friend convinced me to leave the band I was with, and join him. We were kids, to be fair, but...
It's a sweet, innocent, charming recording and one that I am fond of.
Anyhow, this means a lot more to some people than it does me, it's out there because it brings joy to people.
We change as we age, if you can make people happy then do it, that's "why now". It was set to premiere on my birthday because anticipation is exquisite, we now live in an "on demand" society, I prefer the old ways.
Stream the recording below along with two other demos and head here to read several theories regarding why The Smiths chose to demo this particular song.
UPDATE (12/21): Hibbert pulled down his You Tube account after becoming annoyed with "laziness of journalists" and various "clickbait" stories about the song and figured that everyone that wanted to hear "I Want A Boy For My Birthday" likely already has. Of course many fan sites have uploaded the demo, so...it is now all over the net despite Hibbert pulling his account.