What a perfect TIMH subject to send us into a holiday weekend. Few people exemplify the big dumb joy of rock and roll better than Klaus Meine, lead singer of German hard rock/metal ambassadors Scorpions. Whether it's his amazing voice or his German impression of American rock schtick, something about Klaus will make you smile.

He was born in Germany today in 1948 and joined the Scorpions in 1970. Scorpions developed a strong European following through 1978, largely trafficking in songs about chasing girls on albums with covers that put the original cover of Spinal Tap's "Smell the Glove" to shame. From 1978-83 the band had American fans trickling in and in 1984 the trickle would turn into storm surge.

Scorpions released "Love at First Sting" and became international superstars. The album hit #6 on the American chart and spawned a song heard in stadiums around the world, "Rock You Like a Hurricane". The pinnacle of their success would come at the end of the decade as social and political tensions began to swirl around the world. Their perfectly timed ballad "Winds of Change" was composed by Klaus and released in 1991. Coming on the heels of the fall of the Berlin Wall and a failed Soviet coup, the song captured the zeitgeist of the day. It hit #1 in eight different countries (#4 US) and sold over 6 million copies in Germany alone.

The Scorpions have faded since then but they are still out there entertaining people with their signature mix of solid rock and power ballads. They canceled some tour dates last year due to Klaus' laryngitis but there is hope he will be back as good as new. Alles gut zum geburtstag, Klaus!