Happy People (Prince Ital Joe and Marky Mark song)

"Happy People" is a song by Dominican-American reggae/ragga recording artist Prince Ital Joe featuring American rapper Marky Mark. It is their first single as a duo, released in November 1993 by EastWest and Ultraphonic as the lead single from the duo's first and only album, Life in the Streets (1994). Written by Ital Joe and Mark, and produced by Alex Christensen and Frank Peterson, the song became a hit all over Europe, peaking at number four in Germany. It sold over 400.000 copies there,^[1] earning the duo a gold record. Additionally, "Happy People" was a top 10 hit in Finland (8) and a top 30 hit in Austria (23), Sweden (24) and Switzerland (22). Its accompanying music video was A-listed on Germany's VIVA in February 1994.^[2]

"Happy People"
Single by Prince Ital Joe and Marky Mark
from the album Life in the Streets
Released	November 1993
Genre	Eurodance
Length	3:59
Label	EastWest Ultraphonic
Songwriter(s)	Prince Ital Joe Mark Wahlberg
Producer(s)	Alex Christensen Frank Peterson
Prince Ital Joe and Marky Mark singles chronology
"Happy People" (1993) "United" (1994)
Music video
"Happy People" on YouTube

Critical reception

Pan-European magazine Music & Media said, "The busy signal of a telephone drives you wild before the chorus starts, where "all the lonely people" out of the Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby" suddenly become "happy"."^[3] An editor, Miranda Watson, wrote, "'Happy People' is a strongly raggainfluenced track with a driving dance beat, a solid hook balanced by rapping from Marky Mark."^[1] Leesa Daniels from Smash Hits gave it one out of five, adding, "Yet another rap tune with a message."^[4]

Track listing

• CD maxi, Germany (1993)

1. "Happy People" (Radio Edit) — 3:59
2. "Happy People" (Long Version) — 5:55
3. "Happy People" (Ragga Version) — 5:59

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1993-1994) Peak position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[5] 23 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) 22 Europe (European Dance Radio)^[6] 19 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)^[7] 8 Germany (Official German Charts)^[8] 4 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[9] 24 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[10] 22 UK Club Chart (Music Week)^[11] 69

Year-end charts Chart (1994) Position Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[12] 86

References

1. Watson, Miranda (21 May 1994). "Prince Ital, Marky Mark Turn To Germany For Top Production" (PDF). Music & Media. p. 10. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
2. "Station Reports > VIVA TV/Cologne" (PDF). Music & Media. 5 February 1994. p. 29. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
3. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 12 February 1994. p. 11. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
4. Daniels, Leesa (27 April 1994). "New Singles". Smash Hits. p. 49. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
5. "Prince Ital Joe feat. Marky Mark – Happy People" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
6. "European Dance Radio Top 25" (PDF). Music & Media. 19 February 1994. p. 22. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
7. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
8. "Prince Ital Joe feat. Marky Mark – Happy People" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
9. "Prince Ital Joe feat. Marky Mark – Happy People". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
10. "Prince Ital Joe feat. Marky Mark – Happy People". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
11. "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 14 May 1994. p. 4. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
12. "1994 Year-End Sales Charts: Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 24 December 1994. Retrieved 22 October 2021.