"Oh How Happy" was first recorded by The Shades of Blue. While the band was at Golden World recording background vocals and some demos, Edwin Starr - who happened to be there and liked their sound - approached them with an unfinished song of his. He sat down with the group to work out the chorus and wording. According to member Nick Marinelli, the band actually had an active role in the final product, but they were not credited. Starr cited Shades of Blue's youth and inexperience for not knowing how the assigning of credit worked. The song was recorded in the late fall of 1965 and the group took the record to Harry Balk at Impact Records, who signed them into a contract.
Chart performanceedit
The record was released in March 1966 and in no time went straight to No. 1 in the locals. Nationally it got to No. 12 in the pop charts and No. 7 in the R&B charts.[2]
Other versionsedit
Blinky and Edwin Starr, on the Gordy label in 1969, featured on Just We Two.[3] For the week ending August 23, 1969, in the Billboard Hot 100, the song had climbed from 99 where it was the previous week to 92.[4]
^Brothas Be, Yo Like George, Ain't That Funkin' Kinda Hard on You?: A Memoir, By George Clinton, Ben Greenman Page 39 I'm into Something and I Can't Shake It Loose *
^Carolina Beach Music from the '60s to the '80s: The New Wave, By Rick Simmons Pae 151
^Billboard, August 2, 1969 Page 64, Spotlight Singles
^Billboard, August 23, 1969 Page 99 Billboard Hot 100 for week ending August, 23, 1969
^National Library of New Zealand Catalogue Oh how happy, Edwin Starr ; (performed by) Herb McQuay. Mrs. Jones / K. Campbell, Leon Huff (and) C. Gilbert ; (performed by) Herb McQuay
^tidido.com From album: Voices of Heaven - The Sparrow Singers
April 11, 2024
happy, song, written, edwin, starr, group, shades, blue, early, 1980s, minor, zealand, based, york, city, soul, singer, herb, mcquay, many, artists, have, covered, song, single, shades, blueb, side, little, orphan, releasedapril, 1966recordedfall, 1965genresou. Oh How Happy is a song written by Edwin Starr It was a hit for the group The Shades of Blue 1 In the early 1980s it was a minor hit for New Zealand based New York City soul singer Herb McQuay Many artists have covered the song Oh How Happy Single by The Shades of BlueB side Little Orphan Boy ReleasedApril 1966RecordedFall 1965GenreSoulLabelImpact 1007Songwriter s Edwin StarrProducer s John RhysThe Shades of Blue singles chronology Oh How Happy 1966 Lonely Summer 1966 Contents 1 Background 2 Chart performance 3 Other versions 4 ReferencesBackground edit Oh How Happy was first recorded by The Shades of Blue While the band was at Golden World recording background vocals and some demos Edwin Starr who happened to be there and liked their sound approached them with an unfinished song of his He sat down with the group to work out the chorus and wording According to member Nick Marinelli the band actually had an active role in the final product but they were not credited Starr cited Shades of Blue s youth and inexperience for not knowing how the assigning of credit worked The song was recorded in the late fall of 1965 and the group took the record to Harry Balk at Impact Records who signed them into a contract Chart performance editThe record was released in March 1966 and in no time went straight to No 1 in the locals Nationally it got to No 12 in the pop charts and No 7 in the R amp B charts 2 Other versions editBlinky and Edwin Starr on the Gordy label in 1969 featured on Just We Two 3 For the week ending August 23 1969 in the Billboard Hot 100 the song had climbed from 99 where it was the previous week to 92 4 Oh How Happy Single by Blinky amp Edwin StarrB side Ooo Baby Baby Released1969GenreSoulLabelGordy 7090Songwriter s Edwin StarrProducer s Frank Wilson B J Herb McQuay on the Ode label in 1980 5 Oh How Happy Single by Herb McQuayB side Mrs Jones Released1980GenreSoulLabelOde ODE 711Songwriter s Edwin StarrHerb McQuay singles chronology Fever Part 1 Oh How Happy We ll Never Cry Alone A take by Percy Sledge appears as the B side of his 1967 Atlantic single It Tears Me Up 6 The Jackson Five with Jermaine Jackson on lead recorded the song for their third album 1970 s aptly named Third Album The Skyliners in 1978 reached No 96 on the U S Cash Box Top 100 7 Carlene Carter did a duet with British rocker Paul Carrack on her album Blue Nun The song has since been adapted for gospel music It appears on the Voices of Heaven album by The Sparrow Singers 8 Cliff Richard Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr recorded it for Richard s 2011 album Soulicious References edit Brothas Be Yo Like George Ain t That Funkin Kinda Hard on You A Memoir By George Clinton Ben Greenman Page 39 I m into Something and I Can t Shake It Loose Carolina Beach Music from the 60s to the 80s The New Wave By Rick Simmons Pae 151 Billboard August 2 1969 Page 64 Spotlight Singles Billboard August 23 1969 Page 99 Billboard Hot 100 for week ending August 23 1969 National Library of New Zealand Catalogue Oh how happy Edwin Starr performed by Herb McQuay Mrs Jones K Campbell Leon Huff and C Gilbert performed by Herb McQuay 45cat Catalogue 584071 Cash Box Top 100 Singles May 6 1978 tidido com From album Voices of Heaven The Sparrow Singers Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Oh How Happy amp oldid 1213102982, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
