Oh Happy Day

{{Infobox song

| name = Oh Happy Day

| cover = Oh_Happy_Day_-_Edwin_Hawkins_Singers.png

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Edwin Hawkins Singers

| album = Let Us Go Into the House of the Lord

| B-side = Jesus, Lover of My Soul

| released = 1968 (April 1969, U.S.)

| recorded = 1967

| studio = Ephesian Church of God in Christ, Berkeley, California, U.S.

| genre = {{hlist|Gospel|urban contemporary gospel}}

| length = 4:59

| label = Pavilion/Buddah

| writer = Edwin Hawkins, based on 1775 hymn

| producer = Edwin Hawkins

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title = All God's Children Got Soul

| next_year = 1969

| misc = {{External music video|header=Official audio|{{YouTube|KJohGa66FJM|"Oh Happy Day"}}}}

}}

"Oh Happy Day" is a 1967 gospel music arrangement of the 1755 hymn{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xa5gqbcscrA|title=Oh Happy Day - Hymn Lyrics & Music|website=YouTube|date=20 August 2016 }} by clergyman Philip Doddridge. Recorded by the Edwin Hawkins Singers, it became an international hit in 1969, reaching No. 4 on the US Singles Chart, No. 1 in France, Germany, and the Netherlands and No. 2 on the Canadian Singles Chart, UK Singles Chart, and Irish Singles Chart. It has since become a gospel music standard, selling over 7 million copies worldwide,{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1978/08/26/making-room-for-the-music-of-the-lord/1692aa7b-4419-456a-b378-895e67deb956/|title=

Making Room for the Music of the Lord|first=Hollie I.|last=West|publisher=Library of Congress |date=August 26, 1978|access-date=January 24, 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-recording-preservation-board/documents/HowIGotOver.pdf#page=2|title="Oh Happy Day" – The Edwin Hawkins Singers (1968)|author=Bill Carpenter|page=2|publisher=Library of Congress |access-date=January 23, 2024}} making it the second best-selling gospel song of all time.

The recording begins with a muted piano, drum, and bass, backing lead singer Dorothy Combs Morrison on the left-hand stereo channel, then alternates twice with a full-throated chorus that includes a large ensemble, rising to a crescendo with handclaps, and ending with a return to the muted sound as at the beginning. The track is notable for its clear sound given the powerful vocals and the modest equipment used to capture them. It was made at Hawkins' church, the Ephesian Church of God in Christ in Berkeley, California.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=beGNAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA115 |title=Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music |author=W. K. McNeil |page=115 |date=2013-10-18 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781135377007 |access-date=2016-10-02}}

Origins

The gospel style arrangement of the hymn "Oh, Happy Day" by Edwin Hawkins has a long pedigree. It began as a hymn, written in the mid-18th century ("O happy day, that fixed my choice"), by English clergyman Philip Doddridge (based on Acts 8:35) set to a 1704 melody by J. A. Freylinghausen.{{Cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324556304578123332598062540 |title=When He Washed My Sins Away |last=Myers |first=Marc |date=2012-11-23 |work=Wall Street Journal |access-date=2018-01-23 |language=en-US |issn=0099-9660}} By the mid-19th century it had been given a new melody by Edward F. Rimbault, who also added a chorus,P. Doddridge and E. F. Rimbault, "Happy Day", in Joseph Flintoft Berry and Charles H. Gabriel (1914), edd., Hymns of the Heart, New York: Methodist Book Concern, Hymn 134. and was commonly used for baptismal or confirmation ceremonies in the UK and USA. The 20th century saw its adaptation from 3/4 time to 4/4 time and this new arrangement by Hawkins, which contains only the repeated Rimbault refrain, with all of the original verses being omitted.

The B-side of the single was Hawkins' own modern arrangement of "Jesus, Lover of My Soul" originally written by Charles Wesley in 1740.{{cite book|chapter-url=https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Army_and_Navy_Hymnal/Hymns/Jesus,_Lover_of_My_Soul |title=The Army and Navy Hymnal/Hymns/Jesus, Lover of My Soul - Wikisource, the free online library |chapter=Jesus, Lover of My Soul |website=En.wikisource.org |access-date=2016-10-02}}{{cite web|url=http://www.45cat.com/record/201048 |title=The Edwin Hawkins Singers - Oh Happy Day / Jesus, Lover Of My Soul - Buddah - UK - 201048 |website=45cat.com |date=1969-05-17 |access-date=2016-10-02}}

Recording

Hawkins rearranged the hymn to give it more of a gospel feel, and devised a piano introduction which he said was influenced by the music of Sérgio Mendes. When the choir made the recording in 1967, lead singer Dorothy Morrison added some lyrical improvisations influenced by James Brown, which, she said, "made the song feel even more current".{{cite book |last=Myers|first=Marc |author-link= Marc Myers|date=2016 |title=Anatomy of a Song |publisher=Grove Press |pages=149–152 |isbn=978-1-61185-525-8}}

Legacy and influence

Hawkins' arrangement quickly became a “standard” and has been recorded by hundreds of artists. It was included on the RIAA Songs of the Century list and won Hawkins a Grammy Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance in 1970 (performed by the Edwin Hawkins Singers).[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/13/AR2010071306089.html Hawkins Grammy Award 1970], Washington Post.

In 2005, "Oh Happy Day" was one of 50 recordings chosen that year by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry.{{Cite web |date=October 25, 2006 |title=The National Recording Registry 2005 |url=https://www.loc.gov/programs/national-recording-preservation-board/recording-registry/registry-by-induction-years/2005/ |access-date=July 26, 2023 |publisher=The Library of Congress}}

In live performances and acoustic versions of the Nick Cave song "Deanna" (1988), portions of "Oh Happy Day" are included, revealing the inspiration for Cave's song.{{YouTube|ImzECO9QkhM|Acoustic Version Video}} George Harrison has stated the song was a primary inspiration in the writing of his 1970 international hit single "My Sweet Lord."DeMain, Bill. [http://performingsongwriter.com/george-harrison-my-sweet-lord/ "George Harrison’s 'My Sweet Lord' Copyright Case".] [http://performingsongwriter.com/ Performing Songwriter.] Retrieved 2013-01-30.{{cite web|url=https://greenpleasantland.com|title=Parks and Recreation: Harlem at a Crossroads in the Summer of '69|author=Greene, Bryan|publisher=Poverty and Race Research Action Council|date=June 2017}}

The song has appeared in many movies, beginning with the German film {{Interlanguage link multi|Seventeen and Anxious|de|3=O Happy Day (1970)|lt=Seventeen and Anxious}} in 1970, but most notably Whoopi Goldberg's Sister Act 2,[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108147/soundtrack Sister Act 2: Back In The Habit], IMDB Soundtrack Track Listing. with then 14-year-old Ryan Toby singing lead. The song also appears in Big Momma's House,[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0208003/soundtrack Big Momma's House], IMDB Soundtrack Track Listing. Nutty Professor II: The Klumps,[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0144528/soundtrack Nutty Professor II: The Klumps], IMDB Soundtrack Track Listing. David LaChapelle's 2005 movie Rize,{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009R1TIG |title=Various Artists, Flii Stylz, Dizee Rascal, Christina Aguilera, The Edwin Hawkins Singers, Dap & Planet Asia, The Blind Boys Of Alabama, The Caravans, Alice Ridley, Lil' C & Bloezarf - Rize - Music From the Original Motion Picture - Amazon.com Music |website=Amazon.com |access-date=2016-10-02}} Robin Williams’s 2007 movie License to Wed,{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0762114/soundtrack|website=IMDb.com|title=License to Wed Soundtrack Track Listing|access-date=2016-10-02}} the 2010 biographical film produced by Walt Disney Pictures: Secretariat (played when Secretariat wins the Belmont), and Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman.

The Edwin Hawkins Singers' performance of the song at the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival appears in the 2021 music documentary, Summer of Soul.

The song is regularly performed by space-rock band Spiritualized as the last song of their live sets.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGrHb67HQ7M|title = Spiritualized - Oh Happy Day (Live at the Royal Albert Hall) [Official Audio]|website = YouTube}}

Personnel

Dorothy Combs Morrison – lead vocal
Edwin Hawkins – choir director, arranger, piano
Betty Watson – co-director, soprano vocals
Choir Members – Walter Hawkins, Tramaine Hawkins, Elaine Kelly, Margarette Branch, Rueben Franklin, Donald Cashmere, Ruth Lyons and 40 others
Drums, bass and percussion – unconfirmed (probably Bennie Bolton, drums, and Harley White, bass.)
Recorded live at the Ephesian Church of God in Christ, Berkeley, California

The song was also included on the album Let Us Go Into the House of the Lord (1968).{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/The-Edwin-Hawkins-Singers-Let-Us-Go-Into-The-House-Of-The-Lord/release/1920993|title=The Edwin Hawkins Singers* - Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord|website=Discogs|date=1969 |access-date=15 January 2018}} The album reached No. 19 in Canada under its original title "Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord".{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.5989.pdf| title=RPM Top 50 Albums - June 23, 1969}} It was released as a 7-inch single on Pavilion Records in April 1969,{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/The-Edwin-Hawkins-Singers-Oh-Happy-Day/master/139084|title=The Edwin Hawkins Singers* - Oh Happy Day|website=Discogs|date=1969 |access-date=15 January 2018}} then on the Buddah Records album It's a Happy Day also in 1969.{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/The-Edwin-Hawkins-Singers-Its-A-Happy-Day/release/3502404|title=The Edwin Hawkins Singers* - It's A Happy Day|website=Discogs|date=1970 |access-date=15 January 2018}}

Chart performance

=Weekly charts=

scope="row"\|Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM){{cite web\|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.6150&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.6150.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.6150 \|title=Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada \|website=Bac-lac.gc.ca \|date=17 July 2013 \|access-date=2016-10-02}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|6
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" \|+ Weekly chart performance for "Oh Happy Day" !scope="col"\|Chart (1968–1969) !scope="col"\|Peak position
{{single chart\|Austria\|2\|artist=The Edwin Hawkins Singers\|song=Oh, Happy Day\|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart\|Flanders\|3\|artist=The Edwin Hawkins Singers\|song=Oh, Happy Day\|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart\|Wallonia\|1\|artist=The Edwin Hawkins Singers\|song=Oh, Happy Day\|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"\|Canada Top Singles (RPM){{cite web\|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.6159&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.6159.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.6159 \|title=Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada \|website=Bac-lac.gc.ca \|date=17 July 2013 \|access-date=2016-10-02}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|2
{{single chart\|France\|1\|artist=The Edwin Hawkins Singers\|song=Oh, Happy Day\|songid=91\|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart\|Germany\|1\|artist=Edwin Hawkins Singers\|song=Oh Happy Day\|songid=95\|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart\|Ireland2\|2\|song=Oh Happy Day\|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart\|Dutch40\|1\|artist=Edwin Hawkins Singers The\|song=Oh, Happy Day\|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart\|Dutch100\|1\|artist=The Edwin Hawkins Singers\|song=Oh, Happy Day\|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"\|New Zealand (NZ Listener){{cite web \|url=http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=search%20listener&qartistid=1236#n_view_location \|title=flavour of new zealand - search listener \|website=Flavourofnz.co.nz \|date=1969-08-08 \|access-date=2016-10-02 \|archive-date=2016-06-11 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160611113442/http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=search%20listener&qartistid=1236#n_view_location \|url-status=dead }} \| style="text-align:center;"\|20
scope="row"\|South Africa (Springbok Radio){{cite web\|url=http://www.rock.co.za/files/sa_charts_1969_1989_songs_(M-O).html\|website=South African Rock Lists\|title=SA Charts 1965 - 1989\|access-date=17 January 2018}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|13
{{single chart\|Switzerland\|1\|artist=The Edwin Hawkins Singers\|song=Oh, Happy Day\|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart\|UKsinglesbyname\|2\|artist=Edwin Hawkins Singers\|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart\|Billboardhot100\|4\|artist=The Edwin Hawkins Singers\|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart\|Billboardadultcontemporary\|22\|artist=Edwin Hawkins Singers\|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart\|Billboardrandbhiphop\|2\|artist=Edwin Hawkins\|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"\|US Cash Box Top 100{{cite web\|url=http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/60s_files/19690607.html \|title=Top 100 1969-06-07 \|work=Cashbox Magazine \|access-date=2015-08-25 }} \| style="text-align:center;"\|3

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" \|+ Year-end chart performance for "Oh Happy Day" ! scope="col"\| Chart (1969) ! scope="col"\| Rank
scope="row"\| Canada{{cite web\|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.6104.pdf \|title=Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada \|website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca \|access-date=2018-08-18}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|75
scope="row"\| Germany{{cite web\|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-1969 \|title=Top 100 Single-Jahreschart 1969 \|language=de \|website=offiziellecharts.de \|access-date=2018-09-22}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|2
scope="row"\| UK{{cite web\|url=http://www.uk-charts.top-source.info/top-100-1969.shtml \|title=Top 100 1969 - UK Music Charts \|website=Uk-charts.top-source.info \|access-date=2016-10-02}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|36
scope="row"\| UK (Record Mirror){{Cite magazine\|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Record-Mirror/60s/69/Record-Mirror-1969-12-27-S-OCR.pdf#page=15\|title=TOPSINGLES1969\|page=15\|magazine=Record Mirror\|date=December 27, 1969\|access-date=January 28, 2024}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|42
scope="row"\| US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web\|url=http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1969.htm \|title=Top 100 Hits of 1969/Top 100 Songs of 1969 \|website=Musicoutfitters.com \|access-date=2016-10-02}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|93
scope="row"\| US R&B (Billboard) \| style="text-align:center;"\|28
scope="row"\| US Cash Box \| style="text-align:center;"\|78

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

|+ Year-end chart performance for "Oh Happy Day"

! scope="col"| Chart (1969)

! scope="col"| Rank

scope="row"| Canada{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.6104.pdf |title=Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada |website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca |access-date=2018-08-18}}

| style="text-align:center;"|75

scope="row"| Germany{{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-1969 |title=Top 100 Single-Jahreschart 1969 |language=de |website=offiziellecharts.de |access-date=2018-09-22}}

| style="text-align:center;"|2

scope="row"| UK{{cite web|url=http://www.uk-charts.top-source.info/top-100-1969.shtml |title=Top 100 1969 - UK Music Charts |website=Uk-charts.top-source.info |access-date=2016-10-02}}

| style="text-align:center;"|36

scope="row"| UK (Record Mirror){{Cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Record-Mirror/60s/69/Record-Mirror-1969-12-27-S-OCR.pdf#page=15|title=TOPSINGLES1969|page=15|magazine=Record Mirror|date=December 27, 1969|access-date=January 28, 2024}}

| style="text-align:center;"|42

scope="row"| US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web|url=http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1969.htm |title=Top 100 Hits of 1969/Top 100 Songs of 1969 |website=Musicoutfitters.com |access-date=2016-10-02}}

| style="text-align:center;"|93

scope="row"| US R&B (Billboard)

| style="text-align:center;"|28

scope="row"| US Cash Box

| style="text-align:center;"|78

Awards

1970 Grammy Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance

Other notable versions

Joan Baez performed the song at Woodstock in 1969.
Glen Campbell covered it on his 1970 album Oh Happy Day. The single reached No. 45 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, No. 7 Adult Contemporary, and No. 44 in Canada.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.3781.pdf |title=RPM100 |magazine=RPM |date= May 5, 1970 |publisher=RPM |access-date=March 14, 2022}}
Aretha Franklin included it on her 1987 album One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VG-c6gbaOw|title=Oh Happy Day (Live at New Bethel Baptist Church, Detroit, MI - July 1987)|date=20 July 2015 |via=www.youtube.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/one-lord-one-faith-one-baptism-mw0000651224|title=One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism - Aretha Franklin |via=www.allmusic.com}}
Club Nouveau recorded it for their 1992 album A New Beginning. The single charted at No. 45 on the US R&B Chart.{{cite magazine|title=Club Nouveau - Chart history|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/299459/club-nouveau/chart?f=367 |magazine=Billboard|access-date=12 July 2017}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Entry|type=single|region=United States|artist=Edwin Hawkins' Singers|title=Oh Happy Day|award=Gold|certyear=1969|relyear=1968|access-date=January 24, 2024}}

References

=Notes=

=Sources=

Original Seeds, CD liner notes by Kim Beissel

External links

{{youTube|1M9N9K9NxXo|"Oh Happy Day"}}, at the 2014 World Choir Games in Riga; solo by Walt Whitman
{{YouTube|C9jAoZcvxsA|Edwin Hawkins Singers - Oh Happy Day}}

Category:18th-century songs

Category:1969 singles

Category:Glen Campbell songs

Category:CeCe Peniston songs

Category:Gospel songs

Category:Number-one singles in France

Category:Number-one singles in Germany

Category:Number-one singles in Switzerland

Category:Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients

Category:Buddah Records singles

Category:United States National Recording Registry recordings

Category:Songs about Jesus