Oh How Happy
{{Infobox song
| name = Oh How Happy
| cover =
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = The Shades of Blue
| album =
| B-side = "Little Orphan Boy"
| released = April 1966
| format =
| recorded = Fall 1965
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Soul
| length =
| label = Impact 1007
| writer = Edwin Starr
| producer = John Rhys
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title = Lonely Summer
| next_year = 1966
}}
Oh How Happy is a song written by Edwin Starr. It was a hit for the group The Shades of Blue.Brothas Be, Yo Like George, Ain't That Funkin' Kinda Hard on You?: A Memoir, By George Clinton, Ben Greenman [https://books.google.com/books?id=hVDRBAAAQBAJ&dq=%22Oh+How+Happy%22Edwin+Starr&pg=PA39 Page 39 I'm into Something and I Can't Shake It Loose *] 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.
Background
"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
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.Carolina Beach Music from the '60s to the '80s: The New Wave, By Rick Simmons [https://books.google.com/books?id=zm-hSHQfBfAC&dq=%22Edwin+Starr%22Oh+How+Happy%22&pg=PA151 Pae 151]
Other versions
- Blinky and Edwin Starr, on the Gordy label in 1969, featured on Just We Two.Billboard, August 2, 1969 [https://books.google.com/books?id=dygEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Oh+How+Happy%22Edwin+Starr&pg=PA64 Page 64, Spotlight Singles] 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.Billboard, August 23, 1969 [https://books.google.com/books?id=rykEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Edwin+Starr%22Oh+How+Happy%22G-7090&pg=RA1-PA99 Page 99 Billboard Hot 100 for week ending August, 23, 1969]
{{Infobox song
| name = Oh How Happy
| cover =
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Blinky & Edwin Starr
| album = Just We Two
| B-side = "Ooo Baby Baby"
| released = July 20, 1969
| format =
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Soul
| length = 2:39
| label = Gordy 7090
| writer = Edwin Starr
| producer = Frank Wilson, B.J.
| prev_title = I'm Still a Struggling Man
| prev_year = 1969
| next_title = Time
| next_year = 1970
}}
- Herb McQuay, on the Ode label in 1980.National Library of New Zealand Catalogue [http://nlnzcat.natlib.govt.nz/vwebv/holdingsInfo?searchId=14629&recCount=25&recPointer=3&bibId=1211767 Oh how happy, Edwin Starr ; (performed by) Herb McQuay. Mrs. Jones / K. Campbell, Leon Huff (and) C. Gilbert ; (performed by) Herb McQuay]
{{Infobox song
| name = Oh How Happy
| cover =
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Herb McQuay
| album =
| B-side = "Mrs Jones"
| released = 1980
| format =
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Soul
| length =
| label = Ode ODE 711
| writer = Edwin Starr
| producer =
| prev_title = Fever Part 1
| prev_year =
| next_title = We'll Never Cry Alone
| next_year =
}}
- A take by Percy Sledge appears as the B side of his 1967 Atlantic single, "It Tears Me Up".45cat [http://www.45cat.com/record/584071 Catalogue: 584071]
- 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.[http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/19780506.html Cash Box Top 100 Singles, May 6, 1978]
- 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.tidido.com [http://tidido.com/a35184374131233/al55f0c44ca5f3907573557cac/t55f0c44ea5f3907573557de0 From album: Voices of Heaven - The Sparrow Singers]
- Cliff Richard, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. recorded it for Richard's 2011 album Soulicious.
References
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