Friday 14 November 2014

Happy - Michael Jackson

No, this is not the big - and sometimes very irritating - hit single by Pharrell Williams, but a song recorded in 1973 by Michael Jackson for the movie 'Lady sings the blues' (although it doesn't actually appear in that movie). According to Smokey Robinson, who wrote 'Happy', the song was inspired by the film's melody, which was originally composed by Michel Legrand. He explained, "I was looking at the movie one day, and I was listening to that melody, and I thought it was just such a beautiful melody, until I wanted to write some words for that melody, which I did, and I went and I sang them for Berry Gordy, and he was really upset because I didn't write them before he finished the movie so they could've been in the movie." Jackson continued to perform the track in concert as late as 1977, citing it as one of his favorite songs.

Record companies are always eager to cash in on success, and so Motown re-released this track in 1983 when Jackson hit it big with the many hit singles from his album 'Thriller'. 'Happy' appeared as a regular single, a limited edition in a poster sleeve and this, a picture disc.

My collection: 7" single no. 5645
Found: Alan's Records, London, September 9, 2014
Cost: 3,5 pounds
Tracks: 'Happy' / 'We're almost there'

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