My introduction to this week's tune came about because of my youngest son. Had he not been a big fan of the first Despicable Me movie, we might never have rushed out to see its sequel upon its release, in which the song is smartly featured. In fairness, the single was quite ubiquitous for a good year after its release, but with my aversion to anything having to do with listening to the radio, I just might have missed it....
Every now and again while doing my half-assed research, I come across an artist whose Wikipedia bio is so chock full of facts that it's a bit hard to separate the wheat from the chaff. Such was the case for Pharrell Williams, who (much like Adele from last week's post) has become one of the most successful musicians on the planet over the course of the last twenty years or so. After dropping out of Northwestern University at the end of his sophomore year, Williams embarked on a career that resulted in associations with the Neptunes and N.E.R.D. before beginning his solo career. Williams is well known as a producer extraordinaire, and as a solo artist for his songwriting and soulful falsetto. He has won thirteen Grammy Awards (three for Producer of the Year) and been nominated for two Academy Awards (this week's song and as producer of the great film Hidden Figures). Williams has released two solo albums in his career, as well as one with the Neptunes and four with N.E.R.D. He has also released twenty-one singles. His soundtrack and production credits are far too numerous to mention--suffice it to say that just as with Adele last week, there will be plenty more years of Williams making music before he is done.
"Happy" was originally the only single released from the Despicable Me 2 soundtrack in 2013 and was also considered the lead single from Williams' second album Girl in 2014. The song hit #1 (with a bullet!) on the Billboard Hot 100, and also reached the top of the chart in thirty-five other countries (so many cool kids all around the world!). The soundtrack peaked at #86, while Williams solo effort hit #2 on the Billboard 200.
Fun Fact: "Happy" was originally recorded by CeeLo Green , with Williams producing, but Green's management wanted him to focus on an upcoming Christmas album and passed on the recording which went on to sell better than fourteen million copies. Whoops...though Williams says Green has been nothing but gracious regarding the song's phenomenal success.
There are more than a few songs out there that make me want to shake my groove thang (however badly I do it), and "Happy" is most definitely one of them. From the funked-up stanzas to Williams' silky-smooth vocals to the clapping along to the gospel tinged, catchy as all hell chorus every time I hear it my shoulders shake and my feet bounce until it feels like the song's very essence is flowing into my musical soul. In the end, sometimes the simplest answer is the best answer--I like the song because it makes me...happy.
Lyric Sheet: "(Because I'm happy)/Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof/(Because I'm happy)/Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth...
Enjoy:
Republicans = Losers
Peace,
emaycee
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