"Oh Happy Day" is a 1967 gospel music arrangement of an 18th-century hymn. 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 both the UK Singles Chart and Irish Singles Chart. It has since become a gospel music standard.
The recording is notable for the muted piano, drum and bass backing and the dominant use of the left-hand stereo channel which features the performance of lead singer, Dorothy Combs Morrison. Notable also for clean sound given powerful ensemble captured by modest equipment, the recording was made at Hawkins' church, the Ephesian Church of God in Christ in Berkeley, California.
Video Oh Happy Day
Origins
Edwin Hawkins' gospel style arrangement of the hymn "Oh, Happy Day" 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 an earlier melody (1704) by J. A. Freylinghausen. By the mid-19th century it had been given a new melody by Edward F. Rimbault, who also added a chorus, and was commonly used for baptismal or confirmation ceremonies in the UK and USA. The 20th century saw its adaptation from 3/4 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.
Maps Oh Happy Day
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).
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. George Harrison has stated the song was a primary inspiration in the writing of his 1970 international hit single "My Sweet Lord."
The song has appeared in many movies, beginning with the German film Seventeen and Anxious in 1970, but most notably Whoopi Goldberg's Sister Act 2, with then-17-year-old Ryan Toby singing lead. The song also appears in Big Momma's House, Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, David LaChapelle's 2005 movie Rize, Robin Williams's 2007 movie License to Wed., and in 2010 biographical film produced by Walt Disney Pictures: Secretariat.
The song is regularly performed by space-rock band Spiritualized as the last song of their live sets; their version can be heard on the 1998 live album Royal Albert Hall October 10 1997.
Chart performance
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.)
- Produce - La Mont Bench
- 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). It was released as a 7" single on Pavilion Records in April 1969, then on the Buddah Records album It's A Happy Day also in 1969.
Awards
- 1970 Grammy Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance
Other versions
- Joan Baez performed the song at Woodstock in 1969.
- Quincy Jones covered the song on his 1969 album Walking in Space.
- Glen Campbell covered the song in 1970, reaching number 40 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number 7 AC.
- Nana Mouskouri covered the song on his 1990 album Gospel.
- Club Nouveau included the song on their 1992 album A New Beginning. The single charted at No. 45 on the US R&B Chart.
References
- Original Seeds, CD liner notes by Kim Beissel
External links
- Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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