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I Want to Be Happy
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Wikipedia article
"'I Want to Be Happy'" is a song with music by Vincent Youmans and lyrics by Irving Caesar written for the 1925 musical 'No, No, Nanette'.
Musical
The song is used several times throughout the musical as a running theme representing the attempts of various people to please others.
It is first sung by the character Jimmy to his ward Nanette.
Film appearances
*1930 'No, No, Nanette'
*1940 'No, No, Nanette' - sung by Anna Neagle and Richard Carlson
*1950 'Tea for Two' - sung by Doris Day, and also sung by Doris Day and Gordon MacRae
*1988 'Torch Song Trilogy' - performed by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra
*1995 'Stuart Saves His Family' - performed by Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra starring Warren Covington
*1999 'Entrapment' - performed by Ted Heath and His Orchestra
*2015 'Joy' - performed by Ella Fitzgerald and Chick Webb and His Orchestra
Recordings
I Want to Be Happy charted several times over thirteen years:
* Carl Fenton and His Orchestra (1924, Billy Jones, Ernest Hare, Wilfred Glenn, Elliot Shaw, vocal, peaking at #5 over three weeks)
* Vincent Lopez and His Orchestra (1925, seven weeks, two of them at #2)
* Jan Garber and His Orchestra (1925, 5 weeks, peaking at #5)
* Shannon Four composed of Charles Hart, Lewis James, Elliot Shaw, Wilfred Glenn (1925, one week, peaking at #13). In 1926 this group became the Revelers.
* Red Nichols (cornet) and Adrian Rollini (baritone sax) (1930, one week, peaking at #19)
* Benny Goodman and His Orchestra (1937, one week, peaking at #17).
Other recordings include:
* Ella Fitzgerald - recorded December 17, 1937 with Chick Webb and His Orchestra for Decca Records, catalog No. 15039A.
*Glenn Miller and His Orchestra recorded the song in 1939 and released it as the b--side to their hit single "In the Mood".
* Lester Young, Nat King Cole and Buddy Rich recorded the song in 1946, which was released in 1953 on the Clef Records 10-inch LP 'The Lester Young Trio No.2'
* Doris Day on the album 'Tea for Two' (1950)
* Bing Crosby recorded the song in 1954 for use on his radio show and it was subsequently included in the box set 'The Bing Crosby CBS Radio Recordings (1954-56)' issued by Mosaic Records (catalog MD7-245) in 2009.
* Tony Bennett - included in his album 'Love Story' (1971).
* Sammy Davis, Jr. included a version of the song on his 1972 album 'Sammy Davis Jr. Now.'
* The Alan Baylock Jazz Orchestra released a recording of the song on their 2014 studio album Prime Time with Doc Severinsen.
Other Versions
*Florence Henderson and Robert Reed performed the song during a medley on a 1977 episode of 'The Brady Bunch Variety Hour'.' '
*'The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol. 2'
* A version of the song was sometimes used as the closing theme for The Goon Show
See also
*List of 1920s jazz standards
References
Category:1925 songs
Category:1925 singles
Category:1920s jazz standards
Category:Songs with lyrics by Irving Caesar
Category:Songs with music by Vincent Youmans
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