| Oh How Happy | |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | The Shades of Blue |
| B-Side: | "Little Orphan Boy" |
| Released: | April 1966 |
| Recorded: | Fall 1965 |
| Genre: | Soul |
| Label: | Impact 1007 |
| Producer: | John Rhys |
| 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.[1] 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.
"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.
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.[2]
| Oh How Happy | |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Blinky & Edwin Starr |
| B-Side: | "Ooo Baby Baby" |
| Released: | 1969 |
| Genre: | Soul |
| Label: | Gordy 7090 |
| Producer: | Frank Wilson, B.J. |
| Oh How Happy | |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Herb McQuay |
| B-Side: | "Mrs Jones" |
| Released: | 1980 |
| Genre: | Soul |
| Label: | Ode ODE 711 |
| Prev Title: | Fever Part 1 |
| Next Title: | We'll Never Cry Alone |