| The Happy Side of Wanda | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Wanda Jackson |
| Cover: | Wanda Jackson--The Happy Side of Wanda.jpg |
| Recorded: | – |
| Studio: | Columbia Studio |
| Label: | Capitol |
| Prev Title: | The Many Moods of Wanda Jackson |
| Prev Year: | 1968 |
| Next Title: | Wanda Jackson in Person |
| Next Year: | 1969 |
The Happy Side of Wanda is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in July 1969 via Capitol Records and contained 11 tracks. It was Jackson's fourteenth studio record released in her career and the fourteenth released on the Capitol label. The project included one single release titled "Your Tender Love".
In the 1960s, Wanda Jackson made the successful transition from Rockabilly to Country music with two chart hits: "Right or Wrong" and "In the Middle of a Heartache". She became more identified with the Country genre throughout the decade with further album and single releases. In the mid 1960s, she had further country chart singles with "The Box It Came In" and "Tears Will Be the Chaser for Your Wine".[1] The Happy Side of Wanda was among the studio releases that followed and was also targeted towards the country market. The project was produced by Kelso Herston and Ken Nelson. It was the third album co-produced by Herston. It was recorded between December 1967 and March 1969 at the Columbia Studio.[2]
According to the liner notes, The Happy Side of Wanda was a concept album made to showcase songs about positivity and happiness: "In short, here's the really outstanding results of the great Wanda Jackson joining forces with a state of mind and actuality called happiness," it concludes.[2] A total of 11 tracks comprised the project. "Your Tender Love" was composed by Jackson herself. Also included are cover versions of songs that evoked positive themes. Jackson covers Gale Garnett's "We'll Sing in the Sunshine", Buck Owens' "Love's Gonna Live Here", Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land", Bobby Darin's "You're the Reason I'm Living" and Glen Campbell's "Less of Me".[2]
The Happy Side of Wanda was originally released in July 1969 on Capitol Records. It was Jackson's fourteenth studio album issued in her career and her fourteenth with Capitol. It was originally distributed as a vinyl LP, containing six songs on "side one" and five songs on "side two".[2] In later decades the album was re-released on Capitol Records Nashville to digital and streaming markets, which included Apple Music.[3] Billboard named the original LP among its "popular new album releases" in their July 1969 issue of the magazine.[4] The project included one single, which was "Your Tender Love". It was released as a single via Capitol Records in April 1969.[5]
| Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | July 1969 | Vinyl | Capitol Records | |
| Australia | 1973 | World Record Club | [6] | |
| Cassette | World Cassette Club | [7] | ||
| United States | 2010s | Capitol Records Nashville | ||