"Sunny" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Bobby Hebb | ||||
from the album Sunny | ||||
B-side | "Bread" | |||
Released | June 1966 [1] | |||
Recorded | February 21, 1966 | |||
Studio | Bell Sound (New York City) | |||
Genre | Soul jazz | |||
Length | 2:44 | |||
Label | Philips | |||
Songwriter(s) | Bobby Hebb | |||
Producer(s) | Jerry Ross | |||
Bobby Hebb singles chronology | ||||
|
"Sunny" is a soul jazz standard written by Bobby Hebb in 1963. It is one of the most performed and recorded popular songs, with hundreds of versions released and its chord progression influencing later songs. BMI rates "Sunny" No. 25 in its "Top 100 songs of the century". [2]
Hebb's parents, William and Ovalla Hebb, were both blind musicians. Hebb and his older brother Harold performed as a song-and-dance duo in Nashville, beginning when Bobby was three and Harold was nine. Hebb performed on a TV show hosted by country music record producer Owen Bradley.
Hebb wrote the song after his older brother, Harold, was stabbed to death outside a Nashville nightclub. Hebb was devastated by the event and many critics say it inspired the lyrics and tune. According to Hebb, he merely wrote the song as an expression of a preference for a "sunny" disposition over a "lousy" disposition following the murder of his brother. [3]
Events influenced Hebb's songwriting, but his melody, crossing over into R&B (#3 on U.S. R&B chart) and Pop (#2 on U.S. Pop chart), together with the optimistic lyrics, came from the artist's desire to express that one should always "look at the bright side". Hebb has said about "Sunny":
All my intentions were to think of happier times and pay tribute to my brother – basically looking for a brighter day – because times were at a low. After I wrote it, I thought "Sunny" just might be a different approach to what Johnny Bragg was talking about in "Just Walkin' in the Rain".
Its sixteen-bar form starts with two repeats of a four-bar phrase starting on the song's E minor tonic i chord followed by a V7–I to C major and a ii–V7 in the last bar to return back to the first i chord:
𝄆 Em7 𝄀 G7 𝄀 Cmaj7 𝄀 F♯m7 B7 𝄇
The third four-bar phrase's last bar is substituted with F7 (the tritone sub of the B7 dominant chord):
𝄀 Em7 𝄀 G7 𝄀 Cmaj7 𝄀 F7 𝄀
The fourth and final four-bar phrase is a ii–V7–i that settles on the song's tonic:
𝄀 F♯m7 𝄀 B7 𝄀 Em 𝄀 𝄎 𝄂
Elements of this "Sunny" chord progression are found in some later jazz and pop songs, notably: [4]
"Sunny" was first recorded by Japanese vocalist Mieko "Miko" Hirota with the Billy Taylor piano trio (feat. Ben Tucker and Grady Tate) like a bossa nova on the Columbia records release "Miko in New York" (1965), recorded in New York. It was also released on the audio album Hit Kit Miko, Vol. 2 (October 20, 1965).
She later released a live version on the albumミコR&Bを歌うin 1968 which goes through the first form with piano as a rubato ballad and then the full band enters in a more upbeat tempo.
In America it was released by marimba player Dave Pike on Atlantic Records in 1966 on the Jazz for the Jet Set album, recorded in New York City on October 26 and November 2, 1965. Grady Tate, who played drums on Mieko Hirota's version, also played on this version.
The personnel on the Bobby Hebb recording included Joe Shepley, Burt Collins on trumpet, Micky Gravine on trombone, Artie Kaplan and Joe Grimaldi on sax, Artie Butler on piano, Joe Renzetti and Al Gorgoni on guitar, Paul (PB) Brown and Joe Macho on bass, Al Rogers on drums and George Devens on percussion. The song was recorded while the session was in overtime; many of the studio musicians booked for that date had to leave early for other recording sessions. Joe Renzetti was the arranger. Its form modulates up a half step every cycle after the second cycle and ends with a looped tag.
"Sunny" was originally part of an 18-song demo recorded by producer Jerry Ross, also famous for Spanky and Our Gang, Keith's "98.6" and "Apple, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie" by Jay & the Techniques (Hebb was offered this song but didn't want to be considered a novelty act and let the song go to Jay Proctor).
"Sunny" was recorded at Bell Sound Studios in New York City and released as a single in 1966. It met with immediate success, which resulted in Hebb touring in 1966 with the Beatles. The song peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in late August 1966. [5]
American TV series Soul! in 1971 had a live duo video with Ron Carter on electric bass that starts with a rubato guitar introduction followed by four loops of the "James Bond" chord progression (which is also used for the final tonic of the chord progression) before starting the main vocal form. It ends with a long vamp which includes a bass solo.
Chart (1966) | Peak position |
---|---|
Canada RPM Top Singles [6] | 2 |
Japanese Singles Chart | 86 |
Netherlands | 2 |
New Zealand ( Listener ) [7] | 16 |
South Africa (Springbok) [8] | 7 |
UK Singles Chart [9] | 12 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [10] | 2 |
US Billboard R&B Singles | 3 |
US Cash Box Top 100 [11] | 1 |
Chart (1966) | Position |
---|---|
Dutch Singles Chart [12] | 31 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [13] | 27 |
US Cash Box [14] | 3 |
Cher sung the song on her third solo LP Chér , an album of covers released in October 1966. It was released as the third single off the album for the European and Asian markets, achieving success mostly in Scandinavian countries. It is considered to be a tribute to her then husband, Sonny Bono.
Chart (1966) | Peak position |
---|---|
Danish Singles Chart [15] | 8 |
Dutch Singles Chart [16] | 1 |
Finnish Singles Chart [17] | 9 |
Norwegian Singles Chart [18] | 1 |
Swedish Singles Chart [19] | 3 |
UK Singles Chart [20] | 32 |
Chart (1966) | Position |
---|---|
Dutch Singles Chart [12] | 31 |
"Sunny '76" | |
---|---|
Single by Bobby Hebb | |
B-side | "Proud Soul Heritage" |
Released | 1975 |
Genre | Disco |
Length | 3:31 |
Label | Laurie (US) |
Songwriter(s) | Bobby Hebb |
Producer(s) | Joe Renzetti & Marty Sheriden |
"Sunny '76'" is a reharmonized disco take on Bobby Hebb's song. Like the original 1966 version, it features Hebb; however, an updated disco beat was implemented with an eye to having it played in discos around the world. This version was arranged by Joe Renzetti, who also arranged the original record.
The 7-inch single was released in late 1975. The B-side featured another song of Hebb's called "Proud Soul Heritage".
"Sunny" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Boney M. | ||||
from the album Take the Heat off Me | ||||
B-side | "New York City" | |||
Released | November 22, 1976 | |||
Genre | Euro disco | |||
Length | 4:01 | |||
Label | Hansa Records (FRG) Atlantic Records (UK) Atco Records (U.S.) | |||
Songwriter(s) | Bobby Hebb | |||
Producer(s) | Frank Farian | |||
Boney M. singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Sunny" (TopPop, 1977) on YouTube |
Euro disco group Boney M. recorded the song for their 1976 debut album, Take the Heat off Me , produced by Frank Farian and arranged by Stefan Klinkhammer in a Euro-disco arrangement. Following their breakthrough single "Daddy Cool", "Sunny" topped the German charts and reached the top ten in many other countries. [21] [22] [23]
The single's B-side was "New York City", a reworked version of Gilla's (another Farian artist) 1976 hit single "Tu es!" and its English version "Why Don't You Do It", which had an intro borrowed from the Boney M. album track "Help Help". This was issued in some territories instead of "Baby Do You Wanna Bump" on "Take the Heat off Me".
The track was remixed and reissued several times in 1988, 1999 (it was a minor hit single in early 2000) and 2015, and was sampled by Mark Ronson for his 2003 song "Ooh Wee" and by Boogie Pimps on their 2004 version. While Liz Mitchell sang the original lead vocals on Boney M.'s version, original member Maizie Williams recorded a solo version in 2006. The original version was also featured in the Umbrella Academy season 2 soundtrack. [24]
Chart (1976–77) | Peak position |
---|---|
Austria Singles Chart | 1 |
Belgium Singles Chart | 1 |
Finland (Suomen Virallinen) [25] | 6 |
France Singles Chart | 1 |
Germany Singles Chart | 1 |
Ireland Singles Chart | 4 |
Israel (IBA) [26] | 1 |
Italy ( Musica e dischi ) [27] | 21 |
Japan Singles Chart | 41 |
Netherlands Singles Chart | 1 |
New Zealand Singles Chart | 17 |
Norway Singles Chart | 4 |
South Korea Singles Chart | 1 |
Sweden Singles Chart | 11 |
Switzerland Singles Chart | 2 |
UK Singles Chart | 3 |
"Sunny (Remix)" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Boney M. | ||||
from the album 20th Century Hits | ||||
Released | February 7, 2000 | |||
Genre | ||||
Label | BMG Records (FRG) | |||
Songwriter(s) | Bobby Hebb | |||
Producer(s) | Frank Farian | |||
Boney M. singles chronology | ||||
|
The final single from Boney M.'s remix album 20th Century Hits which peaked at #80 in the Swiss charts. The CD single was released with 8 mixes. A "London Mix" was released on the promotional double-12" single.
Boney M. are a disco group that specialises in R&B, reggae, disco and funk, created by German record producer Frank Farian, who was the group's primary songwriter. Originally based in West Germany, the four original members of the group's official line-up were Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barrett from Jamaica, Maizie Williams from Montserrat, and Bobby Farrell from Aruba. The group was formed in 1976 and achieved popularity during the disco era of the late 1970s. Since the 1980s, various line-ups of the band have performed with differing personnel.
"Ma Baker" is a song by disco group Boney M., released as a single in 1977. It was the first single of their second album Love for Sale and their third consecutive chart-topper in Germany.
Robert Alvin Von Hebb was an American R&B and soul singer, musician, songwriter, recording artist, and performer known for his 1966 hit entitled "Sunny".
"Daddy Cool" is a song recorded by Boney M. and included on their debut album Take the Heat off Me. It was a 1976 hit and a staple of disco music and became Boney M.'s first hit in the United Kingdom. The song was produced and co-written by the group's founder Frank Farian, who also provided the male voice parts on the record.
"Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing" is a song by American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder, released as the third single from his sixteenth studio album, Innervisions (1973). It reached number 16 on the US Billboard Pop Singles chart, number 10 on the Cash Box Top 100, and number two on the R&B chart. The song's lyrics convey a positive message, focusing on taking things in one's stride and accentuating the positive. In 1992, British band Incognito had a European hit with their cover of the song.
"The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore)" is a song written by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio.
"Little Man" is a hit single by the pop duo Sonny and Cher released in 1966 from their third studio album In Case You're In Love. It became one of their biggest hits, reaching number 1 on the singles charts in various European countries.
Gold – 20 Super Hits is a 1992 greatest hits album by group Boney M. Shortly after record label PolyGram had acquired the rights to the ABBA back catalogue and had issued the multimillion-selling hits package Gold: Greatest Hits, BMG and producer Frank Farian followed suit with Boney M.'s Gold – 20 Super Hits which resulted in their best chart entry in the UK and most other European countries since 1980's The Magic of Boney M. – 20 Golden Hits.
"(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" is a rock song written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart. It was first recorded by the English band the Liverpool Five in early 1966 but remained unreleased before summer of that same year. In the meantime, the American band Paul Revere & the Raiders recorded the song which appeared on their album Midnight Ride, released in May 1966.
Take the Heat off Me is the debut album by Euro-Caribbean group Boney M. The album became a major seller in Europe, specifically in the Nordic countries, but in the U.S. the album just missed the album chart. Tracks include the hits "Daddy Cool", "Sunny" and the debut single "Baby Do You Wanna Bump".
"Just the Two of Us" is a 1980 song written by Bill Withers, William Salter, and Ralph MacDonald, and recorded by Grover Washington Jr. with Withers on vocals. Elektra Records released it in Washington's 1980 album Winelight and as a February 1981 single.
The Magic of Boney M. – 20 Golden Hits is a greatest hits album by Euro-Caribbean group Boney M., issued in 1980, which contained all their biggest hits up until that point, including non-album singles "Mary's Boy Child/Oh My Lord" and "Hooray! Hooray! It's a Holi-Holiday", album tracks from Take The Heat Off Me, Love for Sale, Nightflight to Venus and Oceans of Fantasy as well as their most recent double A-side single release "I See a Boat On the River"/ "My Friend Jack".
The Best of 10 Years – 32 Superhits also known as 32 Superhits - Non-Stop Digital Remix is a remix album by Boney M. released in 1986.
The Greatest Hits is a greatest hits album of recordings by Boney M. released by BMG in the United Kingdom in late 2001.
The Magic of Boney M. is a greatest hits album of recordings by Boney M. released by Sony BMG in October 2006.
The Best of Boney M. is a compilation album of recordings by Boney M. released by BMG UK's midprice label Camden in 1997.
The Complete Collection is a compilation album of recordings by Boney M. released by BMG/CMC Records in Denmark in late 2000.
Joe Renzetti is an American film composer and session musician. He scores for films and television, and composes works for orchestra, chamber groups, and solo artists.
"Whispering" is a popular song published in 1920 by Sherman, Clay & Co. of San Francisco. The 1920 copyright attributes the lyrics to Malvin Schonberger and the music to John Schonberger.
"Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie" is a 1967 song written by Maurice Irby, Jr., produced by Jerry Ross, arranged by Joe Renzetti and performed by Jay & the Techniques on their 1968 album of the same name.