I Want to Be Happy

"I Want to Be Happy" is a song with music by Vincent Youmans and lyrics by Irving Caesar 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.

Recordings

“I Want to Be Happy” charted several times over thirteen years:^[1]

• 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
• Doris Day in the movie "Tea for Two" (1950) with Gordon MacRae
• Bing Crosby made a recording of the song on 18 November, 1954 at CBS Studio C, Hollywood, California.
• 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.

References

1. "Jazz Standards Songs and Instrumentals (I Want to Be Happy)". Jazzstandards.com. Retrieved 2011-11-29.