You've Made Me So Very Happy


"You've Made Me So Very Happy" is a song written by Brenda Holloway, Patrice Holloway, Frank Wilson and Berry Gordy, and was released first as a single in 1967 by Brenda Holloway on the Tamla label. The song was later a huge hit for jazz-rock band Blood, Sweat & Tears in 1969, and became a Gold record.

Overview

Recording

By 1967, Brenda Holloway had been recording for Motown Records since 1964 and had struggled with Berry Gordy over control of her music, alleging that Gordy had forced her to sing Mary Wells' "leftover tracks" after the Motown singer left the label in 1964. Some of the songs in question included modest hits such as "When I'm Gone" and "Operator". Holloway was planning to release her long-awaited second album, Hurtin' & Cryin, which had released "Just Look What You've Done" as the leading track, but for unknown reasons the record was shelved. Along with her sister Patrice, using music provided by Frank Wilson and with additional help from Gordy himself, Holloway co-wrote "You've Made Me So Very Happy". Coincidentally, Holloway recorded the song after a breakup with a boyfriend.

Release and reaction

Reaction to the song was stronger than Holloway's previous offerings, rising to number 39 on the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming her third Top-40 pop single. It peaked at number 40 on the Billboard R&B singles chart. Shortly after its release, Holloway left Motown and the song was eventually featured on her "second" album, The Artistry of Brenda Holloway. After two more years singing background for acts such as Joe Cocker, Holloway retired to marry a preacher and have a family. By the mid-1990s, she had returned to music full-time. Meanwhile, her song got a boost when the jazz-rock group Blood, Sweat & Tears covered it in 1969. It became one of the group's biggest hits, reaching number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States in April 1969 The song was kept from the number 1 spot by Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In by The 5th Dimension. Outside the US, "You've Made Me So Very Happy", went to number 35 in the United Kingdom in May of that year.

Cover versions

Brenda Holloway version

Blood, Sweat & Tears version

Personnel

Brenda Holloway version