Happy Together (song)
1967 single by the Turtles / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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"Happy Together" is a song written by Garry Bonner and Alan Gordon and recorded by American rock band the Turtles. It was released as a single, backed with (b/w) "Like the Seasons", in January 1967, and peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band's first and only chart-topper there. It also reached the top 20 in various countries, including number 2 in Canada and number 12 in the UK. It was later included on the Turtles' third studio album of the same name (1967).
"Happy Together" | ||||
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Single by the Turtles | ||||
from the album Happy Together | ||||
B-side | "Like the Seasons" | |||
Released | January 1967 (1967-01)[1] | |||
Recorded | January 1967 | |||
Studio | Sunset Sound, Hollywood | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 2:50 | |||
Label | White Whale | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | ||||
The Turtles singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Happy Together" on YouTube | ||||
Bonner and Gordon composed the song while members of The Magicians. The lyrics, despite the joyous sound of the music, express an unrequited, imagined love. The duo recorded a demo consisting of a simple arrangement of acoustic guitar and hand claps. It was offered to, and rejected by, a dozen artists, due to its primitive sound. The Turtles, who had experienced commercial and personal problems, found the demo and, thinking the song was a potential hit, initially rehearsed it in live performances. They recorded their version in the Sunset Sound studio, with the newly-arrived bassist Chip Douglas arranging the horns and backing vocals.
After the song's successful release, the band were called to perform on several TV shows like The Ed Sullivan Show and The Smothers Brothers Show in 1967. Music critics have continued to praise the Turtles version for its pop qualities. It was covered by several acts, with the most successful being by the soft rock duo Captain & Tennille, and has been featured on numerous movies and TV shows. In 1999, BMI included the song in the list of the most-performed songs in the United States in the 20th century and, in 2007, it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.[5][6] Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman, singers of the Turtles, were involved on various legal battles due to their attempts to copyright "Happy Together" against unauthorized broadcasts, notably with Sirius XM Radio.