Happy Endings (Give Yourself A Pinch)

Album: released as a single (1989)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Lionel Bart wrote this song for a commercial advertising the Abbey National Building Society as part of their "Abbey Endings" (a play on "Happy Endings") campaign. Bart appeared in the spot, playing piano and singing along with a group of children. The commercial was so popular that the song was released as a single, becoming Bart's last popular song released during his lifetime. Copyright EMI Records Ltd and running to a mere 2 minutes 35 seconds, it was unusually recorded by the composer himself, with his very young co-performers.

    Bart was a revered British composer whose plays included La Strada and Oliver!. Known also for his eccentricities and lavish parties, he died of liver cancer in 1999 at age 68. In 2013, his unfinished musical Quasimodo was completed and performed in London 14 years after his death.

    As for the Abbey National Building Society, it was taken over by Santander in 2010, renamed and forgotten. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Paul Stanley of Kiss, Soul Station

Paul Stanley of Kiss, Soul StationSongwriter Interviews

Paul Stanley on his soul music project, the Kiss songs with the biggest soul influence, and the non-make-up era of the band.

Reverend Horton Heat

Reverend Horton HeatSongwriter Interviews

The Reverend rants on psychobilly and the egghead academics he bashes in one of his more popular songs.

Pete Anderson

Pete AndersonSongwriter Interviews

Pete produced Dwight Yoakam, Michelle Shocked, Meat Puppets, and a very memorable track for Roy Orbison.

Early Days of MTV

Early Days of MTVFact or Fiction

If you can recall the days when MTV played videos, you know that there are lots of stories to tell. See if you can spot the real ones.

Richie McDonald of Lonestar

Richie McDonald of LonestarSongwriter Interviews

Richie talks about the impact of "Amazed," and how his 4-year-old son inspired another Lonestar hit.

Rosanne Cash

Rosanne CashSongwriter Interviews

Rosanne talks about the journey that inspired her songs on her album The River & the Thread, including a stop at the Tallahatchie Bridge.