If You Wanna Be Happy

Album: The Very Best Of Jimmy Soul (1963)
Charted: 39 1
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  • Lyrics currently unavailable Writer/s: Carmela T. Guida, Frank Joseph Guida, Joseph F. Royster
    Publisher: Wixen Music Publishing

Comments: 10

  • M from MassachusettsThis song is a great litmus test. If a girl is offended by it, don’t marry her. :)
  • The Sanity Cruzer from Santa Cruz, CaThis song seems to be a copy of the music from Chubby Checker's "Limbo Rock" from 1962, but with different lyrics.
  • Annabelle from Eugene, OrWhat if the woman's personality is ugly? You wouldn't wanna marry a woman like that, would you? I mean, she'd most likely boss you around, probably make you feel uncomfortable in your own skin, afraid of your own shadow. I'd rather be pretty than ugly!
  • Curt Davis from DetroitAmen, brother.
  • James from Diamond Bar Ca Love It -:' I saw your wife the other day and she's uuuuggllyy - lol - people are so offended today - they were just joking - its what friends do - the song is just so fun - and being married to a Miss America type would not be easy - lol - great tune
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn April 12, 1963, Jimmy Soul performed "If You Want Be Happy" on the Dick Clark ABC-TV weekday-afternoon program, 'American Bandstand'...
    At the time the song was at #50 on Billboard's Top 100 chart, five weeks later it would peak at #1 {for 2 weeks} and it spent a total of fourteen weeks on the Top 100...
    And on May 26th, 1963 it also reached #1 {for 1 week} on Billboard's Hot R&B Singles chart...
    He was preceded and then succeeded at #1 on the Top 100 chart by two female singers, preceded by Little Peggy March with "I Will Follow Him", then succeeded by Lesley Gore's "It's My Party"...
    Jimmy Soul had one other Top 100 record, "Twistin' Matilda"*, it peaked at #22 {for 2 weeks} in 1962 and like "If You Want Be Happy" it also stayed on the Top 100 for fourteen weeks...
    Jimmy Soul, born James Louis McCleese, passed away at the young age of 45 on June 25th, 1988...
    May he R.I.P.
    * And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the week "Twistin' Matilda" peaked at #22 there were five other 'Twist' records on the Top 100 chart, "Twist, Twist Senora" by Gary 'U.S.' Bonds {#23}, "Slowing Twistin'" by Chubby Checker {#37}, "Soul Twist" by King Curtis {#39}, "Meet Me At The Twistin' Place" by Johnnie Morisette {#63}, and "Bristol Twistin' Annie" by the Dovells {#85}.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn March 12th 1962, Jimmy Soul appeared on ABC-TV program 'American Bandstand'...
    He performed his only other record, "Twistin' Matilda", that made Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart...
    The song entered the Top 100 thirteen days later on March 25th, 1962 at position #97; and eight weeks later on May 20th, 1962 it would peak at #22 {for 2 weeks} and spent 14 weeks on the Top 100...
    Jimmy Soul, born James Louis McCleese, passed away on June 15th, 1988 at the young age of 45 {heart attack}...
    May he R.I.P.
  • Andrew from Birmingham, United StatesI must say, many pretty women are wonderful wives. I highly doubt that Jimmy Soul was discriminating against pretty women. I believe that Jimmy Soul was simply conveying the message that when a guy wants to marry, outward adornment should be a bonus, not a factor. It's all about the inner self, not what's on the outside. If she doesn't have "the look", why should that bother a guy? Too bad this world is bent on the image. Oh by the way, the melody is a lot like that of Chubby Checkers' "Limbo Rock".
  • Monnie from Naples, FlThis song is hysterical! I am a chick, and it is still funny. If a girl can't laugh at this, RUN!!! I sing it karaoke, and people laugh there a$$es off!
  • Murph from Peoria, IlI credit this song with the end of a high school relationship.... This song came on the radio and I started laughing... the girl threw a huge tantrum because "quite obviously since you're enjoying a song like this, then you must feel I'm ugly because we ARE getting married, right?"

    THat one ended REAL soon after....
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