Happy Talk (song)
| "Happy Talk (song)" | |
|---|---|
| Song from South Pacific | |
| Published | 1949 |
| Writer(s) | Oscar Hammerstein II |
| Composer(s) | Richard Rodgers |
| "Happy Talk" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Captain Sensible | ||||
| from the album Women and Captains First (1982) | ||||
| Released | 26 June 1982 | |||
| Format | 7", 12 | |||
| Recorded | 1982 | |||
| Genre | Synthpop, new wave | |||
| Length | 3:24 | |||
| Label | Universal Music Group | |||
| Writer(s) | Richard Rodgers | |||
| Captain Sensible chronology | ||||
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"Happy Talk" is a show tune from the 1949 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific. It is sung by Bloody Mary to the American lieutenant Joe Cable, about having a happy life, after he begins romancing her daughter Liat. Liat performs the song with hand gestures as Mary sings.
Ella Fitzgerald recorded this song with Gordon Jenkins and his orchestra for Decca and it was included on her album Miss Ella Fitzgerald & Mr Gordon Jenkins Invite You to Listen and Relax.
"Happy Talk" is occasionally cut from productions of South Pacific on the grounds that the song is racist, citing the fake pidgin in which it is written.
In July 1982, The Damned's guitarist Captain Sensible scored a No. 1 hit on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks with his version of the song, featuring backing vocals by the band Dolly Mixture.
Due to the chart success of the single, The Damned have frequently included "Happy Talk" in their set lists since 1982.
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