Sunny (song)
| "Sunny" | ||||
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| Single by Bobby Hebb | ||||
| from the album Sunny | ||||
| B-side | "Bread" | |||
| Released | June 1966 | |||
| Recorded | Bell Sound Studios, New York City | |||
| Genre | Soul | |||
| Length | 2:44 | |||
| Label | Philips | |||
| Writer(s) | Bobby Hebb | |||
| Producer(s) | Jerry Ross | |||
| Bobby Hebb singles chronology | ||||
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| "Sunny '76" | |
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| Single by Bobby Hebb | |
| B-side | Proud Soul Heritage |
| Released | 1975 |
| Format | 7" single |
| Genre | Disco |
| Length | 3:31 |
| Label | Polydor |
| Writer(s) | Bobby Hebb |
| Producer(s) | Marty Sheridan, Joe Renzetti |
| "Sunny" | ||||
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| Single by Boney M. | ||||
| from the album Take the Heat off Me | ||||
| Released | November 22, 1976 | |||
| Format | 7" single | |||
| Genre | Euro disco | |||
| Length | 4:01 | |||
| Label |
Hansa Records (FRG) Atlantic Records (UK) Atco Records (U.S.) |
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| Writer(s) | Bobby Hebb | |||
| Producer(s) | Frank Farian | |||
| Boney M. singles chronology | ||||
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| "Sunny (Remix)" | ||||
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| Single by Boney M. | ||||
| from the album 20th Century Hits | ||||
| Released | February 7, 2000 | |||
| Format | CD single, 12" single | |||
| Genre | Pop, Europop, Euro disco | |||
| Label | BMG Records (FRG) | |||
| Writer(s) | Bobby Hebb | |||
| Producer(s) | Frank Farian | |||
| Boney M. singles chronology | ||||
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| "Sunny (Mousse T. Remix)" | ||||
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| Single by Boney M. | ||||
| from the album The Magic of Boney M. | ||||
| Released | November 2006 | |||
| Format | Digital download | |||
| Genre | Pop, Europop, Euro disco | |||
| Producer(s) | Frank Farian | |||
| Boney M. singles chronology | ||||
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"Sunny" is a song written by Bobby Hebb. It is one of the most performed and recorded popular songs, with hundreds of versions released. BMI rates "Sunny" number 25 in its "Top 100 songs of the century."
Hebb's parents, William and Ovalla Hebb, were both blind musicians. Hebb and his older brother Harold performed as a song-and-dance duo in Nashville, beginning when Bobby was three and Harold was nine. Hebb performed on a TV show hosted by country music record producer Owen Bradley.
Hebb wrote the song in the 48 hours following a double tragedy on November 22, 1963, the day U.S. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated and Hebb's older brother Harold was stabbed to death outside a Nashville nightclub. Hebb was devastated by both events and many critics say that those events and critically the loss of his older brother inspired the lyrics and tune. According to Hebb, he merely wrote the song as an expression of a preference for a "sunny" disposition over a "lousy" disposition following the murder of his brother.
Events influenced Hebb's songwriting, but his melody, crossing over into R&B (#3 on U.S. R&B chart) and Pop (#2 on U.S. Pop chart), together with the optimistic lyrics, came from the artist's desire to express that one should always "look at the bright side"; a direct quote from the author. Hebb has said about "Sunny": "All my intentions were to think of happier times and pay tribute to my brother – basically looking for a brighter day – because times were at a low. After I wrote it, I thought 'Sunny' just might be a different approach to what Johnny Bragg was talking about in 'Just Walkin' in the Rain.'"
The personnel on the original recording included Joe Shepley, Burt Collins on trumpet, Micky Gravine on trombone, Artie Kaplan and Joe Grimaldi on sax, Artie Butler on piano, Joe Renzetti and Al Gorgoni on guitar, Paul (PB) Brown and Joe Macho on bass, Al Rogers on drums and George Devens on percussion. The song was originally recorded while the session was in overtime, so many of the studio musicians booked for that date had to leave early for other recording sessions they were booked for.
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Wikipedia