Sunny (song)

"Sunny"
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
"Sunny" (1966) "A Satisfied Mind" (1966)

"Sunny"
Single by Cher
from the album Cher
B-side	"Will You Love Me Tomorrow"
Released	1966
Format	7" single
Genre	Pop, folk
Length	3:12
Label	Imperial
Writer(s)	Bobby Hebb
Producer(s)	Sonny Bono
Cher singles chronology
"I Feel Something in the Air" (1966) "Sunny" (1966) "Behind the Door" (1966)

"Sunny"
Single by Public Enemies
from the album Sunny/Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On
Released	August 25, 1966
Format	7" single
Genre	Rhythm and blues
Length	3:30
Label	Sonet
Writer(s)	Bobby Hebb
Public Enemies singles chronology
"There's a whole lot of shaking going on" (1966) "Sunny" (1966) "Shotgun" (1966)

"Sunny"
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.)
Writer(s)	Bobby Hebb
Producer(s)	Frank Farian
Boney M. singles chronology
"Daddy Cool" (1976) "Sunny" (1976) "Ma Baker" (1977)

"Sunny (Remix)"
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
"Hooray! Hooray! (Caribbean Night Fever)" (1999) "Sunny (Remix)" (2000) "Daddy Cool (Remix)" (2001)

"Sunny (Mousse T. Remix)"
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
"Daddy Cool (Remix)" (2001) "Sunny (Mousse T. Remixes)" (2000)

"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."^[1]

Background and writing

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.^[2]

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.'"

Recording

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.

"Sunny" was originally part of an 18-song demo recorded by producer Jerry Ross, also famous for Spanky and Our Gang, Keith's "98.6" and Jay and the Techniques (Hebb was the first artist to cover "Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie", but didn't want to be considered a novelty act and let the song go to Jay Proctor). "Sunny" was first recorded in Japan and released on audio album Hit Kit Miko, Vol. 2 (October 20, 1965) by Mieko "Miko" Hirota – the "Connie Francis of Japan", where it was said to have done well on the charts.

In America it was released by marimbaphonist Dave Pike on Atlantic Records in 1966 on the Jazz for the Jet Set album, well before Philips released Hebb's 45 version produced by Ross and arranged by Joe Renzetti. This information was made public – as well as sounds from the first two versions of "Sunny" – on the BBC's Songlines program in early 2006.

"Sunny" was recorded at Bell Sound Studios in New York City and released as a single in 1966. It met an immediate success, which resulted in Hebb touring in 1966 with The Beatles. The song peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in late August 1966, during the closing dates of the Beatles' final concert tour, making it more popular, at the time, than any song in the Beatles' repertoire.

Sunny '76

"Sunny '76"
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 '76" is a disco version of Bobby Hebb's song. Like the original 1966 version, it features Hebb. However, the song was updated with a disco beat so that the music would be played in disco rooms around the world.

The 7" single was released in late 1975 (although it's entitled '76). The b-side featured another Hebb's song called "Proud Soul Heritage".

Boney M. version

It was recorded by German euro disco group Boney M., produced by Frank Farian and arranged by Stefan Klinkhammer in a euro disco arrangement. It was taken from their 1976 debut album Take the Heat off Me, following their breakthrough single "Daddy Cool" and was another major hit single that topped the German charts. It has been remixed in 1988 and 1999 (it was a minor hit single early 2000) and was sampled by Boogie Pimps for their 2004 version. While Liz Mitchell sang the original lead vocals on Boney M.'s version, original member Maizie Williams recorded a solo version in 2006. Boney M's version has become the most popular and entered the TOP 10 in many countries,^[3] incl. UK,^[4] France ^[5] and others.

The song is featured in the films Pixote (1980), Repentance (1987), Boogie Nights (1997), Family Relations (Родня) (1982) and Michael (2011) and also Stephen Chow's Chinese film CJ7.

The single was backed by a non-album track "New York City," a reworked version of Farian artist Gilla's 1976 hit single "Tu es!" / "Why Don't You Do It" with an intro borrowed from the album track "Help Help," issued only in some territories instead of "Baby Do You Wanna Bump."

In 2011, the Korean movie Sunny became a box office hit in South Korea. The song of the same name performed by Boney M. was used in the final scene. The song went to number one in the national single chart of South Korea.

2000 remix

The final single from Boney M.'s remix album 20th Century Hits which peaked at #80 in the Swiss charts. The CD single was released with 8 mixes. A "London Mix" was released on the promotional double-12" single.

Mousse T. remix

A download-only single from the group's 2006 compilation The Magic of Boney M.

• "Sunny (Mousse T. Remix)" (digital download, Sony BMG)

1. "Sunny" (Mousse T. Radio Mix) - 3:21
2. "Sunny" (Mousse T. Sexy Disco Radio Mix) - 3:27
3. "Sunny" (Mousse T. Extended Radio Mix) - 4:17
4. "Sunny" (Mousse T. Sexy Disco Club Mix) - 5:48

Other recordings

• Many other artists have recorded versions of the song. Georgie Fame's and Cher's issues both charted in the UK Top 75 in 1966. Other covering artists include Ray Conniff, Andy Williams, Shirley Bassey, Public Enemies, Richard Anthony, James Brown and Marva Whitney, Wes Montgomery, Robert Mitchum, the Classics IV, the Electric Flag, Jose Feliciano, Stevie Wonder, Ella Fitzgerald, The Four Seasons, The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Earl Grant, Mary Wells, Paul Carrack, David Clayton-Thomas, Jamiroquai, Stanley Jordan, Marion Rung, Mina, Jimmy Smith, Johnny Mathis, Les McCann, Chris Montez, The Head Shop, Leonard Nimoy, Wilson Pickett, Los york's, Del Shannon, Nick Cave, Oscar Peterson with Joe Pass and Ray Brown, Dusty Springfield, Helge Schneider, War, Ajico, Gary Lewis and the Playboys, Twinset featuring Barnaby Weir, The Electric Flag, Terrorgruppe and The Walker Brothers.
• Chilean singer Buddy Richard recorded the song in Spanish in 1964 with the title "Cielo" (meaning "darling" or "honey").
• Serbian-Yugoslavian singer Bisera Veletanlić recorded a version in Serbo-Croatian in 1967.^[6]
• Checkmates, Ltd. released a version of the song on their 1967 debut album, Live! At Caesar's Palace.^[7]
• Luis Miguel recorded the song in Spanish for his 1987 album Soy Como Quiero Ser.
• Frank Sinatra covered "Sunny" with Duke Ellington on their collaborative album, Francis A. & Edward K..
• Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass made an instrumental version of "Sunny" on the LP album "The Brass Are Comin'" launched in 1969 (A & M SP 4228).
• Cy Coleman's jazz instrumental version appeared on the Record World "Non-Rock Top 40" in 1970.
• Yambu recorded a 12" inch extended play disco version of "Sunny" released in 1975. That version of the song is used in the Stephen Chow movie, CJ7.
• Cris Barber recorded a version of the song on her 2008 album This Moment to Be Free.
• Christophe Willem covered the song in 2006 (#3 in France, #9 in Belgium (Wallonia), #17 in Switzerland).^[8]
• Mark Ronson did a live cover with Candie Payne at the Electric Proms
• Saxophonist Stanley Turrentine also covered the song on his album "The Spoiler."
• Guitarist Pat Martino covered the song in 1972 on his first live album.
• Arranger Pino Presti covered the song in 1976 on his album 1st Round (Atlantic Records T50274)^[9]
• Mexican rock group Los Yaki covered this song and renamed it "Sonia"; it was later performed by the ska band Panteon Rococo.
• Brazilian musician Léo Jaime made a Portuguese-language translation/adaptation of the song, entitled "Sônia". It is present in his debut 1984 album Phodas "C".
• Japanese guitarists Issei Noro of Casiopea, Masahiro Andoh of T-Square and Hirokuni Korekata of KORENOS, covered this song with their supergroup, Ottottrio, on their 1998 album Triptych.
• Bill Cosby covered this song on his 1968 album Bill Cosby Sings Hooray for the Salvation Army Band!
• Ronnie Dove covered the song in 1970 on the independent Wrayco Records. However, it did not chart.
• Justin Guarini performed this song in the Top 8 round of American Idol Season 1.
• Italian singer Scanna performed this song on the Montefiori Cocktail's album Raccolta N. 2.
• Andreas Weise performed this song on his first audition of Swedish Idol Season 7.
• Popular Japanese band Ulfuls performed a Japanese cover, titled "Yonin".
• Duo Diva Fever performed the song during the seventh season of The X Factor.
• The song was also covered by Sunny, a Korean singer from the popular girl group Girls' Generation, during their first Asia Tour.
• The Chopsticks (a Hong Kong female duo, made up of Sandra Lang (Chinese: 仙杜拉) and Amina (Chinese: 亞美娜)), covered this as a medley song with "Chain Of Fools", "Gimme Little Sign", "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" on their 1971 LP All Of A Sudden.
• An instrumental version of the song has been recorded by Booker T. and the M.G.'s and another by Manfred Mann on their 1966 EP Instrumental Assassination.
• A previously unreleased version by the 1970s British vocal group Design was included on their 2012 CD One Sunny Day: Singles and Rarities 1968-1978.
• The song was covered by The Electric Mayhem with Sgt. Floyd Pepper singing the lead vocals in Episode 4 of Season 1 of The Muppet Show in 1976.
• Bryan Adams covered the song for his 2014 album Tracks of My Years.
• A cover of the song was featured in season 2 episode 8 of the Showtime series Ray Donovan, also titled "Sunny". The cover was performed by Kerris Dorsey and Octavius Johnson.^[10]

In Pop Culture

In 1996, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) used this song for a video montage for former manager Tammy Lynn Sytch, who was then known as Sunny.

Charts

Cher version

Year-end charts

1976 Boney M. version

References

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics
• http://sunnythesong.com/

Boney M.
Liz Mitchell Marcia Barrett Maizie Williams Bobby Farrell Reggie Tsiboe
Studio albums and main compilations (1976–1985)	Take the Heat off Me (1976) Love for Sale (1977) Nightflight to Venus (1978) Oceans of Fantasy (1979) The Magic of Boney M. - 20 Golden Hits (1980) Children of Paradise - The Greatest Hits of Boney M. - Vol. 2 (1981) Boonoonoonoos (1981) Christmas Album (1981) Ten Thousand Lightyears (1984) Kalimba de Luna - 16 Happy Songs (1984) Fantastic Boney M. (1984) Christmas with Boney M. (1984) Eye Dance (1985)
Main compilations and remix albums (1986–present)	The Best of 10 Years - 32 Superhits (1986) The 20 Greatest Christmas Songs (1986) Greatest Hits of All Times - Remix '88 (1988) Ma Baker (1989) Greatest Hits of All Times - Remix '89 - Volume II (1989) The Collection (1991) Daddy Cool - Star Collection (1991) The Most Beautiful Christmas Songs of the World (1992) Gold - 20 Super Hits (1992) The Greatest Hits (1993) More Gold - 20 Super Hits Vol. II (1993) Hit Collection (1996) Best in Spain (1996) The Best of Boney M. (1997) Norske Hits (1998) Ultimate (1999) 20th Century Hits (1999) 25 Jaar Na Daddy Cool (2000) The Complete Collection (2000) Their Most Beautiful Ballads (2000) The Greatest Hits (2001) The Magic of Boney M. (2006) Hit Collection (2007) Christmas With Boney M. (2007) The Collection (2008) Rivers of Babylon (A Best of Collection) (2008) Ultimate Boney M. - Long Versions & Rarities, Volume 1 (2008) Christmas Time (2008) The Complete Boney M. (2008) In the Mix (2008) The Magic of Boney M. - The Danish Collection (2008) Ultimate Boney M. - Long Versions & Rarities, Volume 2 (2009) Let It All Be Music - The Party Album (2009) Ultimate Boney M. - Long Versions & Rarities, Volume 3 (2009)
Main single discography	"Baby Do You Wanna Bump" (1975) "Daddy Cool" (1976) "Sunny" (1976) "Ma Baker" (1977) "Belfast" (1977) "Rivers of Babylon"/"Brown Girl in the Ring" (1978) "Rasputin" (1978) "Mary's Boy Child – Oh My Lord" (1978) "Painter Man" (1979) "Hooray! Hooray! It's a Holi-Holiday" (1979) "El Lute"/"Gotta Go Home" (1979) "I'm Born Again"/"Bahama Mama" (1979) "I See a Boat on the River"/"My Friend Jack" (1980) "Children of Paradise"/"Gadda-Da-Vida" (1980) "Felicidad (Margherita)" (1980) "Malaika"/"Consuela Biaz" (1981) "We Kill the World"/"Boonoonoonoos" (1981) "The Little Drummer Boy"/"6 Years of Boney M. Hits" (1981) "The Carnival Is Over"/"Going Back West" (1982) "Zion's Daughter" (1982) "Jambo - Hakuna Matata (No Problems)" (1983) "Somewhere in the World" (1984) "Kalimba de Luna" (1984) "Happy Song" (1984) "My Cherie Amour" (1985) "Young, Free and Single" (1985) "Daddy Cool (Anniversary Recording '86)" (1986) "Bang Bang Lulu" (1986) "Rivers of Babylon (Remix)"/"Mary's Boy Child – Oh My Lord (Remix)" (1988) "Megamix" (1988) "The Summer Mega Mix" (1989) "Malaika (Lambada Remix)" (1989) "Everybody Wants to Dance Like Josephine Baker" (1989) "Stories" (1990) "Christmas Mega Mix" (1992) "Megamix" (1992) "Brown Girl in the Ring (Remix)" (1993) "Ma Baker (Remix)" (1993) "Papa Chico" (1994) "Somebody Scream - Ma Baker" (1998) "Daddy Cool '99" (1999) "Hooray! Hooray! (Caribbean Night Fever)" (1999) "Sunny (Remix)" (2000) "Daddy Cool 2001" (2001) "Sunny (Mousse T. Remix)" (2006) "Felicidad America (Obama-Obama)" (2009)
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