O Happy Day

  

Anyone who has seen Sister Act 2 remembers the transformation made during the hand clapping rendition of O Happy Day.

Philip Doddridge was an 18th Century English Clergyman.  He wrote the hymn O Happy Day, that fixed my choice and set it to a melody made by J.A. Freylinghausen in 1704.

In the mid-19th Century, Edward F. Rimbault wrote a new melody for the hymn and added a chorus.

In 1967, Edwin Hawkins provided a face lift for the song. First changing it from three four to four four time and retaining on the refrain or chorus.

Hawkins arrangement quickly became a standard and hundreds of artists have recorded it through the years.

“George Harrison has stated the song was a primary inspiration in the writing of his 1970 international hit single “My Sweet Lord.”

The song has appeared in a number of movies in the last two decades, including Big Momma’s House, Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, Rize, License to Wed, and Secretariat.

I am always open to suggestions for songs to be used, as well as other suggestions you might have for the blog. If you would rather not share that info in the comments, you may email your suggestions.