Happy (Leona Lewis song)



"Happy" is a song performed by British singer Leona Lewis for her second studio album Echo (2009). It was written by Lewis, Ryan Tedder, Evan Bogart, and produced by Tedder, and it was premiered in the United Kingdom radio on 6 September 2009, and officially released on 15 September 2009, by digital download in the United States, serving as the album's lead single. Lyrically, it talks about a protagonist, that wants to be happy and seize the day.It received generally positive reviews from music critics, praising the production and, some of them, calling it a "number one song". The single was promoted in the television programmes America's Got Talent, The X Factor, among others, and on the VH1 Divas concert in 2009. The music video was filmed in Cuba, and describes a woman who is in love of her friend. The song debuted at number 50 on the Billboard Hot 100 selling nearly 52,000 copies in the US, while in the UK, "Happy", debuted and peaked at number two, being blocked from the top spot by the song "Meet Me Halfway", by The Black Eyed Peas. Moreover, the single reached the top ten in Austria, Germany, Ireland, Japan and Switzerland.

Background
"Happy" was written by Lewis, Ryan Tedder and Evan Bogart, and produced by Tedder for Lewis's second albumEcho.[1 ] [2 ]  The song, which is four minutes and two seconds in length,[1 ]  was recorded immediately after it was written. Lewis commented, "The vocal was totally spontaneous. I sang it as soon as we finished writing. Sometimes it's better not to over-think things."[3 ] In a message on MySpace, Tedder wrote: "I honestly feel it is the most beautiful song I've ever been a part of. My goal when I started working on Leona's new album was to '[not]' chase or be influenced by any of her previous hits—or any songs [I]'ve ever done with anyone else—including 'Bleeding Love'. True artists do not look back to previous successes; they look forward to creating new moments and songs the world can connect with in a different way. And that is what Leona has done with 'Happy'. I hope [you] like it as much as we do, and I hope the lyrics hit [you] as hard as they hit me".[4] Lewis discussed the inspiration for the song in an interview with Entertainment Weekly: "[W]e felt like happiness is something everyone strives to have, and sometimes it's not just about being happy, but if you have obstacles in your life that you have to get over to be happy. And it's just about that striving to get there. [I]t was kind of like looking back at all of the things I've been through, just kind of putting that into the song."[5] The song was released with two B-sides: "Let It Rain" in Europe and Japan,[6] [7] and "Fly Here Now", only in Japan.[7]

Composition
"Happy" is a pop- ballad, [1] <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> song written in C major<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;">; Lewis' vocal range extends from G<sub style="line-height:1em;">3<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> to C<sub style="line-height:1em;">6<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;">. <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sheetbook_7-0" style="line-height:1em;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">[8] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sheet_8-0" style="line-height:1em;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">[9] <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> It moves at 76 beats per minute<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> and is set in common time. <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sheetbook_7-1" style="line-height:1em;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">[8] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sheet_8-1" style="line-height:1em;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">[9] <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> Lewis explained the lyrics and interpretation of "Happy" in an interview with the Associated Press<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;">, saying, "It's a contradiction of song because, yes, it's named 'Happy', but the song's kind of dark, a bit sad, sombre. In my songs, I want people to go on a journey, and [to get to] happiness, you go through a lot of pain and sadness to get there sometimes and that's what we wanted to convey on the song." <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-9" style="line-height:1em;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">[10] <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> Nick Levine, from Digital Spy<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;">, commented about the lyrics that the song talks about a protagonist, that, regardless of what happens, wants to be happy, while the message of the song is " seize the day<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;">". <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-happyds_0-3" style="line-height:1em;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">[1] <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> According to Gordon Smart<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> of The Sun<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;">, the song is about a relationship breakup and features "distorted drums" and "groaning keyboards". <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-thesun_2-1" style="line-height:1em;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">[3

Critical reception
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;">"Happy" has received generally positive reviews from music critics. It has been described as "an amazing song" by Rick Krim, the executive producer of VH1 Divas<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;">, <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-divas_10-0" style="line-height:1em;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">[11 ] <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> while a reviewer for music website Popjustice<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> said, "In short: the Leona Lewis single is above average. A brilliant way to open the second album campaign and a proper world class piece of pop tuneage which doesn't have quite all the indecipherable mysterious magic of "Bleeding Love" but still boasts more than 97% of other pop tunes". <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-11" style="line-height:1em;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">[12 ] <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> Nick Levine of Digital Spy favoured the song, saying, "Leona delivers it beautifully. In fact, her vocal run from 2:39 to 2:44 could be the most incredible five seconds of singing we've heard all year. [...] It's a really strong lead single that sounds like a number one, and a typically muscular production from Tedder, but above all it's a powerful and moving song". <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-happyds_0-4" style="line-height:1em;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">[1 ] <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> Ryan Seacrest<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> has stated on his American Top 40<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> radio show that it is "going to be a number one song". <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-12" style="line-height:1em;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">[13 ] <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> Gordon Smart from British tabloid<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> newspaper The Sun<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> said, "It's welcome evidence that Leona can take her place alongside the planet's premier divas. [...] The subject matter of Happy is actually not very happy, but the vocal pyrotechnics on display more than make up for that". <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-thesun_2-2" style="line-height:1em;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">[3 ] <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> Jennifer Adeeko from the organisation behind the MOBO Awards<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> said, "Within the song Lewis is able to show how spectacular her vocal range is, with her softer sounding vocals to her more powerful, belting vocals. [...] Bound to get a few guys flustered if their girlfriends listen to the track and follow the lyrics; we predict that this is going to be one of her biggest track[s] to date". <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-13" style="line-height:1em;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">[14 ] <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> Entertainment Weekly<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> critic Michael Slezak wrote that "while "Happy" is a solidly written, professionally produced song with a Velcro-ey hook, it has the emotional resonance of a so-so, big-budget romantic comedy. [...] In the hands of a singer who could achieve both technical perfection and emotional depth, 'Happy' might've been my early autumn jam. But delivered in Lewis's lovely-but-vacant style, I'm gonna have to rifle through my iPod for a more substantial diva anthem". <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-14" style="line-height:1em;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">[15 ]

Lyrics
[Verse 1:] Someone once told me that you have to choose What you win or lose You can't have everything Don't you take chances Might feel the pain Don't you love in vain Cause love won't set you free I can't stand by the side And watch this life pass me by So unhappy But safe as could be

[Chorus:] So what if it hurts me? So what if I break down? So what if this world just throws me off the edge My feet run out of ground I gotta find my place I wanna hear my sound Don't care about all the pain in front of me Cause i'm just trying to be happy, yeah Just wanna be happy, yeah

[Verse 2:] Holding on tightly Just can't let it go Just trying to play my role Slowly disappear, ohh But all these days, they feel like they're the same Just different faces, different names Get me out of here I can't stand by your side, ohh no And watch this life pass me by, pass me by

[Chorus:] So what if it hurts me? So what if I break down? So what if this world just throws me off the edge My feet run out of ground I gotta find my place I wanna hear my sound Don't care about all the pain in front of me Cause i'm just trying to be happy, ohh, happy, ohh

[Bridge:] So any turns that I can't see, like I'm a stranger on this road But don't say victim Don't say anything

[Chorus:] So what if it hurts me? So what if I break down? So what if this world just throws me off the edge My feet run out of ground I gotta find my place I wanna hear my sound Don't care about all the pain in front of me

[Outro:] I just wanna be happy Ohh, yeah, happy, ohh, happy I just wanna be, ohh I just wanna be happy Ohh, happy

Chart performance
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;">On 10 November 2009, after two days of sales in the UK, "Happy" had sold 36,000 copies. <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-15" style="line-height:1em;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">[16] <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> By 11 November the song had sold 49,000 copies, outselling its nearest rival, The Black Eyed Peas<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;">'s " Meet Me Halfway<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;">", by 5,000 copies; <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-16" style="line-height:1em;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">[17] <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;">however, on 13 November it was confirmed that "Meet Me Halfway" was outselling "Happy". <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-17" style="line-height:1em;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">[18] <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> "Happy" entered the UK chart at number two, marking Lewis's sixth consecutive top five single in the UK. <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-18" style="line-height:1em;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">[19] <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> On 7 January 2010 the song was certified Silver in the UK. <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-bpi_19-0" style="line-height:1em;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">[20] <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> "Happy" debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> at number 50, <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-debut2_20-0" style="line-height:1em;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">[21] <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> with sales of almost 52,000 digital downloads, <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-us_debut_21-0" style="line-height:1em;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">[22] <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> Later, the single managed to reach the number 31. <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-billboard1_22-0" style="line-height:1em;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">[23] <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> Also, in the same week it debuted at the position 22 on the Hot Digital Songs<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> chart, <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-debut2_20-1" style="line-height:1em;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">[21] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-can11_23-0" style="line-height:1em;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">[24] <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> the Hot Gospel Songs<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> at number 26, <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-can11_23-1" style="line-height:1em;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">[24] <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> and at the number 15 in the Canadian Hot 100<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;">, where it was the highest debut of the week. <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-can11_23-2" style="line-height:1em;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">[24] <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> In January, it was certified Gold in Canada. <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-cria_24-0" style="line-height:1em;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">[25] <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> The song made its first European chart appearance when it debuted at 25 in Sweden on 2 October 2009, peaking at number 11 the following week. <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-swedishchart_5-1" style="line-height:1em;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">[6] <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> The song entered the Australian ARIA Singles Chart<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> at number 44 before dropping out of the top 50 the following week, it then re-entered back at number 44 one month later and so far climbed to number 26. <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-australiancharts_25-0" style="line-height:1em;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">[26] <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> It also charted in New Zealand at 35, <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-swedishchart_5-2" style="line-height:1em;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">[6] <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> and in the Japan Hot 100<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> "Happy" peaked at number seven. <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-japandebut_26-0" style="line-height:1em;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">[27]

Promotion
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;">The video for "Happy" was filmed in <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> Cuba<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;">and directed by <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> Jake Nava<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;">on 29 September 2009. <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-27" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:1em;">[28] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mailvideo_28-0" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:1em;">[29] <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;">It premiered on UK music channel <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> The Box<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;">on 17 October 2009. <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-29" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:1em;">[30] <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;">At the start of the video, Lewis is shown smiling at a wedding. In the next scenes, she meets a man and, eventually, they become friends, but she starts falling in love with him. Throughout the video, it shows how Lewis is getting ready for the wedding day. The wedding proceeds and it is revealed that he marries a different woman. At the end she is left smiling, dressed in her white <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;"> bridesmaid<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;line-height:19.196969985961914px;">'s outfit, watching the happy couple dance and trying to be happy for them. <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mailvideo_28-1" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:1em;">[29]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.196969985961914px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.727272033691406px;">"Happy" had its radio premiere on 6 September 2009 on The Radio 1 Chart Show onBBC Radio 1 in the UK.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-single1_30-0" style="line-height:1em;">[31] Lewis performed the song on the fourth season finale ofAmerica's Got Talent on 16 September 2009,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-31" style="line-height:1em;">[32] and at the VH1 Divas concert on 17 September 2009.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-divas_10-1" style="line-height:1em;">[11] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-32" style="line-height:1em;">[33] On 26 October, Lewis was a guest on the BBC's The One Show where she talked about "Happy", Echo and her pictorial autobiography,Dreams.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-33" style="line-height:1em;">[34] She performed "Happy" in the MTV Europe Music Awards 2009 on 5 November 2009,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-34" style="line-height:1em;">[35] in The X Factor on 8 November 2009<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-35" style="line-height:1em;">[36] and The Paul O'Grady Show on 9 November 2009.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-36" style="line-height:1em;">[37] Other performances include on 17 November 2009 inDancing with the Stars and on 19 November 2009 in The Ellen DeGeneres Show.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-37" style="line-height:1em;">[38] "Happy" was used in the second trailer of the film Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-38" style="line-height:1em;">[39] The Jason Nevins remix of the song was used as runway-soundtrack for the 2009 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show airing on 1 December 2009.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-39" style="line-height:1em;">[40]