Motown Classic Covers: What ‘You’ve Made Me So Very Happy’ version makes you happy?

[PauloRich]

It was a rare 60s occasion when a female Motown artist got to write their own songs. A Mavelette here, a Mary Wells there. This 1967 classic written by Brenda Holloway, Patrice Holloway, Berry Gordy and Frank Wilson is another legendary Motown song and story.


Of course Brenda Holloway’s original is up there as the best for me, but there were numerous Motown follow up interpretations - which had several producers have a go.

What’s your favourite recorded or live Motown version - or decent non-Motown cover - of the gem that is…

‘You’ve Made Me So Very Happy’?

I love this live 1970 version by The Temptations, with Paul Williams in full emotion, and the additional background harmonies in their unique arrangement that make The Temptaions the kings of their craft..


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwwA2k3JsF0

[Motown Eddie]

What’s your favourite recorded or live Motown version - or decent non-Motown cover - of the gem that is…

‘You’ve Made Me So Very Happy’?

My favorite versions of "You've Made Me So Very Happy" are Brenda Holloway's original and the remake by Blood, Sweat & Tears. And the clip of The Temptations doing "YMMSVH" on The Ed Sullivan Show is Fantastic [and is now among my favorite versions of the song]! Thanks for sharing PauloRich.

[PauloRich]

My favorite versions of "You've Made Me So Very Happy" are Brenda Holloway's original and the remake by Blood, Sweat & Tears. And the clip of The Temptations doing "YMMSVH" on The Ed Sullivan Show is Fantastic [and is now among my favorite versions of the song]! Thanks for sharing PauloRich.

It's a pleasure sharing Motown Eddie! There's another live version [[with yet another arrangement) by Kiki Dee in 1971 in the UK. I'm not sure if she was still signed to Motown but this version would have sat easily with her other Motown recordings. I wonder if anyone knows if this was a Motown backing track/arrangement Kiki used to sing this live version of YMMSVH?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qosmXUGanKM

[mysterysinger]

I love Chris Clark's version on her Weed album [[and the anthology)

[reese]

My favorite version is probably Dionne Warwick's, recorded live at the Garden State Arts Center in New Jersey.

[reese]

I also enjoy Diana's version for the Berry Gordy tribute album.

[Motown Eddie]

It's a pleasure sharing Motown Eddie! There's another live version [[with yet another arrangement) by Kiki Dee in 1971 in the UK. I'm not sure if she was still signed to Motown but this version would have sat easily with her other Motown recordings. I wonder if anyone knows if this was a Motown backing track/arrangement Kiki used to sing this live version of YMMSVH?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qosmXUGanKM

Another Good version of "You've Made Me So Very Happy"! And while Kiki Dee sounds great doing this song, I don't think the backing track for the performance was recorded at Motown; there's no record of Ms. Dee recording the song at Motown in the Don't Forget The Motor City site and this musical arrangement bears some resemblance to the Blood, Sweat & Tears take of 'YMMSVH'.

PS: And yes, this performance would've fit in well with the other recordings Kiki Dee made at Motown.

[motony]

Brendas' original.I bought the original 45 when it came out.I was shocked that it only made #40 on the Soul Charts & #39 on the HOT100.Minimal promotion.

[PauloRich]

Nice one, I’d never heard Dionne Warwick’s version, thanks for sharing.
Yeh you’re right about the Kiki Dee musical backing. I had thought that it was most likely arranged and recorded by the BBC orchestra or similar on the TV show.

Anyways Brenda and Patrice Holloway wrote an absolute classic. Performed by a plethora of vocalist royalty throughout music history including;
Shirley Bassey, Lou Rawls, Cher and Liza Minelli. My guilty pleasure is Anita Kerr’s 60s showtime/Beach Boys rendition as it has all these out there elements in the arrangement right from the violin into, and a pretty funky drum line.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOl1iG1b51o

I’m shocked it only reached number 40! A case of another soul/r’n’b/blues song colonised by acts with access to mainstream publicity. Does anyone know if Blood, Sweat and Tears and Brenda Holloway ever performed the song together? That would be dope.

It’s a shame all the YouTube reaction videos seem to feature the Blood, Sweat and Tears version. I hope Brenda Holloway has lived/lives her best life from the royalties.

Here are the Motown versions:

1967 - Brenda Holloway
1969 - Edwin Starr & Sondra ‘Blinky’ Williams
1969 - Joe Harnell [[piano)
1969 - Chris Clark
1970 - Sammy Davis Jr.
1970 - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
1970 - Hearts of Stone
1970 - Little Miss Soul [[Patrice Jefferson)
1995 - Diana Ross

I agree that Chris Clarke’s version is great one. Even better that Chris and Brenda are friends
I also love the Heats of Stone version as they injected the soul back in The Temptations 1970 live version doesn’t seem to have a studio recording version I can find.


Does anyone know who the singers on the Joe Harnell cover might be? Sounds like it could be a mix of The Originals and The Andantes?

[mysterysinger]

In 1976, Thelma Houston was featured in a tribute to Berry Gordy during the American Music Awards broadcast where she sang the song “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy.” I've never heard it or seen it but I would love to do so.

[144man]

Tony Blackburn sometimes plays BST's version on "Sounds of the 60s" and always says how much he loves it. Last time he played it, he mentioned that Brenda Holloway had done the original, but that's one Motown track I've never heard him play on the show.

[Graham Jarvis]

Others from memory: Gloria Estefan, The Honey Cone, John Schroder & Lou Rawls which I have always loved, and became his Album title.

[PauloRich]

Thelma Houston on YMMSVH would be a treat. I've had a route around the internet and not been able to find any 1976 footage of the American Music Awards other than the winners. The footage must be out there so hopefully one day it will come to light!

What is so great about a song like YMMSVH is how many different ways it has been interpreted - its a great song to begin with. There are a multitude of Reggae versions from Alton Ellis, Barrington Levy and Thrid World. It's a Reggae staple.

That's interesting that Tony Blackburn doesn't play Brenda's original, even just ocassionaly. At least he gave credit to the original.

I feel like the big Motown tribute/award shows are missing a trick by not having Brenda Holloway sing YMMSVH or Every Little Bit Hurts. I know they got to compete with the Motown go-to gems but both are absolute classics and show the depth and breadth of the artists/writers/producers.

[reese]

Thelma Houston on YMMSVH would be a treat. I've had a route around the internet and not been able to find any 1976 footage of the American Music Awards other than the winners. The footage must be out there so hopefully one day it will come to light!

A while back, someone posted the 1975 AMA Award of Merit tribute to Berry Gordy on YouTube. Thelma, Smokey, and Michael Jackson sang YMMSVH. After reading this thread, I went looking for it but was unable to find it. I suppose it was pulled down.

The most I was able to find was this brief clip. Thelma appears at 5:13 but most of her solo performance is not shown, as this clip was posted to feature MJ.

[PauloRich]

Hey Reese thanks for sharing this. I'm now even more intrigued now I know it was a MJ, Thelma Houston, Smokey collab. I found another clip but it only had a couple of seconds more. I'm on a quest to hear the full song and the harmonies of 3 Motown legends together!

[bradburger]

I always like Honey Cone's take on it.



This version of course had various members of the Funk Brothers on it.

Cheers

Paul