Co-written and first recorded in 1967 by Brenda Holloway, ‘You've Made Me So Very Happy’ became the singer's third Top 40 pop single, when the single reached Number 39 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and 40 on the Billboard R&B singles chart.
Covered by 1969, Blood, Sweat & Tears in 1969, the song became one of the US pop group's biggest hits, reaching Number 2 on the American Billboard Hot 100 in April and 35 in the UK the following month.
Further versions of the song include interpretations by Holloway’s fellow Tamla performers, Edwin Starr & Blinky, Chris Clark, the Temptations, the Miracles, the Hearts of Stone and Diana Ross, while Bobbie Gentry, Cher, Lou Rawls, Sammy Davis Jr., Mina, Shirley Bassey, Gloria Estefan and Julian Ovenden have also covered the number.
By the time Alton Ellis recorded his soulful version at Duke Reid’s Treasure Isle studio in Bond Street, Kingston in 1970, the singer-songwriter was firmly established as one of the island’s most celebrated artists, having enjoyed numerous ska, rock steady and reggae hits over the preceding decade.
Alton also cut the song for Reid’s main rival, Clement ‘Coxson’ Dodd, but it is the Treasure Isle cut that remains his seminal interpretation of the composition.
YOU'VE MADE ME SO VERY HAPPY LYRICS
Written by Brenda Holloway, Patrice Holloway, Frank Wilson and Berry Gordy
Wah-ooh-wah-ooh, woo-oo
Wah-ooh-wah-ooh, woo-oo
I've lost at love, at love, at love before
Got mad and I closed and I closed and I closed the door
And you say try just once more
And you came and you took control
You touched my very soul
You've always shown me that
Loving you is where it's at
You've made me so very happy
I'm so glad you came into my life
The others were untrue
But when it came to loving you, now
I'd spend my whole life with you, girl
'Cos you came and you took control
You touched my very soul
You've always shown me that
Loving you is where it's at
You've made me so very happy
I'm so glad you came into my life
Wah-ooh-wah-ooh, woo-oo
Wah-ooh-wah-ooh, woo-oo
I've lost at love, at love, at love before
Got mad and I closed and I closed and I closed the door
And you say try just once more
And you came and you took control
You touched my very soul
You've always shown me that
Loving you is where it's at
You've made me so very happy
I'm so glad you came into my life
Wah-ooh-wah-ooh, woo-oo
Wah-ooh-wah-ooh, woo-oo
#AltonEllis #You'veMadeMeSoVeryHappy #BloodSweatandTears #Trojan #DukeReid #TreasureIsle