| "H.A.P.P.Y. Radio" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Edwin Starr | ||||
| from the album H.A.P.P.Y. Radio | ||||
| Released | 1979 | |||
| Recorded | 1978 | |||
| Genre | Disco, Soul | |||
| Label | 20th Century | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Edwin Starr | |||
| Producer(s) | Edwin Starr | |||
| Edwin Starr singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"H.A.P.P.Y. Radio" is a 1979 disco song recorded by soul singer Edwin Starr.
Starr's previous release, "Contact", had proved to be his best showing on the US Pop Charts (and R&B Charts) in several years. It was also a huge hit in Britain, making it into the Top Ten and peaking at #6 on the UK Singles Chart. This song was issued as its follow-up, and although less successful, still made all three charts. "H.A.P.P.Y. Radio" peaked at #79 on the Hot 100 and #28 on the R&B Charts,[1] but was a much bigger hit in the UK, where it was a Top Ten hit (#9) in mid-1979.[2] The song was both written and produced by Edwin Starr himself.
Reception
Smash Hits said, "Edwin knows what his British fans want to hear better than most other Americans and it sounds as if he's got the formula right again with this boisterous chuck of disco-mix, which is like a cross between "Contact" and one of his earliest hits "Headline News"."[3]
Charts
| Chart (1979) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[4] | 54 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[5] | 19 |
| United Kingdom (Official Charts Company) | 6 |
| United States (Billboard Hot 100) | 79 |
| US Billboard Disco Top 80[6] | 7 |
| US Billboard Hot Soul Singles | 28 |
Other versions
- Starr later re-recorded the song as part of Ian Levine's Motorcity Records project, along with many of his previous Ric-Tic and Motown songs.
- In 1989 the British singer Michaela released a cover version of the song which reached #62 on the UK charts.[7]
References
- ↑ "Edwin Starr - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- ↑ "h.a.p.p.y.+radio | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- ↑ Cliff White (17 May 1979). "Singles". Smash Hits. No. 12.
- ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 291. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ↑ "Edwin Starr – H.A.P.P.Y. Radio". Singles Top 100. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
- ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 245.
- ↑ "officialcharts.com". officialcharts.com. Retrieved January 26, 2023.