Who sang "my happiness" just before elvis ?

[tcb4]

hi all
all is in the title
thanx

[Inigo Montoya]

The Ink Spots.

Possibly others -- I don't know -- but they're the ones mentioned in connection with Elvis' recording.

My memory may have this wrong, but I think they also did "Harbor Lights" and/or "That's When Your Heartaches Begin."

[tcb4]

sinatra did it before elvis
anyone has the year ?

[Inigo Montoya]

Here's more information (Ink Spots not mentioned):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Happiness_country_song

[tcb4]

thanx for your contribution Inigo Montoya

[Luuk]

The original version was in 1947 by Jon & Sondra Steele.
Other versions recorded in (december) 1947 are by The Marlin Sisters and (december) John Laurenz.
In 1948 it was recorded by The Pied Pipers (April 18) and Ella Fitzgerald & The Song Spinners (April 19).
On the recording sessions information pages for The Ink Spots I can not find a recording for this song up to 1953.

[ColinB]

I believe Marion Keisker quickly hummed it through for him, just to get the melody right...................

[Spellbinder]

I believe Marion Keisker quickly hummed it through for him, just to get the melody right...................

When Elvis mentioned that Marion hummed that day I always thought he meant something else.

[ColinB]

I believe Marion Keisker quickly hummed it through for him, just to get the melody right...................

When Elvis mentioned that Marion hummed that day I always thought he meant something else.

No, sweet Marion was always nice to be around............................

[Mississippi]

Jon & Sandra Steele...Damon Records...Entered Billboard May 7 1948 Reached #3 and on chart 27 weeks. (Damon records was a small indie out of Kansas City.)

This was covered by Pied Pipers Capitol 15094....May 28 1948...reached #4 and charted 25 weeks.

Along came Ella Fitzgerald on June 11 1948 for 21 weeks peaking at #8

Martin Sisters Columbia 38217 hopped on the bandwagon July 16 1948 spent only 3 chart weeks and reached #24.

The song was obviously popular again in 1953, as there was a minor Pop hit with the song by the harmonica group, The Mulcays on the KC-based Cardinal label (#26 in November 1953), however even if the record had been bubbling outside the charts all summer, it's unlikely Elvis was influenced by that version.

There is no Ink Spot version before Elvis.

[Mississippi]

At the website ORIGINAL INK SPOTS DISCOGRAPHY there is no title “My happiness”

http://www.inkspots.ca/DISCOGRAPHY.htm

Mississippi

[tcb4]

thanx Mississippi

so i guess it s hard to say who influenced Elvis the most, for this song ?

Jon & Sandra Steele

or

Pied Pipers

or

Ella Fitzgerald

[mjsantafe]

so i guess it s hard to say who influenced Elvis the most, for this song ?

Jon & Sandra Steele or Pied Pipers or Ella Fitzgerald

I have read that Elvis' phrasing is very similar to Ella's version for My Happiness.

[tcb4]

It s unclear if Sinatra was with the pied pipers in 1948 anybody knows ?

[mjsantafe]

It s unclear if Sinatra was with the pied pipers in 1948 anybody knows ?

Sinatra's solo career began in 1942. Although his recordings with Dorsey continued to be released in 1943.

[Inigo Montoya]

There is no Ink Spot version before Elvis.

Yep -- got it confused with the other one.

It was either the Ink Spots or Dewey Cox...couldn't recall which.

[poormadpeter]

The only Sinatra recording of the song is from a radio show from around 1948/49. He didn't record it in the studio.

Ella's version was recorded during the musicians strike and so no instrumentation was included, with the only backing coming from the vocal group she recorded the song with. It's a quite a sparse arrangement and Ella sings it "straight", as she often did with non-jazz tracks at that time.