So Happy is the second music album by American comedian and singer Eddie Murphy, released in August 1989 by Columbia Records. A funk and soul effort with often humorous sexual lyrics, it was co-written and co-produced by Murphy with several high-profile contemporary musicians, such as Nile Rodgers and Larry Blackmon,[1] at various recording studios in California, New York, Florida, and the Bahamas.[2] The album was not a commercial success and received mixed reviews.
| So Happy | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | August 1989 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 48:26 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Producer | Walter Afanasieff, David Allen Jones, Carmen Rizzo, Eddie Murphy, Nile Rodgers, Narada Michael Walden | |||
| Eddie Murphy chronology | ||||
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Release
editSo Happy was released by Columbia Records in August 1989[1] and failed to significantly impact the pop record charts.[3] It reached number 70 on Billboard magazine's Top Pop Albums[4] and number 22 on the Top Black Albums chart.[5] The pop-funk song "Put Your Mouth on Me" was released as the album's lead single, performing well on both Billboard's pop and black singles charts.[1]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Los Angeles Times |    [6] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [7] |
| The Village Voice | B+[3] |
Reviewing So Happy in August 1989, Chicago Tribune journalist Chris Heim viewed it as an improvement over Murphy's first album, saying that the comedian "seems more comfortable in the role of vocalist this time".[1] Similarly, The Village Voice critic Robert Christgau observed a greater seriousness in Murphy's "wheedling croon" that is ideal for the album's cartoonish style of funk and "wicked Prince rip". While questioning the depth behind the sexual desires in Murphy's lyrics, Christgau highlighted the singer's humor on songs such as "Love Moans": "He's big on locations, spends an entire song convincing her to do it in a chair. Inspirational Dialogue: She: 'Are you close?' He: 'If I get any closer I be behind you.'"[3]
Don Waller was more critical in his review for the Los Angeles Times. He applauded the sexual conceit of "Put Your Mouth on Me" and the compelling musical qualities in "Bubble Hill" and the title track, but found rest of the album derivative and Murphy merely "better than your average shower singer".[6] In Mark Coleman and J. D. Considine's entry on Murphy in The Rolling Stone Album Guide (1992), the comedian is criticized for not only lacking "the equipment to carry off his soul-star ambitions", but seeming "genuinely uncomfortable trying to deliver any but the most basic emotions" and resorting to an emphasis on "musical jokes" that "wears thin throughout So Happy".[7]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Put Your Mouth on Me" | Jeffrey Cohen, Eddie Murphy, Narada Michael Walden | 4:06 |
| 2. | "Till the Money's Gone" | Skyler Jett, Murphy, Narada Michael Walden | 5:16 |
| 3. | "I Got It" | Nile Rodgers | 4:09 |
| 4. | "So Happy" | David Allen Jones, Murphy | 4:28 |
| 5. | "Bubble Hill" | David Allen Jones, Murphy | 6:18 |
| 6. | "With All I Know" | David Allen Jones, Trenten Gumbs, Murphy | 4:06 |
| 7. | "Pretty Please" | David Allen Jones, Murphy | 3:43 |
| 8. | "Love Moans" | David Allen Jones, Murphy | 5:15 |
| 9. | "Let's Get with It" | Larry Blackmon, Murphy, Merv De Peyer | 5:07 |
| 10. | "Tonight" | David Dukes | 5:36 |
Personnel
editInformation is taken from AllMusic.[2]
Musicians
edit- Walter Afanasieff, David Allen Jones, Carmen Rizzo, Narada Michael Walden – drums
- Gigi Gonaway, Bongo Bob – percussion
- Lanar Brantley, Randy Jackson – bass
- Walter Afanasieff – synthesized bass
- Walter Afanasieff, John Barnes, Eric Daniels, Merv De Peyer, David Allen Jones, Kevin Kendricks, Eddie Murphy, Aaron Zigman – keyboards
- Vernon "Ice" Black, Johnny Gill, Paul Pesco, Dick Smith, Charlie Singleton, Marty Walsh – guitar
- Chip McNeill – saxophone
- Claytoven Richardson, Randy Jackson, Skyler Jett, Alfa Anderson, Briz, Christopher Max, Nile Rodgers, Audrey Wheeler, Cindy Mizelle, David Allen Jones, Dick Smith, Stacy McDonald, Larry Blackmon, Tomi Jenkins – backing vocals
Production
edit- Produced by Walter Afanasieff, David Allen Jones, Carmen Rizzo, Eddie Murphy, Nile Rodgers and Narada Michael Walden
- Engineers: John Barnes, Knut Bohn, Dana Jon Chapelle, David Frazer, Daniel Lazerus, Jay Mark, Barney Perkins, Carmen Rizzo, Brad Sundberg, Ralph Sutton
- Assistant and Second Engineers: Paul Angelli, Ed Brooks, Dana Jon Chapelle, Mark Herman, Mike Strick
- Mixing: John Barnes, David Frazer, Barney Perkins, David Rideau
- Cecil Holmes – executive producer
- Tony Sellari – art direction
- Bonnie Schiffman – photography
Charts
edit| Chart (1989) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Top Pop Albums (Billboard)[4] | 70 |
| U.S. Top Black Albums (Billboard)[5] | 22 |
References
edit- ^ a b c d Heim, Chris (August 11, 1989). "New Urban Contemporary and Soul Titles Perk Up Scene". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
- ^ a b "So Happy – Eddie Murphy | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
- ^ a b c Christgau, Robert (November 21, 1989). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved June 23, 2021 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ^ a b "Eddie Murphy Chart History – Billboard 200". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 12, 2018. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
- ^ a b "Eddie Murphy Chart History – R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 12, 2018. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
- ^ a b Waller, Don (August 13, 1989). "Mr. Murphy Make$ Mu$ic : Stevie Ray Vaughan takes steps; plus Babyface, the B-52s : Eddie Murphy 'So Happy.' Columbia". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
- ^ a b Coleman, Mark; Considine, J. D. (1992). "Eddie Murphy". In DeCurtis, Anthony; George-Warren, Holly; Henke, James (eds.). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. pp. 492–493. ISBN 9780679737292.