Jimmy Soul
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Soul was an American
vocalist. He is best remembered for his 1963 million selling recording
, "If You Wanna Be Happy
."
Born James McCleese in Weldon
, North Carolina
, he performed gospel music
as a teenager
, later scouted by Frank Guida
and recruited to sing song
s handpicked for one of Guida's other hit
artists
, Gary U.S. Bonds
. Soul only had two chart
hit single
s, both which were Bond's cast-offs, "Twistin' Matilda" in 1962 and the Billboard Hot 100
number one
hit "If You Wanna Be Happy
" (based on the calypso
, "Ugly Woman", by Roaring Lion
) in 1963. "If You Wanna Be Happy" sold over one million gramophone record
s, earning gold disc
status. It had two spells in the UK Singles Chart
, peaking at #39 (1963) and #68 (1991) respectively.
After unsuccessfully trying to follow up the success of those songs with one more album
, he gave up his career as a musician
and joined the United States Army
.
He died of a heart attack
in 1988, at the age of 45.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
vocalist. He is best remembered for his 1963 million selling recording
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
, "If You Wanna Be Happy
If You Wanna Be Happy
"If You Wanna Be Happy" is a song recorded by Jimmy Soul, written by Frank Guida. It hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on May 18, 1963, as well as the R&B singles chart. The song is based on the calypso "Ugly Woman" by Roaring Lion. It was issued on Guida's S.P.Q.R. label and distributed by...
."
Born James McCleese in Weldon
Weldon, North Carolina
Weldon is a town in Halifax County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,374 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Weldon is located at ....
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, he performed gospel music
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
as a teenager
Adolescence
Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical and mental human development generally occurring between puberty and legal adulthood , but largely characterized as beginning and ending with the teenage stage...
, later scouted by Frank Guida
Frank Guida
Frank Guida was a Sicilian-American songwriter and music producer credited with discovering Gary U.S. Bonds, whose hits, including "New Orleans" and "Quarter to Three", he produced. He was also a songwriter for Leroy Toombs...
and recruited to sing song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s handpicked for one of Guida's other hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
artists
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, Gary U.S. Bonds
Gary U.S. Bonds
Gary U.S. Bonds is an American rhythm and blues and rock and roll singer. He is also a prolific songwriter.-Career:...
. Soul only had two chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
s, both which were Bond's cast-offs, "Twistin' Matilda" in 1962 and the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
number one
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
hit "If You Wanna Be Happy
If You Wanna Be Happy
"If You Wanna Be Happy" is a song recorded by Jimmy Soul, written by Frank Guida. It hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on May 18, 1963, as well as the R&B singles chart. The song is based on the calypso "Ugly Woman" by Roaring Lion. It was issued on Guida's S.P.Q.R. label and distributed by...
" (based on the calypso
Calypso music
Calypso is a style of Afro-Caribbean music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago from African and European roots. The roots of the genre lay in the arrival of enslaved Africans, who, not being allowed to speak with each other, communicated through song...
, "Ugly Woman", by Roaring Lion
Roaring Lion
Roaring Lion was a calypsonian...
) in 1963. "If You Wanna Be Happy" sold over one million gramophone record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
s, earning gold disc
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
status. It had two spells in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, peaking at #39 (1963) and #68 (1991) respectively.
After unsuccessfully trying to follow up the success of those songs with one more album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, he gave up his career as a musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and joined the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
.
He died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in 1988, at the age of 45.