The Happening (song)

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For other uses, see The Happening (disambiguation).
"The Happening"
Single by The Supremes
from the album Greatest Hits
B-side"All I Know About You"
ReleasedMarch 20, 1967
RecordedMarch 2, 1967
StudioHitsville U.S.A. (Studio A)
GenrePop
Length2:52 (album/single version)
3:44 (extended hit mix)
LabelMotown
M 1107
Songwriter(s)Holland–Dozier–Holland–DeVol
Producer(s)Brian Holland
Lamont Dozier
The Supremes singles chronology
"Love Is Here and Now You're Gone"
(1967) 		"The Happening"
(1967) 		"Reflections"
(1967)
Audio sample
"The Happening"
1991 European reissue cover

"The Happening" is a 1967 song recorded by Motown artists The Supremes. It served as the theme song of the 1967 Columbia Pictures film The Happening, and was released as a single by Motown at the time of the film's release that spring. While the movie flopped, the song peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart in May,[1] becoming The Supremes' tenth number 1 single in the United States,[2] peaking in the top 10 on the UK Singles Chart at number 6, and in the top 5 in the Australian Pop Chart and in the Dutch Pop Chart.

History[edit]

Produced by Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier, and written by Holland–Dozier–Holland and Frank De Vol (The Happening's musical director), "The Happening" was the final single issued by The Supremes under that name. Between the release of "The Happening" and the next Supremes single, "Reflections," the group's billing changed to Diana Ross & the Supremes, and Florence Ballard was replaced with Cindy Birdsong of Patti LaBelle & the Blue Belles.

It has been widely believed, and reported[3][4] that the instrumental track was recorded in Los Angeles using members of the Wrecking Crew, particularly drummer Hal Blaine. The song was authored by Los Angeles–based writer Frank DeVol, and sessions for the single were cut in a Los Angeles studio. Two reports suggest all or part of the final released single was recorded in Detroit. Supremes biographer Mark Ribowsky wrote in 2008 that "early tracks [were laid down] in L.A." but "couldn't catch the groove . . .needing a stronger, funkier bottom and backbeat." Ribowsky maintains that "they started all over again in Studio A in March [1967]."[5] However, Chris Jisi, writing in 2009, notes the track was cut in Los Angeles but was sent back to re-record the bass line with Motown regular James Jamerson, and the final version contained at minimum his contribution.[5][6]

Ballard's final of the 17 appearances The Supremes made on the hit CBS variety television program The Ed Sullivan Show[7] was on an episode where she performed this song live from Expo 67 in Montréal on Sunday, May 7, 1967,[8] going to number 1 the same week.

Billboard described the single as being "in the good-time rhythm music bag" as "the trio changes pace with this classy performance of the new film theme."[9] Cash Box called the single a "light, bouncy, up-tempo, romp" that is a "sure fire chart topper."[10] Record World described it as "a bright, bouncy, lively number about the fickle finger of fate and love."[11]

Lyrics[edit]

The selection's lyrics do not specify exactly what "the happening" is, although the implication is the singer has been abandoned in a love relationship. The singer says she was "sure, I felt secure" and "I was riding high on top of the world". But something happens that is negative and it leaves the individual narrating the selection in worse shape, than before it "just happened".

The event brings the singer back to reality, seeing "life for what it is. It's not a dream, it's not all bliss". The lyrics also warn that what happened to her, "it" can happen to you. Despite the negative experience, "The Happening" is sung in a happy, upbeat style.

Personnel[edit]

Charts[edit]

Certifications[edit]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States — 1,000,000[40]

Other versions[edit]

"The Happening" was an instrumental hit for Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass in 1967 making number 32 on the Billboard chart.[41]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Vol. 79, no. 19. Nielsen Company. 1967. p. 24. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
  2. ^ Bronson, Fred: The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits, page 223. Billboard Books, 2003.
  3. ^ Enos, Morgan (12 March 2019). "Hal Blaine: Every No. 1 Hit The Wrecking Crew Drummer Played On". Billboard.com. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  4. ^ "The Wrecking Crew Essentials". Retrieved 5 April 2023 – via Apple Music.
  5. ^ a b c Mark Ribowsky (2008). The Supremes: A Saga of Motown Dreams, Success, and Betrayal. Hachette Books. p. 312. ISBN 9780786726912. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  6. ^ a b Chris Jisi (December 1, 2009). "Secrets of the Motown Vault". Bass Player magazine. Archived from the original on June 29, 2019. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  7. ^ Yusuf, Nilgin (26 August 2008), "The Supremes on show", The Daily Telegraph, London
  8. ^ "Expo '67 - The Supremes, Xavier Cugat, Charo, Roberta Peters". The Ed Sullivan Show. Season 20. Episode 33. Montreal. 7 May 1967. CBS.
  9. ^ "Spotlight Singles" (PDF). Billboard. April 1, 1967. p. 14. Retrieved 2021-02-27.
  10. ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. April 1, 1967. p. 18. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  11. ^ "Single Picks of the Week" (PDF). Record World. April 1, 1967. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
  12. ^ "Billboard Magazine, July 8, 1967". Billboard. 8 July 1967. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  13. ^ "Go-Sets National Top 40". Go-Set. 28 June 1967. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  14. ^ "Every Unique AMR Top 100 Single of the 1967". Top 100 Singles. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  15. ^ "The Supremes – The Happening" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  16. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 10065." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  17. ^ "Billboard HITS OF THE WORLD". Billboard. 17 June 1967.
  18. ^ "Holland's Best Sellers" (PDF). Cash Box. June 10, 1967. p. 65. Retrieved February 2, 2024 – via worldradiohistory.com.
  19. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The Supremes". Irish Singles Chart.
  20. ^ "Billboard HITS OF THE WORLD". Billboard. 15 July 1967.
  21. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Supremes The" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  22. ^ "The Supremes – The Happening" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  23. ^ "flavour of new zealand - search listener". Flavour of New Zealand. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  24. ^ "Supremes - Se alla lȧtar och listplaceringer - NostalgiListan". Kvällstoppen (in Swedish). Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  25. ^ "Billboard Magazine, July 1, 1967". Billboard. July 1967.
  26. ^ "Supremes: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  27. ^ "BRITAIN'S TOP R&B SINGLES" (PDF). Record Mirror. June 17, 1967. p. 11. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  28. ^ "The Supremes Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  29. ^ "The Supremes Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
  30. ^ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles". Cashbox. May 13, 1967. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  31. ^ "100 TOP POPS: Week of May 13, 1967" (PDF). Record World. worldradiohistory.com. May 13, 1967. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  32. ^ "TOP 50 R&B: Week of May 6, 1967" (PDF). Record World. worldradiohistory.com. May 6, 1967. p. 65. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  33. ^ "Top 100 Singles: AMR Top Singles of 1967". Top 100 Singles. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  34. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 2016-08-12. Retrieved 2016-09-30.
  35. ^ "FOREIGN HITS IN JAPAN 1960-1969". Billboard. December 19, 1970. p. J-32. Retrieved 2016-09-27.
  36. ^ "Bijzondere lijsten: Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1967". Dutch Top 40 (in Dutch). Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  37. ^ "Top 100 1967". UK Music Charts. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  38. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1967/Top 100 Songs of 1967". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-10-01.
  39. ^ "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1967". Cashbox. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  40. ^ Joseph Murrells (1984). "THE SUPREMES". Million Selling Records from the 1900s to the 1980s: An Illustrated Directory. London: B.T. Batsford. p. 251. ISBN 0-7134-3843-6.
  41. ^ "Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass - Chart history - Billboard". Billboard.com. Retrieved 5 July 2016.

External links[edit]

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