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My Happiness

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(Peterson/ Bergantine)

Information:
My Happiness was written in 1933 by Betty Peterson and Barney Bergantine, but not popularized until 1948 in several best-selling recordings. The first release was by John and Sandra Steele (Damon 11133). Their recording reached #3 on Billboard’s best-selling singles chart and became a million-seller. Another million-seller in 1948 was by the Pied Pipers (Capitol 15094) with the Paul Weston Orchestra. Other popular released in 1948 included those by Ella Fitzgerald (Decca 24446) with the song Spinners, and the Marlin Sisters (Columbia 38217). An instrumental version of My Happiness by the Mulcays, a harmonica group, was popular in 1953. Connie Frances had a million-selling single of the song in 1959 (MGM 12738), reaching #2 on the Hot 100 chart.

In August 1953, Elvis walked into the Memphis Recording Service to record a four-dollar acetate. Elvis knew he had a good voice, and he was hoping to be discovered by Sam Phillips. Phillips was not in that day, but Marion Keisker was.

The first song that Elvis recorded at the Memphis Recording Service was My Happiness. The second was That’s When Your Heartaches Begin. The acetate of My Happiness / That’s When Your Heartaches Begin surfaced in 1988. It was found in the possession of Edwin Leek, Jr., a classmate of Elvis at Humes High School.

Leek says that it was he who urged Elvis to walk into the Memphis Recording Service to make the demo in August 1953. My Happiness and That’s When Your Heartaches Begin were lathe-recorded directly onto a ten-inch aluminium/acetate disc.

Soon after recording the demo, Elvis took it over to the East Jackson Avenue home of Ed Leek and his grandmother to play it for them. He left the demo with Leek and never asked for it back.

On October 10, 1988, Marion Keisker signed an affidavit of authenticity stating that she believed the acetate owned by Ed Leek was Elvis’s first recording.

In April 1989, Leek signed a 50/50 partnership agreement with Sun Entertainment Corporation to release the recording to the public, but he retains sole ownership to the disc. Engineer Allen Stoker mastered the disc to tape at the Country Music Foundation on September 14 and 15, 1989. The sound was cleaned up, but nothing else was added.

The song was first released on The Great Performances in 1990.

Lyrics:
 

Evening shadows make me blue
When each weary day is through
How I'd long to be with you
My happiness

Every day I reminisce
Dreaming of your tender kiss
Always thinking how I miss
My happiness

1. A million years it seems
Have gone by since we shared our dreams
But I'll hold you again
There'll be no blue memories then

2. Whether skies are grey or blue
Any place on earth will do
Just as long as I'm with you
My happiness

1. 2. (repeat)

Where it was released:

Released for the fist time on The Great Performances

LPs/CDs:

- The Great Performances (1990)

- The King of Rock’n’Roll – The Complete 50’s Masters (1992) – box set

- Sunrise (1999)

– A Boy From Tupelo (2012) - FTD »

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