Love and Happiness

Composition and recording

Green wrote "Love and Happiness" with Teenie Hodges, with whom he also collaborated in writing "Take Me to the River", "Here I Am (Come and Take Me)", "Full of Fire", and other songs. It was produced by Willie Mitchell in the 1972 recording session for the album I'm Still in Love with You. Of the recording process, Green said:

In his 2000 autobiography Take Me to the River, Green said of the song:

Chart performance

On April 27, 1973, London Records released "Love and Happiness" as a UK single, backed with "So You're Leaving" (catalog number 10419). Hi Records, however, did not release the song as a single at the time that the album I'm Still in Love with You was on the charts, instead releasing the title track, "Look What You Done for Me", and "For the Good Times". The song nonetheless gained popularity in the U.S. from radio airplay,

In an attempt to boost Green's flagging record sales, an edited version of the song was finally released as a U.S. single in the summer of 1977, backed with "Glory Glory" (catalog number 45-2324). The single peaked at #104 on the pop chart and #92 on the R&B chart.

The song was also featured as the lead-off track on Al Green's Greatest Hits, Volume II (1977) and appeared on reissues of his first greatest hits compilation.

Cover versions

• A cover of the song by Earnest Jackson was released as a single on John Fred's Louisiana-based Stone Records in 1973.
• First Choice on their 1973 debut album Armed and Extremely Dangerous
• Motown psychedelic soul group The Undisputed Truth recorded a version of the song for their 1973 album Law of the Land.
• Lee "Scratch" Perry made a cover of "Love and Happiness" retitled as "Jungle Lion" with The Upsetters on the 1974 album Double Seven.
• Graham Central Station on their 1977 album Now Do U Wanta Dance.
• Al Jarreau on his 1979 album Call Me.
• The Amazing Rhythm Aces covered it on their self-titled album and released it as a single in 1979.
• David Sanborn on his 1984 album Straight to the Heart.
• Living Colour on their 1991 EP Biscuits.
• Etta James on her 1992 album The Right Time.
• Morgan Heritage on the 1993 album Gunmen - Music from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.
• Toots and the Maytals on 1995 compilation The Collection.
• A surreptitiously recorded live cover by Mr. Lee & the Rearrangers Band was described by Rocktober magazine as "perhaps the most bizarre 45 in Chicago history."
• Marc Broussard on his 2006 album S.O.S.: Save Our Soul.
• Cultura Profética on their 2019 album Sobrevolando. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSmmGOaIgfk

References

References

1. McMillian, Stephen. "Classic Soul Train Album Presents: Al Green's 'I'm Still in Love With You'". [[Soul Train]].
2. Light, Alan. (June–July 1996). "Love and Happiness". [[Vibe (magazine).
3. (2000). "Take Me to the River". Payback Press.
4. "Love And Happiness / So You're Leaving". 45cat.
5. (2011). "The Best of Soul Train Live". [[Time Life]].
6. "Green, Al". Badcat Records.
7. "Love and Happiness". [[Allmusic]].
8. "Earnest Jackson". Sir Shambling's Deep Soul Heaven.
9. [https://www.musiconvinyl.com/catalog/lee-perry-the-upsetters/double-seven#.XP_kbIgzaUk Lee Perry & The Upsetters - Double Seven (1974)] at MusicOnVinyl.com
10. [https://www.discogs.com/Al-Jarreau-Call-Me/release/2967102 Al Jarreau - ''Call Me'' (1979) album] at [[Discogs]]
11. (1979). "The Amazing Rhythm Aces - Love and Happiness".
12. [https://www.discogs.com/Toots-The-Maytals-The-Collection/release/4234087 Toots & The Maytals - ''The Collection'' (1995) album] at [[Discogs]]
13. [http://issuu.com/chicago_reader/docs/sh-mrlee_rearrangersband/1?e=5362193/4876946 The Chicago Reader: ''The Secret History of Chicago Music: Mr. Lee & the Rearrangers Band'']