Bobby Hebb (July 26, 1938 – August 3, 2010) was an African American singer and songwriter, best known for his writing and recording of "Sunny".
Hebb also had lesser hits with his "A Satisfied Mind" in 1966 (# 39 on the Billboard chart and #40 on the R&B chart) and "Love Me" in 1967 (# 84), and wrote many other songs, including Lou Rawls' 1971 hit "A Natural Man." In 1972, his single "Love Love Love" reached # 32 in the UK charts
"Sunny" is the name of a song written by Bobby Hebb. It is one of the most covered popular songs, with hundreds of versions released. BMI rates "Sunny" number 25 in its "Top 100 songs of the century".
Hebb wrote the song after 22 November 1963, the day U.S. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated and Hebb's older brother Harold was killed in a knife fight outside a Nashville nightclub.
Hebb was devastated by both events and many critics say that those events inspired the tune. According to Hebb, he wrote the song as an expression of a preference for a "sunny" disposition over a "lousy" disposition.
Certainly, events influenced Bobby's songwriting, but his timeless melody,, together with the optimistic lyrics, came from the artist's desire to express that one should always "look at the bright side”
"Sunny" was recorded at Bell Sound Studios in New York City and released as a single in 1966. It met an immediate success, which resulted in Hebb touring in 1966 with The Beatles.
Other cover versions include artists such as Georgie Fame's and Cher's issues both charted in the UK Top 75 in 1966. Other covering artists include Boney M, Public Enemies, James Brown and Marva Whitney, Jose Feliciano, Luis Miguel, Stevie Wonder, Ella Fitzgerald, The Four Seasons, the Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Wilson Pickett, Del Shannon, Nick Cave, Dusty Springfield.
Frank Sinatra covered "Sunny" with Duke Ellington on their collaborative album, Francis A. & Edward K.
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