Thank you for the love that you gave to me
August 4, 2010 7:25 PM   Subscribe

R.I.P. Bobby Hebb The artist who originally recorded Sunny died yesterday at the age of 72.
posted by Morpeth (28 comments total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
 
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posted by ghharr at 7:33 PM on August 4, 2010


Aw. A version of this song (a more swing-like one?) was my sister's wedding song last year - she nicknamed her husband Sunny.

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posted by divabat at 7:37 PM on August 4, 2010


The first version of Sunny I ever heard was on this 8-track which among other syrupy string-laden 70's hits featured Marilyn Maye belting out the tune.

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posted by RobotVoodooPower at 7:40 PM on August 4, 2010


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posted by ob at 7:40 PM on August 4, 2010


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What a beautiful and rich voice.
posted by Hop123 at 7:40 PM on August 4, 2010


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Many memories...
posted by jgaiser at 7:51 PM on August 4, 2010


His recording is the ultimate version, and Sunny is just a great song and with possibly my favorite Truck Driver Gear change key change.

Rest in peace, Mr. Hebb.
posted by applemeat at 7:55 PM on August 4, 2010 [4 favorites]


I always loved Nick Cave's kooky cover of this.
posted by katillathehun at 7:57 PM on August 4, 2010


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When "my life was filled with rain," this song cheered me up with its boundless optimism and groovy bass line. Thank you, Mr. Hebb, for bringing sunshine into my life.
posted by ElectricBlue at 7:58 PM on August 4, 2010 [1 favorite]


Dave Pike Set
posted by puny human at 8:00 PM on August 4, 2010


Lovely, relaxed, delivery of a classic tune.

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posted by unSane at 8:25 PM on August 4, 2010 [1 favorite]


Of all the "one-hit wonders" of my lifetime, Bobby Hebb was one of the most inexplicable.

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posted by oneswellfoop at 8:27 PM on August 4, 2010


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What a fantastic voice.




puny human: "Dave Pike Set "

Where has this been all my life? Thank you. A thousand times.

posted by Big_B at 8:31 PM on August 4, 2010


Boney M version. (Those cymbals at the beginning have been sampled lots of times.)
posted by yoHighness at 12:13 AM on August 5, 2010


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posted by lapolla at 1:35 AM on August 5, 2010


Always loved that song, thanks for the post.


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posted by The Light Fantastic at 2:51 AM on August 5, 2010


BTW, here's a fantastic version by one James Brown, live in Paris 1971.
posted by ob at 5:40 AM on August 5, 2010


Wow. I've been working on my fingerstyle chops using that song. I had no idea he was still around.


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posted by tommasz at 7:26 AM on August 5, 2010


Now I may never find out what happened to Alice Clark.

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posted by hermitosis at 7:50 AM on August 5, 2010


Wow, I don't think I've heard this song in 25+ years. When I was a little kid Bobby Hebb's version was among my small collection of 45 records, for some reason... maybe a cast-off from my older brother or my parents. It's a nice tune, and it takes me right back.

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posted by usonian at 8:03 AM on August 5, 2010


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posted by dirtdirt at 9:05 AM on August 5, 2010


Oh cool. Here's the best version of Sonny, I know.
A Belgian singing it in Fake-English.
posted by vacapinta at 9:25 AM on August 5, 2010 [2 favorites]


"Sunny" was of the early pop tunes of that era that quickly became a staple among jazz musicians. We all played it, since you could do a lot with it.
R.I.P, Bobby.
posted by Seekerofsplendor at 10:06 AM on August 5, 2010


One of my favorite, favorite, favoritest songs. And, yeah, applemeat, that truck-driver gear change is superb - good call.

I haven't heard it, but I understand that the album that Hebb released about five years ago is quite good.
posted by Dr. Wu at 11:12 AM on August 5, 2010


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posted by Mental Wimp at 1:02 PM on August 5, 2010


Joey Devilla wrote a RIP post, complete with several YT covers: http://www.joeydevilla.com/2010/08/05/r-i-p-bobby-hebb/

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posted by mce at 4:47 PM on August 5, 2010


Also one of my favourite pop songs; my children know these lyrics by heart.
posted by ouke at 5:14 PM on August 5, 2010


In the mid 1960's Bobby Hebb lived in a fancy Park Avenue building on the Upper East Side. which was amazing considering: Born to a mother and father who were blind musicians, Robert Von Hebb spent his childhood singing, tap dancing and playing the spoons on Nashville streets as a member of his dad’s washboard band...

A painfully inspiring backstory to the song: The story of “Sunny” was rooted in sadness, and the song’s subject was the transcendence of sadness. On Nov. 23, 1963 — the day after John F. Kennedy’s assassination — Mr. Hebb’s brother and musical partner, Harold Hebb, was knifed to death outside Jefferson Street’s Club Baron. Mr. Hebb was living in New York, looking for solace in a bottle of Jack Daniel’s whiskey, when he began writing “Sunny.” The composition diverted his attention from the drinking, and within about 45 minutes he was sober, and sitting on a gold mine.

“I needed to pick myself up,” Mr. Hebb told The Tennessean, and “Sunny” became that pick-me-up. It was, and is, an ode to disposition and a melodic plea for peace.


Wishing you peace Bobby.
posted by nickyskye at 9:11 AM on August 15, 2010


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