Today’s Zippy, with a burlesque of a 1963 calypso-style song performed by gospel singer Jimmy Soul (hence the playful title “Saul Music”):
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The song, from Wikipedia:
“If You Wanna Be Happy” is a 1963 song recorded by Jimmy Soul, written by Joseph Royster, Carmella Guida and Frank Guida.
“If You Wanna Be Happy” is based on the song “Ugly Woman” by the Trinidadian calypsonian Roaring Lion recorded in 1934
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You can listen to Jimmy Soul performing it here.
The beginning of the original song:
If you wanna be happy for the rest of your life
Never make a pretty woman your wife
So from my personal point of view
Get an ugly girl to marry you
Criticized at the time as offensive to ugly women, though it was surely intended as a jibe at pretty women.
On the artist, from Wikipedia:
Jimmy Soul (August 24, 1942 – June 15, 1988) was an American vocalist. He is best remembered for his 1963 number one hit, “If You Wanna Be Happy.”
Born James Louis McCleese in Weldon, North Carolina, he became a preacher at the age of seven and performed gospel music as a teenager. He acquired his performing name, “Soul,” from his congregation.
Soul took to the road and toured the southern United States as a member of various gospel groups. During this time he became popular around the Norfolk, Virginia area.It was here that Soul was scouted by Frank Guida and recruited to sing songs handpicked for one of Guida’s other hit artists, Gary U.S. Bonds.
Zippy manages to toss in Minsk, Saul, volleyball, CNN, Peru, Manet, Chevrolet, and of course the the afterlife.
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