I love going to my home town because whenever I’m in Los Angeles area, I can always count on the fact that sooner or later I will hear “Happy Feelin’s” by Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly, playing on the radio. This song was released in 1977 and is considered a Funk/Soul legendary hit still today.

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When I first started really listening to this song I noticed something pretty genius that you don’t really hear too often in other songs.  The opening chorus is sung with the complete lyrics sung by the group with ‘happy feelin’s in the air, touching people everywhere…’ and that’s the last time you hear those words.  When the chorus is sang again the next three times, you only get a ‘..happy feelin’s…’  sung out. Maze.1 I find myself trying to sing the rest of it in my mind or even out loud every time and I recognize that it’s a strategical move and great musical example of how less is more while taking affect the entire song.

EFW.1
Earth Wind and Fire released “That’s the way of the world” in 1975.  Two years before Maze released  “Happy Feelin’s.”

Maybe it’s just me, but I definitely hear a EWF vibe going on here.  I had to check on which was released first.  If it was “That’s the way of the world” or “Happy Feelin’s” that came out first and it turns out, EWF released their cut in ’75, two years before my boys Maze released this cut.  I know EWF greatly impacted the whole scene on every level so I’m not surprised or mad at Maze at all, but it’s pretty much the same vibe.

On my ever ongoing venture to collect vinyl records, I was looking a while for an original vinyl copy of this record (no reprints or singles), and had almost given up. I was about to order one online; I think right now there are 2 on ebay and that’s about all I found.  I wound up finding a potential copy on discogs.com where you could score one for about $15 dollars.  I almost bought one from someone in Germany who was selling a copy starting at about 30 or 35 bucks when I got some stern advice from someone saying to put in the work and look in the records stores.  It was about the fifth shop I looked at before I finally found it in Pomona, CA at Second Street at Glass House Record Store.  I found it at a very nice price in near mint condition.  Upon purchase, I experienced some happy feelings. (you’ll have to excuse me for that one).

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