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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Pharrell Williams' Happy was originally recorded by Cee Lo Green | Pharrell Williams' Happy was originally recorded by Cee Lo Green |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Pharrell Williams has revealed that | Pharrell Williams has revealed that |
| Happy was originally recorded by Cee Lo Green. The "powers that | Happy was originally recorded by Cee Lo Green. The "powers that |
| be" apparently vetoed Green's version of the song, declaring | be" apparently vetoed Green's version of the song, declaring |
| that the future worldwide smash "wasn't a fit" for their | that the future worldwide smash "wasn't a fit" for their |
| client. | client. |
| "[Cee Lo] wanted to do it ... | "[Cee Lo] wanted to do it ... |
| [and] he did do it," Williams explained in a radio interview | |
| with Howard Stern yesterday. Stern had asked , unknowingly, if he would have ever "given | |
| this [song] to a Robin Thicke or someone?" | this [song] to a Robin Thicke or someone?" |
| "I actually did, [to] Cee Lo," | "I actually did, [to] Cee Lo," |
| Williams said. "He sounded amazing on it. I mean, he burns my | Williams said. "He sounded amazing on it. I mean, he burns my |
| version! But the ... how do I say this diplomatically? Um ... he | version! But the ... how do I say this diplomatically? Um ... he |
| ... um ... The powers that be, at the time, did not see it fit for | ... um ... The powers that be, at the time, did not see it fit for |
| him. Some folks on his team just felt that the priority should be | him. Some folks on his team just felt that the priority should be |
| on [Cee Lo's] album at the time, so they elected not to do that | on [Cee Lo's] album at the time, so they elected not to do that |
| song." | song." |
| Though it's now the centrepiece of | Though it's now the centrepiece of |
| Williams' new solo album, Happy first appeared on the soundtrack to | Williams' new solo album, Happy first appeared on the soundtrack to |
| Despicable Me 2. Williams co-wrote the score with Heitor Pereira and | Despicable Me 2. Williams co-wrote the score with Heitor Pereira and |
| in the end, he said, "the movie company insisted [I sing the | in the end, he said, "the movie company insisted [I sing the |
| song]". | song]". |
| "There was a much bigger agenda | "There was a much bigger agenda |
| for [Cee Lo], he had an album to put out," Williams claimed. | for [Cee Lo], he had an album to put out," Williams claimed. |
| "It's not his fault – he was totally down with it … [and] he | |
| was one of the most gracious people about it when [Happy] came out." | was one of the most gracious people about it when [Happy] came out." |
| Since its release | Since its release |
| in November, Happy has sold more than 1.3m copies in the UK alone, | in November, Happy has sold more than 1.3m copies in the UK alone, |
| topping the singles chart on three separate occasions. Cee Lo Green | topping the singles chart on three separate occasions. Cee Lo Green |
| is meanwhile preparing to release his fifth solo album; his last release, 2012's Magic Moment, peaked at No 167 in the UK. | |