CABIN IN THE SKY ('43): "Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe"

Composed by Harold Arlen, with lyrics written by Yip Harburg, "Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe" was written for CABIN IN THE SKY ('43), recorded by the MGM Studio Orchestra and sung by Ethel Waters. The song was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1943 but lost out to “You'll Never Know”.
Subscribe now to watch more classic film content from TCM spr.ly/6017cTBT

[@jerryengelbach]

One of the finest film musical numbers of all time. Ethel Waters was one of the greats.

[@mariocisneros911]

Just discovered her 15 yrs ago. Wish I had watched this with my parents earlier. They appreciated her and this movie in in her time.

[@maryconvey3571]

These were fantastic artists who just suffered abuse cabin in the sky was a great film 😀

[@marybright710]

Sang it, Ms. Waters!

[@janedoe805]

Fabulous song and wonderful movie! 👍🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@davidgetui4924]

Wonderful.

[@autumnleaves2766]

Brilliant. I came here because I love Erroll Garner's version of this on his outstanding "One World" album from 1962, recorded at the World Fair in Seattle. Today I taught myself how to play this lovely tune on the piano, I play by ear too. I'm going to keep playing it. It is good to learn where the tune came from, I was unfamiliar with "Cabin In The Sky". What a great voice Ethel Waters has. Other Harold Arlen tunes I love to play are "Over The Rainbow", "Let's Fall In Love" and "It's Only A Paper Moon". Clearly a great songwriter and I need to discover his other songs too and learn those. Thanks for posting.

[@jobe69]

Yes and All The other Great Artists that Did this Song also which was Written for This Movie in 1943 ~ Ella Fitzgerald and Judy Garland plus many others .. A Great Great Song ...

[@radixreuel7631]

ETHEL WATERS IS LEGEND ✨

[@amandapepe2135]

Love it

[@EHDROCK]

This is one of my favorite movies of all time. There has never been, nor never will be another Ethel Waters. What a talent, and Rochester, Duke Ellingon, Louis Armstrong, I can't think of the dancer but he is considered the bes dance of all time, let me see if I can find him, I wanna remember him to, their work was unmachable anywhere then or now. Let me look . . . ah, there he is, "John W. Bubbles", man he was a human rubberband, what a dancer! Lena Horne, tell me there is someone with that kind of beauty today, Rex Ingram, Mantan Moreland (the best), so many others in such a great performance. Ethel Waters though, steals the show her amazing voice, angelic. Ya gotta see this movie if you haven't. Its not racist, don't start me in, this was the African culture back then, I know, I was there! Guys, ya gotta watch this movie, the love that went into it and the joy it brings letting us knmow what love truly means. I have the movie and I treasure it and will always. It was the first movie with an all African-American cast. Worth watching, enjoy Ethel Waters talent.

[@user-wl9xp7yg5l]

1:51

[@khaladasalaam9722]

Wonderful

[@GROOVYJOJO]

makes me happy to hear this song