Ranking the Studio Albums: Happy the Man

[@leeannewhitaker1420]

Nice to chat with you on Kirk Herren’s (Giant Chat Show) interview with our Stanley Whitaker. So much to say regarding the ‘why’ they attempted vocals when none of them claimed to be a vocalist. They were basically strong armed into having at least one vocal. Our Stanley stepped up to pressed into service here. Fascinating tid bit to know, Stanley struggled and pushed through an incredible stutter. If anyone has been lucky enough to hear his vocals of the past twenty years, your socks would be knocked off. Should you like to enjoy a gem of many of his favorite cover tunes where he plays acoustic guitar and sings-do check it out. Titled Under the Progwood Tree. Thank you Pete (and your patient pup) for sharing the music.

[@paulcoleman3081]

Thanks Pete. Happy the Man are new to me. You do the world a great service with your channel. Thanks man.

[@diannecarpenter7718]

Thank you for ranking the albums of Happy the Man. I listened to Happy the Man and they have a unique sound.🎤🎸🎵🥁

[@gregorykrug8034]

I discovered Happy the Man because of Sea of Tranquility and have been listening to them a lot lately. I lived in the DC area for over a dozen years and never heard of them until less than a month ago. It is a shame that they never reached more fame and success! THEY ARE AMAZING!

[@fandru5538]

Fantastic show Pete. I never thought you would do it, unfortunatly, there are pretty unknown, but what a bunch of great musicians, and great music. But, may I say the one thing I really love in your shows is the white tail of the dog wandering here and there in the background while you are talkiing...

[@inthebeast]

Crafty Hands is one of my all time favorite albums. I like it a little better than the first one in part because of Ron Riddle's drumming.

[@arnaudb.7669]

The best american prog band of all time.Kit Watkins is a mini-moog wizard.Thanks you so much, Pete! My Ranking : 1- Happy the Man 2- Crafty Hands 3- Better Late 4- Death Crown 5- The Muse Awakens 6- Beginnings

[@15halerobert]

Still to this day nearly 50 years after I first heard them Crafty Hands is still very high in my life time top 10 list. The first side, the whole side I have playing in my head right now. The only way to listen to side one is to play it has one song, they meld together so well. Have to get the CD out now and wake the neighbors.

[@peterichards3261]

They were a great band. Shame they were so sort lived. I also loved Kit Watkins' work with Camel

[@arnaudb.7669]

The production of Ken Scott (Mahavishnu Orchestra, Dixie Dregs) on the self-titled album and Crafty Hands is stellar!

[@isaacgabrielvalbuena2896]

Crafty Hands and the debut are prog masterpieces!

[@drumsybatabamboom8022]

Yes! "Better Late" is a gem as well.

[@meptune]

Absolutely. I bought them cold, no intro. I heard the 11/8 ostinato from Service With A Smile and I was floored. Its still one of my all time favorite progressice rock songs.

[@michelleangers342]

Thank you for introducing me to this band.

[@alexfadista]

Yes, I love this band! Thanks, Pete! My top 3 : 1. Better Late (too bad they had no label to produce the album at the time! Fantastic tunes! 'Labyrinth' is wonderful, indeed, a masterpiece) 2. Happy The man 3. Crafty Hands I really like Kit Watkins early solo material too (Labyrinth album especially).

[@robertlowe1249]

love your reviews, so good to hear intelligent commentary about arguably the greatest decade of modern music, the 70"s.

[@alanekland2777]

Michael Beck has a new channel now and is doing song breakdowns of his drumming on HTM's first album on Arista from 1977. Stuff is surreal!!! So great to see him doing these videos, he's going to do one for each track on the album. That album is ranked on Rolling Stone's top 50 prog albums of all time.

[@davidsucre3411]

Awesome! please do a ranking of Eloy!!

[@arnaudb.7669]

Frank Wyatt and Stanley Whitaker formed a band called Oblivion Sun. Their self-titled debut of 2007 is great with some tunes in the vein of the best Happy the Man (Fanfare, Tales of Young Whales, Golden Feast).

[@darkhymnsfromthecoldnorth]

Never heard of this band, but i love discovering old prog relics! Thanks Pete.

[@Icekolde511]

I loved them as soon as I heard them back in 1978. First album and Crafty Hands are my faves, first album top of the list.

[@keithoday9896]

Pete, I'm a happy man that you review Happy the Man- didn't know much about them - will seek out their stuff. Thanks man.😎

[@snuppssynthchannel]

Their first album is my favorite prog album from the U.S. Crafty hands is great too, but I feel it is more linear and less distinctive/unique then their first album, which was very adventurous and varied in comparison, yet managed to be consistently interesting. Whenever I hear the two, the first feels more expansive, crafty hands is more rooted in a more repetitive sound/tonal universe. I love both records though, and HTM is my favorite prog band stemming from the U.S

[@arnaudb.7669]

I agree.The first is more colorful and lush.Amazing production by Ken Scott. The greatest prog band from the US!

[@peterm.fitzpatrick7735]

thanks again, Pete, for educating me about a band I was completely unaware of before I saw this video!

[@arnaudb.7669]

An incredible band if you love prog, trust me ;o)

[@fredhuybens2783]

Thank you for ranking the albums of this extraordinary band. The brilliant production of Ken Scott (Supertramp, Mahavishnu Orchestra, David Bowie, Kansas...) is certainly worth mentioning. The song 'Eye of the Storm' from "Better Late..." ended up on Camel's 'I can see your house from here'. Kit Watkins' solo album 'Labyrinth' of 1982 keeps the tradition and will please Happy the Man fans.

[@arnaudb.7669]

Absolutely. The Labyrinth album contains some great Happy the Man tunes like the title-track and While Chrome Yellow Shine.

[@gwts1171]

I have always considered checking these guys out, but never got around to it. Now I'm going to go order some stuff after this video. You should get a percentage of the profits, Pete! Thanks for the video!!

[@drumsybatabamboom8022]

I rank Kit Watkins up with any keyboardist!

[@arnaudb.7669]

Me too! With Alan Gowen and David Sancious one of the most underrated keyboardists of all time.

[@snuppssynthchannel]

I agree.

[@gregco2867]

Happy the Man is my all time favorite band from the states!

[@arnaudb.7669]

For sure!

[@shyshift]

Thank you Pete.

[@donaldmoore4412]

Phenomenal band.

[@resistor27]

Cool! I always thought they WERE from Canterbury!

[@matthewclark9652]

Damn it, never heard of them!! I will have to check them out!!

[@meptune]

I gotta disagree on one point: Wind Up Doll Day Wind is an outstanding song. Cool lyrics, interstiing voice, great solos, and a big ending. Seriously, I think its one of the strongest pieces on the album.

[@buddystewart2020]

It's a great tune.

[@cheezruff]

I always thought that Cheap Trick's 'Dream Police' (the middle symphonic section) was a copy of HTM's Steaming Pipes (middle build-up section) from Crafty Hands. Also I was at a Dregs concert shortly after this album came out and the soundman played a few HTM songs from Crafty Hands thru the PA before the Dregs took the stage. Both bands were on Arista records at that time.

[@Z-eb]

Happy The Man morphed into "Oblivion Sun" and released two albums, also they morphed into "Pedal Giant Animals" and someone mentioned Kit Watkins debut, which is totally their 4th album after 1979 ;) Great band !!!!

[@oliviergeoffroy9823]

hi pete one suggestion- ranking Eloy album...

[@TheHappyPlunderer]

Better Late.... probably came out on CD around 1990, but was out on vinyl in the early 80's on Azimuth Records, which was Kit Watkins' label that he created.

[@bongolong]

AMAZING band!!

[@wendellwiggins3776]

Shortlist but their music are STILL some of my MOST BELOVED of PROG BANDS. EVERY HTM IS EXCELLENT. Their pure Prog sensibilities combined with incredible imagination and virtuosity created excellent unique emotional music . I find it funny that everyone hears different influences. I heard VDGG in their Beginnings work while definitely Gentle Giant in their quirky songs but of course ppl will think Genesis bc of the lush keys and YES due to their uplifting chords structures and optimistic lyrics. Though guitarist Stan Whitaker's voice isn't the best nevertheless the songs with lyrics plus the lyrics themselves are quite a amazing. . I was Happy to be the Man from DC to get to see them in 78 at the Cellar Door. The musicianship was extremely impressive

[@hermangeritz]

Is there a chance to rank the discography of Shadow Gallery?

[@arnaudb.7669]

What a good idea! Great prog metal band.

[@jeffreyrobinson9120]

If you like Happy The Man, check out Oblivion Sun.The new project from some of guys from HTM. Hey Pete, how about album rankings from - Eloy, Strawbs, Anathema, Katatonia, Riverside or even the Melvins. I`m addicted.Keep up the good work.

[@arnaudb.7669]

Yes, the brilliant self-titled Oblivion Sun (2007) is mandatory for every Happy the Man fan!

[@arnaudb.7669]

I agree with you Pete : the vocals are not the strong point of the band. But there is an exception : The Falcon (on the third album "Better Late")... what a gorgeous tune! I also think that Dan Owen did a good job on the gigantic "Death Crown".Good singer.

[@onesumatra]

Pete, I would like you rank Moxy studio albums some day.

[@gorancabrajic3240]

1. Happy The Man 2. Crafty Hands 3. The Muse Awakens 4. Death's Crown 5. Better Late... 6. Beginnings

[@TomHolliday9]

Worth mentioning would be Kit Watkins first solo album Labyrinth.. very much in the HTM vein.

[@kamranmalik8546]

I'm from Virginia, I had no idea they were from here nor did I ever knew who this band was

[@4tuneagent]

The band Crack The Sky was also early U.S. Prog rock from West Virginia, starting with their debut LP in 1975.. Which was also rated by Rolling Stone magazine as Top Debut album of 1975..

[@inthebeast]

Live Sky is my all time favorite live album. "Good evening boys and girls..."

[@michaelmarino3013]

I seen bbbn them at the bottom line NYC. Real good...

[@kamranmalik8546]

Happy The Man was the name of the Genesis single previously unreleased on any of their albums

[@kevinogracia1615]

I'm happy , man!

[@mohomoho1]

Great band.

[@roxannewalsh]

I had The Muse Awakens as my #3 for the 2004 Album of the Year on this channel recently. At least we seem to agree that this was a pretty good band...

[@matthewclark9652]

The album "Crafty Hands" (1978) is out of print & also NOT on iTunes. The rest of their catalog on iTunes is still available. The reissues on One Way Records on CD are long out of print.

[@TheGenreman]

Is Namya's Return by the same band or another HTM, as Pete didn't mention it?

[@topographicoceans3325]

Five words: Knee Bitten Nymphs in Limbo - check out the live version too.

[@arnaudb.7669]

yes, that fantastic tune is a Kit Watkins moogfest!!!!

[@donaldellis8952]

A Crack The Sky ranking would be awesome,

[@celiotintorifilho8966]

try to do The Residents rating , it will be so fun !!

[@tedkay_music]

cool!

[@domico5838]

I had the debuet and the live one but from what rank I definitely want to get more....

[@captainbeyond7469]

Saw them many years ago opening for Be Bop Deluxe excellent band. Pete how about ranking the albums of The Sensational Alex Harvey Band?

[@pumpkinhold]

I pretty much agree, though I think "Muse" is probably as good as "Better Late"

[@awickedtribe]

I would have loved to have seen Gabriel join Happy the Man as opposed to them becoming a backup band for him... it would have been an interesting dynamic.

[@bauertime]

Of course check them out as Oblivion Sun.

[@johnappleton8133]

Happy The Man, Cathedral, Yezda Urfa, Lift, Quill, Babylon, etc. The American Prog Rock scene in the 70s was a great contender compared to other prog scenes. All the Happy The Man's are excellent works but only the first 2 albums were released at the time and it's a shame because they had alot of great material.

[@wahid-lg1kk]

What was number 6 called? You didn't mention it. Can't see the title when you hold it up.

[@samgamgeeterminator]

I have Death's Crown. Some great stuff on there. Too bad it wasn't released when written.

[@carle9924]

Pete would you consider doing a ranking the albums of Deicide , morbid Angel and cannibal corpse?

[@peterpardo7563]

Morbid Angel coming soon actually!

[@EternalChampion435]

You should do Nektar!!

[@peterpardo7563]

They are on the to-do list!

[@onslow958]

@@peterpardo7563 Awesome !! Can't wait.

[@EternalChampion435]

Peter Pardo hell ya, cant wait!!

[@wahid-lg1kk]

The first true prog band from the US. Kansas doesn't count. People were into prog, so they did prog. A bag full of tropes and some good pop composition chops.

[@birage9885]

The only thing about the vocals that occurred to me was, that they did not fit the style of the band so much. The vocals were too pop sounding, like they should have been on AM radio or something. I eventually accepted them with the music, but I think a more sophisticated sounding vocals would have blended better. Sort of like Wetton's vocals to UK and Crimson, or something like that. Anyway, fantastic instrumental music and song writing.

[@Cr8Tron]

Crafty Hands is the one I'd probably pick too, as for the best of their two best (debut vs. the aforementioned). But if you're going to include all HTM releases, why not just pick Retrospective as the *very* best? It's a compilation of exclusively their first two albums, and without the tracks containing vocals (if I'm remembering correctly). 😉

[@randysvynil9502]

How 'bout doing the worst to best of THE BLACK CROWES?

[@melvin32]

Rank "Carcass" Please

[@merlinman7300]

Kansas in no way prog, my goodness AOR at best.

[@pasthomas]

is this a joke? HTM are arguably the best prog band ever. how can you say they were influenced by Genesis is crazy, they sound nothing like them or Canterbury! HTM is more avant garde then any of the bands you mentioned that they sound like, holy shit.

[@seaoftranquilityprog]

I've spoken to HTM members who have told me so personally, so no, it's not a joke.

[@alexhuevera939]

not harrisburg dude.

[@billnole2188]

We are on the same page Pete. Crafty Hands and self titled have been in my collection for years & I love "Service With a Smile".