"Bluebird of Happiness" is a song composed in 1934 by Sandor Harmati

Sandor Harmati

Sandor Harmati was a Hungarian-American violinist, conductor and composer, best known for his song "Bluebird of Happiness" written in 1934 for Jan Peerce.-Biography:...

, with words by Edward Heyman

Edward Heyman

Edward Heyman was an American musician and lyricist, best known for his compositions "Body and Soul", "When I Fall in Love", and "For Sentimental Reasons". He also contributed many songs for films.-Biography:...

 and additional lyrics by Harry Parr-Davies.

Harmati wrote the song for his friend, the tenor Jan Peerce

Jan Peerce

Jan Peerce was an American operatic tenor. Peerce was an accomplished performer on the operatic and Broadway concert stages, in solo recitals, and as a recording artist. He is the father of film director Larry Peerce....

, the leading singer at Radio City Music Hall

Radio City Music Hall

Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue located in New York City's Rockefeller Center. Its nickname is the Showplace of the Nation, and it was for a time the leading tourist destination in the city...

. Peerce recorded it twice: in 1936, under the name Paul Robinson, with the Radio City Music Hall Orchestra conducted by Ernö Rapée

Erno Rapee

Ernö Rapée was one of the most prolific American symphonic conductors in the first half of the 20th Century...

; and on 7 June 1945, under his own name, with the RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra

RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra

The RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra was an American symphony orchestra founded in 1940 by the RCA Victor music label. Based in Camden, New Jersey, the orchestra made numerous recordings up through the early 1960s with notable conductors like Leopold Stokowski and Leonard Bernstein. A number of their...

 conducted by Sylvan Levin

Sylvan Levin

Sylvan Levin was an American concert pianist and conductor. He notably served as the assistant conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra and the New York City Symphony under Leopold Stokowski for many years...

.

The latter recording became a worldwide hit for Peerce, outselling all his many operatic recordings, and becoming second only to Enrico Caruso's recording of George M. Cohan

George M. Cohan

George Michael Cohan , known professionally as George M. Cohan, was a major American entertainer, playwright, composer, lyricist, actor, singer, dancer, and producer....

's "Over There

Over There

"Over There" is a 1917 song popular with United States soldiers in both world wars.It was written by George M. Cohan during World War I. Notable early recordings include versions by Nora Bayes, Enrico Caruso, Billy Murray, and Charles King....

" among the best-selling records made by opera and concert singers.

There was also a popular 1948 record by Art Mooney

Art Mooney

Art Mooney was an American popular bandleader. His biggest hits were "I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover" and "Baby Face" in 1948 and "Nuttin' For Christmas," with Barry Gordon, in 1955...

and his Orchestra. Other singers have covered the song, but it remains Jan Peerce's signature tune and is firmly associated with him.