The Happiest Girl In the Whole USA
Encyclopedia
"The Happiest Girl in the Whole USA" is a country
and pop music
song written and recorded by Donna Fargo
. It is written in the voice of a newlywed girl, sung to her new husband. It has since become her signature song
.
The song, Fargo's debut single, became a number-one country hit in the spring of 1972, and subsequently became a hit on the Billboard Hot 100
pop music chart, peaking at #11, and Billboard Easy Listening Singles chart, where it reached #7.
A rumor later circulated that the line "skip-a-dee-doo-dah" was originally written as "zip-a-dee-doo-dah," and that the Walt Disney Company
subsequently sued Fargo as soon as they became aware of the song and its line, demanding that the original line be changed. Fargo has since put the rumor to rest, stating that "skip-a-dee-doo-dah" was indeed the original line and that no such lawsuit ever took place.
on her 1972 album My Man (Understands).
Tanya Tucker
also recorded the song in 1972 for her first album Delta Dawn
. Her producer Billy Sherrill
had planned for it to be her first single. Tucker convinced him to let her record and release "Delta Dawn
" instead.
The song was sung by actress Daveigh Chase
in a 2007 episode of the HBO television series Big Love
.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
and pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
song written and recorded by Donna Fargo
Donna Fargo
Donna Fargo is an American country music singer-songwriter, who is best-known for a series of Top 10 country hits in the 1970s...
. It is written in the voice of a newlywed girl, sung to her new husband. It has since become her signature song
Signature song
A signature song is the one song that a popular and well-established singer or band is most closely identified with or best known for, even if they have had success with a variety of songs...
.
The song, Fargo's debut single, became a number-one country hit in the spring of 1972, and subsequently became a hit on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
pop music chart, peaking at #11, and Billboard Easy Listening Singles chart, where it reached #7.
A rumor later circulated that the line "skip-a-dee-doo-dah" was originally written as "zip-a-dee-doo-dah," and that the Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
subsequently sued Fargo as soon as they became aware of the song and its line, demanding that the original line be changed. Fargo has since put the rumor to rest, stating that "skip-a-dee-doo-dah" was indeed the original line and that no such lawsuit ever took place.
Covers
The song was covered by Tammy WynetteTammy Wynette
Virginia Wynette Pugh, known professionally as Tammy Wynette , was an American country music singer-songwriter and one of the genre's best-known artists and biggest-selling female vocalists....
on her 1972 album My Man (Understands).
Tanya Tucker
Tanya Tucker
Tanya Denise Tucker is a female American country music artist who had her first hit, "Delta Dawn", in 1972 at the age of 13...
also recorded the song in 1972 for her first album Delta Dawn
Delta Dawn (album)
Delta Dawn is the début album of thirteen-year-old Tanya Tucker. Working with famed producer Billy Sherrill, who also produced the records of Tammy Wynette, the young girl with the voice mature beyond her years thus began her long career in country music...
. Her producer Billy Sherrill
Billy Sherrill
Billy Sherrill is a record producer and arranger who is most famous for his association with a number of country artists, most notably Tammy Wynette...
had planned for it to be her first single. Tucker convinced him to let her record and release "Delta Dawn
Delta Dawn
"Delta Dawn" is a song written by former child rockabilly star Larry Collins and songwriter Alex Harvey , best known as a 1972 top ten C&W hit for Tanya Tucker and a number-one hit for Helen Reddy in 1973.-Lyrical story:The title character is a faded southern...
" instead.
The song was sung by actress Daveigh Chase
Daveigh Chase
Daveigh Elizabeth Chase is an American actress, singer, and voice over artist best known for playing Rhonda Volmer in the HBO series Big Love, Samara Morgan in The Ring and Lilo Pelekai in Lilo & Stitch.-Early life:Chase was born Daveigh Elizabeth Chase-Schwallier in Las Vegas, Nevada, but her...
in a 2007 episode of the HBO television series Big Love
Big Love
Big Love is an American television drama that aired on HBO between March 2006 and March 2011. The show is about a fictional fundamentalist Mormon family in Utah that practices polygamy...
.
Charts
| Chart (1972) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 11 |
| U.S. Billboard Easy Listening Singles | 7 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 16 |