Pharrell: 'Happy' was originally recorded by Cee Lo Green
Facebook/CeeLo Green
Pharrell's song "Happy" has won most of the world over, earning him an Oscar nomination and even a heartfelt cry with Oprah. But today, Pharrell revealed some surprising news about the track: his recording wasn't the first version.
The singer and producer told Howard Stern that Cee Lo Green recorded the original version of the song, but that Green's song was vetoed by record execs. Pharrell was quite humble in the interview, saying that Green's recording "burns [his] version" and that Green "sounded amazing." But Green's version hasn't hit the internet — at least not yet — so we'll have to be content with Pharrell's own recording of the megahit. --Meghan DeMaria
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Meghan DeMaria is a staff writer at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Marie Claire.
