I Want to Be Happy
"I Want to Be Happy" is a song with music by Vincent Youmans and lyrics by Irving Caesar written for the 1925 musical "No, No, Nanette". Musical. The song is used several times throughout the musical as a running theme representing the attempts of various people to please others. It is first sung by the character Jimmy to his ward Nanette. Recordings. “I Want to Be Happy” charted several times over thirteen years: Other recordings include: