Erica Atkins-Campbell and Trecina Atkins-Campbell were born in Inglewood,
California. The Campbell (formerly Atkins) sisters grew up as part of a large family of nine children in Inglewood, California. Their parents are Thomasina (An evangelist and choir director at the Evangelistic Church of God in Christ) and Eddie (a youth minister). Because of their proximity in age, the two singers grew up closer to one another than to any of their seven siblings. The sisters quickly entered the world of church choirs, traveling gospel shows, and some television productions. All nine Atkins children were on the Bobby Jones Gospel show on BET.
The sisters had their sights set on making music a career and enrolled at El Camino College to study voice. There they ran up against the divide between academic music studies and the popular musical world. "We had to study classical and sing arias, which was fine," Erica told the Times, "but the teachers would tell us if we sang anything else it would damage our instrument." The sisters tours with the 1995 Michael Matthews traveling gospel show Mama I'm Sorry and Sneaky. Each sister subsequently toured as a backup singer for a variety of R&B acts including Brandy.
A meeting with producer Warryn Campbell led to their song publishing deal with the giant EMI music conglomerate and a series of songs that landed on the soundtracks. They wrote "Dance" and performed it with Robin S. for the soundtrack to the 1998 film Dr. Dolittle; "Let Go, Let God" for The Prince of Egypt Inspirational, one of three soundtrack albums for the film; and songs of theirs were recorded by Yolanda Adams and 702. At the same time, Mary Mary as a musical entity took shape.
The sisters' profile in the gospel industry was raised when their songs "Time To Change" and "Yeah" were recorded by Yolanda Adams on the Mountain High... Valley Low CD. The duo was subsequently signed to Columbia Records/C2 Records and decided to perform under the name Mary Mary, honoring Mary, the mother of Jesus and Mary Magdalene. They were first gospel act to record for the industry giant Columbia Records since Tramaine Hawkins in the mid-1990s. Their first single, "Shackles (Praise You)" became a crossover hit, being popular with gospel, R&B, and pop audiences. It was a Top 10 R&B and Top 40 pop hit, and peaked at #28 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It became the first gospel song in five years to crack the R&B top ten and gained wide exposure on the MTV video cable channel. The album was a huge success because it offered a younger, hipper version of gospel that audiences could relate to.
Their first album, Thankful (Mary Mary Album) in May 2000, which would go on to win the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album, and a second single, "I Sings". Peaking at #1 on the Gospel album chart and at #59 of the overall Top 200 chart, Thankful was certified Platinum for sales of 1 million copies in the USA. Both singles were also hits in the UK and Europe, and to this day remain popular with Christian youths in the US, Latin America, and Europe.
With their second album Incredible, the duo was able to maintain their success. The record, soon after its release, went to #1 on the Gospel chart, and was able to enter the Top 20 of the Top 200 album chart. Incredible was later certified Gold for 500,000 copies sold in the United States. The album's singles In The Morning and I Try became relatively large hits within the contemporary gospel nation.
After taking time off to have children, their third album Mary Mary appeared. It became the duo's first album to enter the Top 10 on Billboard and was later on certified Gold for sales of 500,000 copies. The first single "Heaven" containing a sample from seventies soul trio the Honey Cone's "Want Ads". Heaven made history and broke chart records as it had an unprecedented 9 week run as the #1 record on Billboard's Gospel Radio chart. The second single, "Yesterday", also became a hit, especially on the Adult R&B charts where it peaked at #10. On the R&B/Hip Hop chart, the song became their second biggest hit since "Shackles" in 2000, reaching the #53 spot so far.
On October 10, 2006`, the recording group released their most recent album inspired by Christmas songs and is called A Mary Mary Christmas.
Happy
Mary Mary Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
御馳走につられて うっかりスカート脱いだ彼女
Dry and high days, ah, ha
誘惑に舌を巻く この運命と踊るボサノヴァ
欠伸 眩暈の繰り返し ホラー映画の方がマシよ
Dry and high days, ah, ha
優しいほど傷つくばっかり 回り路 苦笑い
Happy? Happy days? Ah-ha (wow, wow, pretty, pretty days)
Happy? Happy days? Ah-ha (oh, it's a beautiful day)
Happy? Happy days? Ah-ha
Happy? Happy days? So pretty, pretty days?
黒い雲がすごい速さで 通りの上を横切る
Oh baby, cry, baby 泣いちゃうくらい 抱きしめられたらイイのに
イイのになぁ
優しいほど光は見える 心は言葉になる
あたしの鼓動は 続いてる
Happy? Happy days? Ah-ha (wow, wow, pretty, pretty days)
Happy? Happy days? Ah-ha (oh, it's a beautiful day)
Happy? Happy days? Ah-ha
Happy? Happy days? So pretty, pretty
Happy? Happy days? Ah-ha
Happy? Happy days? Ah-ha
Happy? Happy days? Ah-ha
Happy? Happy days? Happy? Happy days?
Um, mu, mu, mu, mu, nya!
Mary Mary's song "Happy" expresses the emotions of a woman caught in the web of a magnetic relationship that she can't escape. The line "マグネティックに 腕に噛みついて離れないあの彼" ("That man who bites and holds onto my arm like a magnet") shows how the woman is unable to resist the pull of this man who has captured her attention. She is frail and falls for his traps, as seen in the line "御馳走につられて うっかりスカート脱いだ彼女" ("She forgot herself and took off her skirt, lured by his lavishness").
The song also alludes to the fact that life isn't easy, and the woman is struggling with the challenges of her relationship. The lines "誘惑に舌を巻く この運命と踊るボサノヴァ" ("I'm dancing the bossa nova with fate, and I'm overpowered by her temptations") and "欠伸 眩暈の繰り返し ホラー映画の方がマシよ" ("I yawn, I'm dizzy, and I wish I were watching a horror movie instead") highlight the difficulties she faces.
Despite the challenges, the woman tries to remain positive and happy. The chorus, with the lines "Happy? Happy days? Ah-ha (wow, wow, pretty, pretty days) Happy? Happy days? Ah-ha (oh, it's a beautiful day) Happy? Happy days? Ah-ha Happy? Happy days? So pretty, pretty days?" shows how she is trying to find happiness and positivity in her life.
Overall, the song "Happy" is a reflection of the complexities of relationships, how difficult they can be, and the emotional battles we fight to remain happy.
Line by Line Meaning
マグネティックに 腕に噛みついて離れないあの彼
That magnetic guy who bites onto my arm and won't let go
御馳走につられて うっかりスカート脱いだ彼女
The girl who was tempted by a feast and carelessly took off her skirt
Dry and high days, ah, ha
Those dry and high days, ah, ha
誘惑に舌を巻く この運命と踊るボサノヴァ
That Bossa Nova that makes me marvel at temptation and dance with destiny
欠伸 眩暈の繰り返し ホラー映画の方がマシよ
Yawning, repeating dizziness - horror movies would be better
優しいほど傷つくばっかり 回り路 苦笑い
The gentler it is, the more it hurts - taking a detour and smiling through it all
あたしのアンテナは曲がって折れて
My antenna is bent and broken
Happy? Happy days? Ah-ha (wow, wow, pretty, pretty days)
Happy? Happy days? Ah-ha (wow, wow, pretty, pretty days)
Happy? Happy days? Ah-ha (oh, it's a beautiful day)
Happy? Happy days? Ah-ha (oh, it's a beautiful day)
黒い雲がすごい速さで 通りの上を横切る
Black clouds pass over the top of the street at an incredible speed
Oh baby, cry, baby 泣いちゃうくらい 抱きしめられたらイイのに
Oh baby, cry, baby - it would be nice to be hugged so hard that I cry
イイのになぁ
It would be nice, wouldn't it?
優しいほど光は見える 心は言葉になる
The more gentle it is, the more light is visible - the heart becomes words
あたしの鼓動は 続いてる
My heartbeat continues
Happy? Happy days? Ah-ha (wow, wow, pretty, pretty days)
Happy? Happy days? Ah-ha (wow, wow, pretty, pretty days)
Happy? Happy days? Ah-ha (oh, it's a beautiful day)
Happy? Happy days? Ah-ha (oh, it's a beautiful day)
Happy? Happy days? Ah-ha
Happy? Happy days? Ah-ha
Happy? Happy days? So pretty, pretty
Happy? Happy days? So pretty, pretty
Um, mu, mu, mu, mu, nya!
Um, mu, mu, mu, mu, nya!
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Yuki, Takuya
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind