Sunny

This soul standard speaks of an uplifting love that brings comfort through the pain. Unlike many songs with this message, "Sunny" is very ambiguous - it could apply to a man, woman, parent, child, lover or friend. It could even be about God, as some have speculated. Bobby Hebb never attributed a specific inspiration for the song, but the death of his brother, Hal Hebb (also a musician), on November 23, 1963 - the day after John F. Kennedy was assassinated - was a formative event in his life. He explained that the song brought him balance and hope for a brighter future - a message that connected with many listeners.

In 2006, an electronic group called Torpedo Boyz released a song called "Trust, Integrity & Pure Love" in which they included audio of Hebb describing the genesis of this song, which he attributed to a flash of inspiration. Said Hebb: "I was working at Brandy's, a bar and restaurant in New York City on 84th close to Second Avenue. I was under the influence of Tennessee Sipping Whiskey, highly under the influence. As a matter of fact I was so under the influence that I was afraid to try to go to sleep. And I looked up and I saw a purple sky. I had my guitar in my hand, and without touching a pencil, I started writing it. And that's how the song was born. I hit the nail right on the head."

Hebb recorded this with producer Joe Renzetti, who used a number of New York studio musicians to serve as the backing band. The team of Ashford & Simpson (Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson) sang backup along with Melba Moore.