Happy Town (album)

Happy Town is the third album by the American singer-songwriter Jill Sobule, released in 1997. The album contains the singles "Bitter" and "When My Ship Comes In" as well as "Half a Heart" and the satirical social commentary "Soldiers of Christ", where Sobule sings from the point of view of a Christian Conservative to illustrate the existence of homophobia in religion. The album sold 24,000 copies in the US within the first year of its release.

"Bitter" peaked at No. 74 on the Australian ARIA singles chart in June 1997. The album peaked at No. 83 on the Australian ARIA albums chart during the same month. Sobule was dropped by Atlantic after the release of Happy Town.

The album cover illustration, which initially featured a Prozac pill, was changed to show a pair of test tubes when Wal-Mart refused to carry the album in its stores. The company asserted that the original image promoted drug abuse.

Critical reception
The Spokesman-Review called the album "a bold step forward for a creatively expansive artist." Trouser Press called it "a record to respect rather than appreciate," writing that "many of the songs are fine, and she’s one of contemporary pop’s better observational songwriters, but the tone is unremittingly hostile." The Deseret News deemed it "fun, liberal, spunky and sarcastic." The Baltimore Sun wrote that "the title tune's shift from cheesy, low-key organ to bright, power-pop guitar make it easy to understand the difference between the dull old world and life in that new, prozac-ed 'Happy Town'."

Track listing

 * 1) "Bitter" (Richard Barone, Sobule) – 3:30
 * 2) "Happy Town" (Goldenberg, Sobule) – 3:46
 * 3) "Barren Egg" (Eaton, Sobule) – 3:37
 * 4) "Half a Heart" (DeMain, Sobule) – 3:47
 * 5) "When My Ship Comes In" (Eaton, Marvin Gaye, Ivy Jo Hunter, Sobule, William Stevenson) – 3:50
 * 6) "Clever" (Eaton, Sobule) – 3:18
 * 7) "I'm So Happy" (Eaton, Sobule) – 2:43
 * 8) "Little Guy" (Sobule) – 3:24
 * 9) "Underachiever" (Sobule) – 3:42
 * 10) "Love Is Never Equal" (Eaton, Sobule) – 3:15
 * 11) "Soldiers of Christ" (Eaton, Sobule) – 3:20
 * 12) "Attic" (Sobule) – 2:10
 * 13) "Sold My Soul" (Eaton, Sobule) – 3:35
 * 14) "Super 8" (Galdston, Sobule) – 2:26

Musicians

 * Jill Sobule – vocals, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, guitar, percussion, drums, keyboards, ebo, vibraphone
 * Sam Bacco – percussion
 * George Bradfute – electric guitar
 * Louis Brown – tuba, cornet
 * Chris Carmichael – strings
 * Steve Earle – electric guitar, vocals
 * Robin Eaton – guitar
 * Phil Galdston – keyboards
 * Mark Goldenberg – guitar, keyboards, vocals
 * Mickey Grimm – percussion, drums
 * Jim Hoke – clarinet, flute, harmonica, autoharp, bass clarinet, soprano saxophone
 * Byron House – upright bass
 * Brad Jones – organ, bass guitar, piano, harmonium, keyboards, Moog synthesizer, vibraphone
 * Viktor Krauss – upright bass
 * Roger Moutenot – Moog synthesizer
 * Al Perkins – pedal steel
 * Ross Rice – bass guitar, piano, drums, harmonium, Wurlitzer

Production

 * Producers: Robin Eaton, Mark Goldenberg, Brad Jones
 * Engineers: Brad Jones, Dominick Maita, Elijah Shaw
 * Mixing: Roger Moutenot
 * Mixing assistants: Rich Cohan, Sandy Jenkins, Chris Stone
 * Programming: Mark Goldenberg
 * Photography: Annette Aurell
 * Arranger: Phil Galdston
 * Production Coordination: Barbara Moutenot
 * Cover design: Brad Talbott
 * Illustrations: Brad Talbott
 * Background vocals: Bob, Jim, Mary Ellen and Matthew Sobule