[1] It was written by lead singer-guitarist, Jeremy Oxley,[2] and was the first single released in June 1981, on Mushroom Records, from their self-titled debut album, which followed in September.

[3][7] Aside from the standard 7" vinyl format it was also issued as Australia's first cassette single,[8] which included two bonus live tracks, "Thrill" and "Why Do I Cry?

In the liner notes of the compilation album, Sunnyboys, Our Best of (December 2013), Jeremy Oxley explained, "This song was written at Watkins Street, Newtown, the second place I lived in Sydney as another exercise in pop...

The film clip was made with a budget of $3,000 in a studio in Roselle – which later became Sydney College of Arts – and was directed by Tony Stevens.

[9] Craig Mathieson in 100 Best Australian Albums describes the song as having a duality with lyrics like "I think I'm swimming in a sea of doubt" in the verses counterposed by the chorus "But I'm a happy man".

[17] In April 2012 Sunnyboys reunited and performed a gig at the Enmore Theatre, Toby Creswell noticed that the "guitars and military drum beat collide into the hit 'Happy Man', Jeremy Oxley catches his brother Peter's eye and a smile bursts across both their faces.