"[2] Green wrote "Love and Happiness" with Teenie Hodges, with whom he also collaborated in writing "Take Me to the River", "Here I Am (Come and Take Me)", "Full of Fire", and other songs.

Of the recording process, Green said: I wouldn’t say it was a return to the old style soul of my early days, but I definitely pulled it from the same source of raw and gritty need.

[1]In his 2000 autobiography Take Me to the River, Green said of the song: "Love and Happiness" was like mixing explosive chemicals — everything had to be added at just the right time and at just the right dose.

The tempo was the most important thing to Willie, and, if you listen close, you can hear Teenie counting off with his foot on a cardboard box for the take that nailed it.

[3]On April 27, 1973, London Records released "Love and Happiness" as a UK single, backed with "So You're Leaving" (catalog number 10419).