muckefuck | "Let's get happy!"

"Let's get happy!"

Question from

spookyfruit last night: What is the most cheerful song in the world?

My immediate response was "Walking on Sunshine". But, later in the conversation, he clarified that it had to be the most cheerful song in every context. Any song about the joys of being in love is not at all cheerful when your love life is in tatters. That wipes out about 99% of all carefree pop right there, doesn't it? I still made a good case for one-hit wonders, though. How can you be 100% cheerful listening to the Cocteau Twins' "Carolyn's Fingers" is you're inevitably reminded of "Blue Bell Knoll" or "Blood Bitch"? (When I say "you", I mean "me" of course.) You'd be better off with Aqua, which knows no nuance or variety.

After discarding dozens of possibilities, I finally settled on "Skokian"--not necessarily the Brave Combo version, though you can make a case for it being the best. As someone on the Web sez:

""Skokian" is a truly perfect song that has been done and redone by any number of bands. Although everyone has heard the song, not everyone remembers it. (It's popular in movie soundtracks and at weddings, but not on radio stations.)

According to another blurb, it's actually based on a Zulu song, which explains all the guff about "happy happy Africa".

Of course, if even mention of Africa makes you think of Rwanda, Congo, and Idi Amin, then this song isn't going to work either. So can I have some further nominees, please?

Threaded | Flat

"I Walk the Earth," Voice of the Beehive
"Mysterious Ways," U2
"Shine Like It Does," INXS
"Just Like Heaven," The Cure
"Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," The Police
"These Are Days," 10,000 Maniacs

"Xanadu" by ELO featuring Olvia Newton-John. Really.

Here's the list of happy songs I suggested to

voxel when he asked for recommendations because he'd won some free iTunes. You're right, mostly love songs. Oh well. A couple are not in English, maybe they're not depressing if you can't understand them?

Chunari Chunari, Abhijeet
My Cherie Amour, Stevie Wonder
Somewhere Beyond the Sea, Bobby Darin
L.O.V.E., Nat King Cole
Mayor of Simpleton, XTC
I Want Candy, Bow Wow Wow
La Bamba, Los Lobos
My Ever Changing Moods, Style Council
My Baby Just Cares For Me, Nina Simone
All The Kings Gardens, Joan Armatrading
Baby I Love You, Aretha Franklin
Rush, Big Audio Dynamite
Ask Me, The Smiths
Save It For Later, The English Beat
Dream a Little Dream of Me, Mama Cass

I'm thinking Deee-Lite's "Groove Is In The Heart." Don't tell Bob I said that; he lurrrrrves the video, whereas I've spent years dissing it.

I guess Zip A Dee Doo Dah is out due to racist overtones in Song of the South. And if there isn't plenty of sunshine.

Ah! I got it: the Happy Happy Joy Joy Song from Stimpy's Invention (http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/GuidePageServlet/showid-3536/epid-56645)

Maybe if you didn't have a grandmother to teach to suck eggs, but really, it's nonsense, so who cares?

I bet [Da] is somewhere being sad. I will make him happy again!

I nominate Louie Louie. Don't understand it, but everyone starts humming along and smiling.

-e

How about

happyfunpaul's Happy Song Virus? (More info and lyrics here).

(deleted comment) (Show 1 comment)

Re: "Skokiann" who doesn't like songs about beer?

How 'bout Madness "One Step Beyond"? It has lyrics (barely) and a very infectious beat.

Or just about anything by ABBA.

"Now my life is as good as an ABBA song. It's as good as 'Dancing Queen'."
- "Muriel's Wedding"

It's "When the Saints Come Marching In," or some other Dixieland swing. If it made black people happy in the 1920s, it's industrial-strength cheerful; it's cheerful that grew up under Krypton's high gravity and red sun and is super-cheerful now.

And if you're an atheist, and therefore don't believe in the Saints or their inevitable Marching, then you're dead to Joy and should be listening to depressing emo music anyhow.

A late offering, but Dire Straits' "Walk of Life."

Threaded | Flat