Tuesday Tunes 23: Happy

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After last week’s potentially downbeat theme I was looking to counterbalance it this time round. I’ve recently been thinking a lot about what music means for me and why, and one of the things that kept popping into my brain was that music has the power to make us happy. What better theme could there be? So, ‘Happy’ it is, for this week.

I’ve chosen three songs for you which feature the word ‘happy’ in their title, and a bonus video which shows the effect music can have in creating happiness and pleasure. My first video is one which oozes happiness:

I really should have saved last week’s opening picture till now, shouldn’t I! But don’t worry, a Julie Andrews song won’t be appearing here any time soon. Shiny Happy People appeared on R.E.M.’s seventh album, Out Of Time, released in 1991. It was the only one of their singles to reach the top ten in both the UK and the US: #6 here and #10 across the pond. Apparently the band hated the song: they have only ever played it live once – on Saturday Night Live – and refused to allow it to appear on their first ‘greatest hits’ album, though it did feature on the second such collection. Maybe they were miffed that it was considered for the title music for the tv series Friends, but was passed over in favour of the Rembrandts? Despite their disapproval I‘ve always rather liked it, and it is a good starting point for this week’s theme: anything with the delightful Kate Pierson (of the B52s) happily bouncing around with a beaming smile has got to be worth watching, right? And over 48m viewers of the video can’t be wrong!

For this week’s second tune I’m going way back to my teenage years. This was one of those songs that got me interested in American music: we had the Beatles, the Stones, and seemingly the entire population of Liverpool, whilst the US was giving us Dylan and the Byrds, and a selection of hit records by other bands. This was one such:

That song was the title track of the Turtles’ third album, released in 1967, and was the only time they made it to the top of the US singles chart. It also got a lot of airplay here and reached #12. I didn’t have the album, but the song featured on a ‘best of’ album, which I did have, along with the grandly titled follow up The Turtles Present The Battle Of The Bands, which included their subsequent hit singles Elenore and You Showed Me. I think it demonstrates a certain amount of chutzpah to release a greatest hits album after just three previous records, but they had some style and confidence!

This week’s third song is one that was ubiquitous in 2014. This was a #1 for Pharrell Williams in both the UK and the US. In fact, it reached the top spot on three separate occasions here in the UK, and is our eighth highest selling single of all time. I’m sorry if this disappoints anyone who is a fan of the original, but I’m sharing a cover version:

If you haven’t come across them before, I can’t recommend Walk Off The Earth (WOTE) highly enough. They first stormed to YouTube fame with their unique take on Gotye’s Somebody That I Used To Know (currently at over 188m views) and have made a large number of very creative videos since then. They make their own music, which is great, but their many cover versions of other people’s songs are also well worth your time: as well as the aforementioned, I suggest their take on Taylor Swift’s Shake It Off to get you going. For the sake of clarity, WOTE are those in the front row of the video apart from the guy on the left, plus the inimitable (much loved and missed) Mike Taylor, aka Beard Guy, in the sleeping rack. I’ve featured them several times before in posts, and you’ll find these by putting ‘WOTE’ or ‘Walk Off The Earth’ into the search box, if you want to see more. As I said, I make no apology for sharing this version: it embodies so well the spirit of the song and music’s capacity to make us happy and have fun. I defy anyone to watch that without smiling!

I promised you a bonus song. This one doesn’t include the word ‘happy’ in its title, but this performance demonstrates how much fun music can bring to so many:

The song was written by Steve Earle and featured on his 2000 album Transcendental Blues. Mundy had a huge hit with it in Ireland in 2008. Personally, I think his version isn’t even in the same league as the original but when he’s being drowned out by a crowd of more than 15,000 other performers I can just about take him! I saw the Sharon Shannon band live (with guests) some years ago and they played this as an encore. As the only male guest artist was Shane MacGowan, who had been barely capable of standing up and singing his own songs, they wisely didn’t ask him to sing this: it was performed by one of the roadies, whose version was at least the equal of Mundy’s. But no matter how much I knock him, it is undeniable that his version of the song has brought pleasure to many in Ireland, and this was a wonderfully happy occasion, at the heart of which was a simple song. Music = happiness: just look at all those smiling faces! You’ll see a few more if you stay till after the credits, as there are some more shots taken during the performance which didn’t reach the main video.

Who would have thought that I would still be running this series five months on, when it began as just a germ (pun intended) of an idea to lighten things up as the pandemic took hold? There were some worrying predictions in yesterday’s paper about what might happen in the next few months: not only do we have Covid to contend with, but we could be facing the ‘perfect storm’ of a second wave coupled with the effects of a no deal Brexit. More than ever, I think there will be a need for music to brighten our lives, so I don’t think this series will have run its course for a while yet! I know statistics aren’t always reliable, but mine aren’t ‘created’ by the government so I think I can trust them: judging by the increasing number of views and ‘likes’ these posts are receiving there is an audience out there, and I’m grateful to each and every one of you who visits, likes, comments on and shares these posts. I’m still having fun with them, and I hope you are, too.

I’ll be back next week with another theme and some tunes. I have several thoughts as to what the theme will be, so watch this space. Be safe, wear your mask when required, and keep your distance. Take care 🙂

30 thoughts on “Tuesday Tunes 23: Happy”

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  3. I really enjoyed your choices this week, Clive. WOTE are new to me; thank you very much for the introduction! Sharon Shannon is a favourite of mine so of course I loved seeing her in that version of Galway Girl.
    I agree; we are in for a very tough time over the next few, not just months but years and music will definitely help me through.

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    • Thanks, Clare, I’m pleased you enjoyed them. WOTE’s own music is very good and you have a vast collection of videos to catch up on!

      I’m sorry to be pessimistic about the future but it seems to me that we aren’t in a good situation in this country. Music will help us all get through it!

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  5. I like all of your picks today, Clive. Jim was the one who introduced me to Walk Off the Earth about a year ago. It’s amazing how something so popular went unnoticed by me for so long. I can just sit and watch a lot their videos for an hour and be perfectly content. I also love the original version, and that is a bit unusual for me as I often don’t like these smash hits. I imagine you’ve already seen this video from the television program, but give it a watch if you haven’t It’s a delightful story, but the expressions of some of the customers are that extra little bonus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gx6sNYUJRQ

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    • Glad you like them, Pete. I think WOTE have gone under the radar for many as they don’t make hit records. YouTube views and sold out gigs around the world tell their story, though. I don’t like the original that much but it was hard to avoid! I haven’t seen the video before – not a programme I watch – but I’ll take a look. Thanks for sending it 👍

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  6. I would have picked the REM song for Friends! It is a happy, upbeat song. And I was wondering who the woman was…

    I have not heard Happy Together in a long time – brings back good memories

    No need to apologize for ever featuring WOTE – another great cover…

    But I think your bonus song is my favorite – I think there is something about the fiddle that just makes you want to smile and dance – great selection. I’ll look for the original as well.

    I’m glad there’s no end to this series – I’ve learned a lot of new music and about some great new artists!

    P.S. – you’re not picking on Julie Andrews are you? 🙂

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    • Am I being cynical in thinking money might have helped that choice? But the one they chose is undeniably a good fit for the show. Kate Pierson was fabulous, and seemed to be in perpetual motion: check out the B52s video for Love Shack!

      I hadn’t heard the Turtles in ages either, but the title just came to me as a good fit, and that video shows the band’s sense of fun. Good memories for me, too.

      I know you’re a WOTE fan too – I think everyone should be! As far as I can work out this is at least their fifth appearance in one of my posts.

      I’m glad I included the bonus: for me, that video is a perfect example of the sense of happiness and togetherness that music can engender. If you’re looking for the original, please go for the real one – Steve Earle. There’s a great live video of him with Sharon Shannon in a posh concert venue, and the fiddle player on it is great – and smiling all the way through it.

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      • that Love Shack video was great! And I jsut spent a half hour listening to different versions of Galway Girl – including Steve Earle’s. They are all so good. Then I started doing some reading on Steve Earle – he seems like my kind of guy. I may have to check out some of his music…As always, any suggestions are welcome!

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      • Glad you enjoyed all that watching! Galway Girl is a fairly simple song but, as you said, that fiddle/accordion backing really makes it.

        So you like guys who have had multiple marriages, drug and prison history? Hmmm…

        He’s made some great albums in his time. My favourite is Copperhead Road, but you won’t go wrong with any of them. Other suggestions are his debut – Guitar Town – plus Exit O, Transcendental Blues and The Hard Way. I’ve been a fan since he started and saw him play live some years ago – a bucket list item!

        His son, Justin Townes Earle, died last weekend. He was 38. He’d had drug and alcohol issues but the last I heard he was now clear of them. No doubt we’ll get the full story soon.

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      • I did read that he has had a rocky personal life, and that is a shame about his son. But I do like his stands on many social issues.

        and I look forward to checking out those albums…

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      • He has been vocal for many years on social issues, and I admire him for it too.

        I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. I remember once singing along – loudly and badly – to Copperhead Road until I realised that the traffic had stopped and I had the car windows open…

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  7. Yes, I was going to mention ‘Walking on Sunshine’ as well as ‘One Day Like This.’ Both those songs are what cheers me up, although I don’t need cheering up very often. Just when it’s too hot and humid. That’s when I get grumpy.

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    • I’m glad they had the desired effect, Darlene! WOTE are rather special, I think – plenty more as good as that if you want to explore further. I’m no fan of Mundy, as you can tell, but that was a wonderful occasion.

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  10. I can’t help but think of the song ‘Happy Days’ by Pratt & McClain, Clive. I remember the TV show too.

    These days, too many songs seem to have lyrics that are sad, but one such song that always makes me feel cheerful (because it has a great story) is Copacabana by Barry Manilow. It’s probably the music video made for the song that always makes me happy when I view it.

    However, the Pharrell Williams ‘Happy’ song, you mentioned, is probably the best known when thinking of songs about ‘Happy.’

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    • I think I gave myself an easy task with this week’s theme, Hugh: I chose the first three that came to mind knowing that I would be spoilt for choice if I thought about it any longer! Happy songs are to be treasured, and I wanted to also show that a song doesn’t need to have the word in its title to make people happy: Walking On Sunshine is another example of that.

      I hadn’t realised that Happy Days was a song in its own right, I just thought it was the theme tune for a very good tv series! I’m glad you have songs that make you feel happy too, even if they are by Barry Manilow 😉

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