happy songs

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I need some music that is powerfully and unambiguously positive, fun, funny, uplifting, joyful, harmless, and/or sweet, and not angry or sad.

Junior Kickstart (Go! Team)
Speed to Roam (RTX)
Shakin' Street (MC5)
Uptown Top Ranking (Althea and Donna)
Heartbeat (Annie)
Jam On It (Newcleus)
Needle in the Camel's Eye (Brian Eno)
Buffalo Stance (Neneh Cherry)
Love Goes to Building on Fire (Talking Heads)
Strawberry Letter 23 (Shuggie Otis)
I Wanna Live (Ramones)
Midnight Blues (Detroit Cobras)
Go All the Way (Raspberries)
The Kids Are Alright (The Who)

More.

― xero, Thursday, 8 September 2005 02:48 (twenty years ago)

Everyday Sunshine - Sly + Family Stone
Flash Light - Parliament
Bonin' in the Boneyard - Fishbone

― Austin Still (Austin, Still), Thursday, 8 September 2005 02:55 (twenty years ago)

Ah. Flash Light. Good one.

― xero, Thursday, 8 September 2005 02:56 (twenty years ago)

Move Your Feet (Junior Senior)
Walkin' on Sunshine (Katrina and the...Ooops.)

― Justin, Thursday, 8 September 2005 03:05 (twenty years ago)

Walkin' on Sunshine (Katrina and the...Ooops.)

Fine, be like that. Back to the Laibach.

― xero, Thursday, 8 September 2005 03:07 (twenty years ago)

The Kids Are Alright (The Who)

i'm not so sure about the unambiguous positivity of that one.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 8 September 2005 03:09 (twenty years ago)

I've never really listened closely to the lyrics. I guess some of the other ones might be arguable too, come to think of it. It was off the top of my head and the whole "positivity" thing is communicated differently to me in each.

― xero, Thursday, 8 September 2005 03:11 (twenty years ago)

well i'm all for songs communicating to everyone in their own way, so i've got no argument there. (but if you do listen closely to the lyrics, you might hear some melancholy or bittersweetness under the ringing guitars.)

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 8 September 2005 03:20 (twenty years ago)

Hm. I've just listened. Scratch that one then.

― xero, Thursday, 8 September 2005 03:27 (twenty years ago)

BRING THE TWEE DAMN IT

― xero, Thursday, 8 September 2005 03:42 (twenty years ago)

"Roam"-B-52s

― Gogi Ormsby-Gore (Arthur), Thursday, 8 September 2005 03:44 (twenty years ago)

helen love, "rollercoasting"
vaselines, "son of a gun"
the archies, "bang-shang-a-lang"
pooh sticks, "emergency"
banana splits, "i enjoy being a boy"
ohio express, "yummy yummy yummy"
kiss, "rock and roll all night"

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 8 September 2005 03:47 (twenty years ago)

talking heads, "uh-oh, love comes to town"
modern lovers, "roadrunner"
pretenders, "message of love"

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 8 September 2005 03:54 (twenty years ago)

big star, "jesus christ"

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 8 September 2005 03:56 (twenty years ago)

express yourself - charles wright
corn on the cob - the corn sisters

― gem (trisk), Thursday, 8 September 2005 03:58 (twenty years ago)

B-52s, Vaselines, Modern Lovers, check. Also Guided By Voices, "My Son Cool."

― xero, Thursday, 8 September 2005 04:02 (twenty years ago)

todd rundgren, "i saw the light"

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 8 September 2005 04:06 (twenty years ago)

The Corn Sisters? That's Neko Case, right?

"Cannonball" and "Divine Hammer (Breeders) would probably fit if I hadn't been terminally overexposed to them in the 90s.

― xero, Thursday, 8 September 2005 04:13 (twenty years ago)

http://www.popnews.com/popnews/mogwai2/mogwai2.jpg

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Thursday, 8 September 2005 04:18 (twenty years ago)

Explain Mogwai.

― xero, Thursday, 8 September 2005 04:24 (twenty years ago)

Shot Down - The Sonics
Konichiwa Bitches - Robyn
Nite Club - The Specials
Buddy Holly - Weezer

― pppp, Thursday, 8 September 2005 04:26 (twenty years ago)

Adicts - "Tango"

― naus (Robert T), Thursday, 8 September 2005 04:35 (twenty years ago)

Alex Chilton- The Replacements
Cedar Point '78- The Dirtbombs
Nous sommes bi-bi ba-ba boum-boum- Les Lunours
bidibeep- Robotnika
Lazer Eyes- Danse Asshole
College Grad- The Mutants
Radio Sweetheart- Elvis Costello

― js (honestengine), Thursday, 8 September 2005 04:42 (twenty years ago)

Slade: "Merry X-Mas Everybody"
Human League: "WXJL Tonight" or "Love Action"
Madness "Our House"
Supremes (or BEF!): "You Keep Me Hanging On" (it's happy *sounding* anyway)
Supergrass: "I'd Like to Know"
OMD: "Electricity" and "Enola Gay"
Love: "You Set the Scene"
Beach Boys: "Wouldn't it Be Nice" & "All Summer Long"
YELLOW MAGIC ORCHESTRA: "BEHIND THE MASK" (which I consider to be one of the happiest sounding songs EVER MADE, lyrics be damned.. imagine a parade of the most lovable cartoons characters ever... they march to this song!)
Dandy Warhols: "Every Day Should Be a Holiday"
Chic: "Happy Man" (forgot... maybe *this* is the happiest ever? perfect chord progression over and over again... my favorite Chic song)
at least a couple tracks off "Speak & Spell" by Depeche Mode... also "Everything Counts"
and a whole bunch of stuff of the first Prodigy album (Experience) if you're into that sort of thing... it's pretty consistently happy album
also a bunch of Daft Punk stuff... they make a lot of happy tracks... this goes for much French House in general
definitelyB.O.B. by Outkast...
"Love & Music" by Ris... another one of those definitively happy tracks
a bunch of Queen tracks... "Brighton Rock" for one
a bunch of glam stuff in general I guess.

er, I'm losing focus

― Brandon Mitchell (A.H.), Thursday, 8 September 2005 05:24 (twenty years ago)

I'm surprised that I put the the dandy warhols in there, but i guess it counts.

― Brandon Mitchell (A.H.), Thursday, 8 September 2005 05:25 (twenty years ago)

The Turtles & Lovin' Spoonful owen this thread ... possibly You Baby & Do You Believe in Magic, respectively. Others include:

Feminine Complex - Forgetting
Depeche Mode - Just Can't Get Enough
Neil Diamond / Lulu - The Boat that I Row
Mr Bloe - Groovin' with...
Most Pizzicato 5
Tremeloes - Even the Bad Times are Good (completely over the top, this one)

― Jez (Jez), Thursday, 8 September 2005 05:54 (twenty years ago)

Otis Redding - THE HAPPY SONG

― oops (Oops), Thursday, 8 September 2005 06:01 (twenty years ago)

The Corn Sisters? That's Neko Case, right?

yep with carolyn mark. also if i were going for a happy sounding breeders song, i'd pick drivin' on 9 before either cannonball or divine hammer

― gem (trisk), Thursday, 8 September 2005 06:03 (twenty years ago)

"Brighton Rock", of all things, is actually sounding pretty great right now.

― xero, Thursday, 8 September 2005 06:09 (twenty years ago)

junior senior - dance chance romance
sean paul - like glue

― jermaine (jnoble), Thursday, 8 September 2005 06:33 (twenty years ago)

The Clapping Song by Shirley Ellis. Which is, incidentally, possibly the greatest record EVER made.

― Braces Tower, Thursday, 8 September 2005 07:15 (twenty years ago)

Plenty of twee here:

Adam+Ants - Antmusic
Divine Comedy - Europop
ELO - Mr Blue Sky
Frank+Walters - Walter's Trip
Lemon Jelly - Staunton Lick
Magnetic Fields - Luckiest Guy on Lower East Side
Source ft Candi Staton - You Got the Love
Stevie Wonder - Uptight
Undertones - Teenage Kicks
Mint Royale - Don't Falter

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 8 September 2005 09:14 (twenty years ago)

"Extrovert" XTC

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 8 September 2005 09:28 (twenty years ago)

"I'm Not Tired," Wilson Pickett

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Thursday, 8 September 2005 09:36 (twenty years ago)

Eek, not sure about "Enola Gay" by OMD -- that's about dropping bombs on Hiroshima! It does *sound* happy, though.

There was that remixed version of "Sun is Shining" by Bob Marley from about 2000 -- that's the happiest song I can think of. May be too dance-y, though?
"Ray of Light" by Madonna.

Have to rely on things I've heard on the radio mostly as my record collection is mostly dark and gloomy (I'll second that particular Magnetic Fields nomination, though!), but I'm finding "Mahgeeta" by My Morning Jacket pretty uplifting right now.

― Surfer_Stone_Rosalita (Surfer_Stone_Rosalita), Thursday, 8 September 2005 09:46 (twenty years ago)

Please ignore the first and third "though" and the first "mostly", k thx bye.

― Surfer_Stone_Rosalita (Surfer_Stone_Rosalita), Thursday, 8 September 2005 09:54 (twenty years ago)

That Bob Marley tune is "The Sun Is Shining (Funkstar Club mix)" and it is indeed quite a happy tune.
Monty Python, people. "Always Look On The Bright Side of Life" :D
Also..
U.S.E. - "IT IS ON!"
Art Brut - "Good Weekend!"
The Superman Lovers - "Starlight"
And practically everything by Plus-Tech Squeeze Box.

― Roz (Roz), Thursday, 8 September 2005 12:49 (twenty years ago)

the Pixies - "Debaser"

I don't know if the lyrics are "positive" so much as they are just kind of nutty, but they sound like they're having a hell of a good time. Frank Black also sounds insane, but I think that's part of the reason that no matter what kind of shitty mood I'm in, this song never fails to make me smile. :-)

― Lady May, Thursday, 8 September 2005 12:54 (twenty years ago)

"Brighton Rock", of all things, is actually sounding pretty great right now.

yes! and also, yeah... I've listed stuff that sounds happy, regardless of meaning, cuz that's just kinda the way I hear things, you know?

― Brandon Mitchell (A.H.), Thursday, 8 September 2005 13:56 (twenty years ago)

Spiderbait - "Glockenpop"
Velocity Girl - "Pop Loser"

― Jazzbo (jmcgaw), Thursday, 8 September 2005 14:28 (twenty years ago)

The entire discography of Huey "Piano" Smith & the Clowns. Start with "Li'l Liza Jane" or "Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu."

― Douglas (Douglas), Thursday, 8 September 2005 14:29 (twenty years ago)

Douglas OTM.

― Jazzbo (jmcgaw), Thursday, 8 September 2005 14:47 (twenty years ago)

I love how difficult it is to find happy rock music, what with all this pathos and screaming and wailing. And I'm so happy I left it all behind.

― blunt (blunt), Thursday, 8 September 2005 14:51 (twenty years ago)

If you don't mind instrumentals, "Better Get It In Your Soul" is probably the most jubilant thing ever recorded.

― Austin Still (Austin, Still), Thursday, 8 September 2005 14:57 (twenty years ago)

if i may, an excerpt:

It's time to party, Let's party
Hang out with yourself and have a crazy party
Hey you, Lets party
Have a killer party and Party!

Don't even try and deny it
'Cos you're gonna have a Party tonight
And you know we're gonna do it tonight
We're gonna lose it all
When you open your door!
Party, Party, There's gonna be a party Tonight!

― petesmith (plsmith), Thursday, 8 September 2005 14:58 (twenty years ago)

ash- burn baby burn
the charlies- how high
saint etienne- stars above us
idlewild- when i argue i see shapes
weezer- island on the sun
super furry animals- god! show me magic

― hub, Thursday, 8 September 2005 14:58 (twenty years ago)

"Velouria"'s always my choice for happy Pixies song, maybe it's the lemur reference.

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 8 September 2005 14:59 (twenty years ago)

Detroit Cobras - Shout Bama Lama
Free Design - I Found Love
Lucksmiths - T-shirt Weather & Smokers in Love (or pretty much any of their up-tempo options)

― Laurel (Laurel), Thursday, 8 September 2005 16:02 (twenty years ago)

> Everyday Sunshine - Sly + Family Stone <

Did you mean "Everyday Sunshine" by Fishbone or "Everyday People" by Sly and the Fam? Either way, good choice.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 8 September 2005 16:05 (twenty years ago)

The Flaming Lips "Race For The Prize"

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 8 September 2005 16:06 (twenty years ago)

Beach Boys "Wouldn't It Be Nice"
Blackalicious "Make You Feel That Way"

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 8 September 2005 16:08 (twenty years ago)

Number one most happy song of all time: The Beatles "Here Comes The Sun".

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 8 September 2005 16:08 (twenty years ago)

Um, I meant them BOTH, nick!

Yeah, that's it.

― Austin Still (Austin, Still), Thursday, 8 September 2005 16:14 (twenty years ago)

I Feel Good - James Brown

― Surfer_Stone_Rosalita (Surfer_Stone_Rosalita), Thursday, 8 September 2005 17:07 (twenty years ago)

Love Rollercoaster, The Ohio Players
Groove Is In The Heart, The Deee-Lite
The Humpty Dance, Digital Underground
Hey Ya!, Outkast
Where's Your Head At, Basement Jaxx
Alright, Supergrass

― Billy Pilgrim (Billy Pilgrim), Thursday, 8 September 2005 17:16 (twenty years ago)

Frankie Knuckles - "The Whistle Song"

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 8 September 2005 17:20 (twenty years ago)

All Summer Long, The Beach Boys

― Billy Pilgrim (Billy Pilgrim), Thursday, 8 September 2005 17:22 (twenty years ago)

Aw, these are great, you guys.

Stevie Wonder - Uptight: YES

Also New Order, "Such a Good Thing," and even "Age of Consent" in its way (ignoring "I've lost you I've lost you I've lost you I've lost you" at the end).

if i may, an excerpt:

It's time to party, Let's party
Hang out with yourself and have a crazy party
Hey you, Lets party
Have a killer party and Party!

What is that, Andrew WK?

― xero, Thursday, 8 September 2005 17:27 (twenty years ago)

OMD - "Tesla Girls", way too much Scritti Politti to list (but most exemplary would be "Is and Ought the Western World", "Bibbly-O-Tek", "Jacques Derrida", "Lions After Slumber", and "Absolute"), and the entirety of the record below -- all own this thread!

http://www.musicmatic.de/M/Mercier1a.jpg

― Ian Riese-Moraine: Let this bastard out, and you'll get whiplash! (Eastern Mantr, Thursday, 8 September 2005 17:28 (twenty years ago)

Oh! Oh! And The Woodentops -- fab guitars! "So Good Today" and "Good Thing" off "Giant" are lovely.
And "This is the Day" by The The.

― Surfer_Stone_Rosalita (Surfer_Stone_Rosalita), Thursday, 8 September 2005 17:43 (twenty years ago)

There are also some Mekons and Pogues songs that convey a life-affirming (and/or extremely drunk and cheerful) quality DESPITE EVERYTHING. "Sunny Side of the Street," maybe -- "a heartful of hate and a lust for vomit" and all.

― xero, Thursday, 8 September 2005 17:48 (twenty years ago)

oh also "It Takes Two" by Rob Base and EZ Rock!

― Brandon Mitchell (A.H.), Friday, 9 September 2005 03:18 (twenty years ago)

april showers "abandon ship"
ashby "horizon"

― jimmy glass (electricsound), Friday, 9 September 2005 03:57 (twenty years ago)

do your thing - basement jaxx
la la love you - pixies

― gem (trisk), Friday, 9 September 2005 04:05 (twenty years ago)

feel like jumping - marcia griffiths
truly, madly, deeply - skanga

― gem (trisk), Friday, 9 September 2005 04:08 (twenty years ago)

the secret goldfish - dandelion milk summer

― wombatX (wombatX), Friday, 9 September 2005 05:35 (twenty years ago)

four years pass...

Any new suggestions in the last five years? I'm hitting a rough patch due to unemployment frustration coupled with being stuck inside due to winter snows and I'm in desperate need of some happy tunes.

― you gone float up with it (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Wednesday, 10 February 2010 04:50 (fifteen years ago)

These ones make me happy:

Architecture in Helsinki - Spring 2008
Mouse on Mars - Cache Coeur Naif
The Comas - Moonrainbow
Looper - Up a tree again (Pulp Remix)
Land of the Loops - Multi-family garage sale
Plone - Bibi Plone

― Moka, Wednesday, 10 February 2010 07:41 (fifteen years ago)

But there's some good suggestions on this thread. The Zombies never fail to make me feel glad they exist, but maybe that's just me.

― Moka, Wednesday, 10 February 2010 07:45 (fifteen years ago)

The New Pornographers' Sing Me Spanish Techno.

― Daniel, Esq., Wednesday, 10 February 2010 07:47 (fifteen years ago)

Peter Hammill - "Sunshine"
The Divine Comedy - "In Pursuit of Happiness"

― anagram, Wednesday, 10 February 2010 07:55 (fifteen years ago)

Didn't see too many oldies above

Buddy Holly - Rave On
Del Vikings - Come Go With Me
The Dixie Cups - Iko Iko
Shirley & Lee - Let the Good Times Roll
etc

― that's not my post, Thursday, 11 February 2010 07:20 (fifteen years ago)

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