Happy Music

[Scorpina]

I've come to realise that my Music Library is full of music that ranges from doom metal to not-exactly-happy rock. Since I'm feeling down (down, I'm feeling down. Bet nobody gets that reference...) I was thinking that maybe some happy music would cheer me up.

Any suggestions?

[Khantalas]

The famous song of Monty Python is the first thing that comes to mind.

And some Jonathan Coulton would be good, too.

And you'll not follow this particular line of advice, but Queen's Bicycle Race. Buy the vinyl if you can, rather than downloading the songs. :smallwink:

[Rama_Lei]

Tahiti 80 is good

[Artemician]

Hare Hare Yukai, the ending theme for The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is also really good, if you're into Japanese stuff.

Otherwise, i would have to second Always Look on the Bright Side of Life. It practically defines Happy Music.

[Closet_Skeleton]

I like to listen to Crispian St. Peter's 'You were on my mind" for cheery up-ness. Not that I suspect you'd be able to find it. Oh even like stuff from the 60s.

I intended to be helpful. I really did.

[Scorpina]

...I like stuff from the 60s. Well, I think. I get my decades before I was born confused: Zeppelin, Cream, Tull etc?

[bosssmiley]

The Vandals. Bloodhound Gang. Lotsa other cheesy punk-lite stuff is really cheering.

But The Vandals in particular have brainless, happy frug-monkey music down to an art form on their earlier albums. Go listen and giggle madly at songs like "Disproportioned Head (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TG6t79gP1Y)", "43210minus1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpuIebLTECA)" "People That Are Going to Hell", "And Now We Dance (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU6QQLhtT)", "Xmas Time for My Penor", "Oi To The World (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRgalongf64)", "Dont Make Me Get My Fat Lazy @$$ Off The Couch", "My First Xmas As A Woman" and the timeless majesty of "I've Got an Ape Drape (Yes I Do) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRgalongf64)".

[Corlindale]

My music library also tends towards the gloomy, but there are notable exceptions:

Sigur Rós - Hoppipolla (This song is pretty much the definition of "happy". The video for it is lovely and uplifting as well)

Monty Python - The Galaxy Song
Monty Python - Always Look on the Bright Side of Life

The Decemberists - Sons & Daughters

Sufjan Stevens - Chicago

Yes - The Remembering - High the Memory

Pretty much the entire soundtracks of Katamari Damacy and We Love Katamari. Perhaps a bit over-the-top happy on occasions, but nice anyway.

Nightmare Before Christmas/Danny Elfman - What's This?

Mogwai - Kids Will be Skeletons (Despite the title, it IS a very uplifting song. The rest of the "Happy Songs for Happy People" album is quite gloomy, though)

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! - Over and Over Again

[Abacab]

I'm not a 60's music fan, so I don't know if Yes is from the sixties. I only have one of their albums and it's happy.

The Barenaked Ladies, I find, puts myself in an upbeat mood. If you are into Japanese music like Artemician and I, most of Maaya Sakamoto's songs are joyful.

[Cyrano]

Anything funny. THis includes Barenaked Ladies, Wierd Al, the Spamalot soundtrack and the noises of your annoying next door neighboor being slowly tortured to death.
BUt seriously, Spamalot. Monty PYthon.....the musical. Happy music defined.

[Jack Squat]

Kenny Loggins.

or alternatively... (http://youtube.com/watch?v=fWucPckXbIw)

[Closet_Skeleton]

...I like stuff from the 60s. Well, I think. I get my decades before I was born confused: Zeppelin, Cream, Tull etc?

Well, I was talking about artists who only performed in the 60s. A lost of bands started and were succesful in the 60s but continued into the early 70s. According to Wikkipedia (and probably everyone else but I chose the simple search) Jethro Tull did start in the 60s but they didn't realise their mainstrays like Aqualung and Thick as a Brick until the 70s while Led Zeppelin didn't become big until the 70s.

So yes, you do like stuff from the 60s. It's just that some stuff seems more dated than other stuff.

or alternatively... (http://youtube.com/watch?v=fWucPckXbIw)

Or alternatively...

http://www.aerojockey.com/fark/cyanide.jpg

[Catch]

Ska. Seriously, other than saccharine J-pop, it's the most upbeat genre of music that I've come across.

Let's see...

Reel Big Fish (video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scoBURXI6Rs))
Mighty Mighty Bosstones (video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-skshpqL554))
Mustard Plug (video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XOna2OCJ9g))
Catch 22 / Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution / Streetlight Manifesto (video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffbf6kSA5n8))
Less Than Jake (video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kPVdgvZiZ0))
Save Ferris (video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F5Ye-g9i2U))

All good stuff.

[Hoggy]

The Mob Goes Wild - Clutch

Always puts a smile on my face.

[zeratul]

Guster, Lemon-Demon, and some of the Postal Service songs are happy.

:Edit: Oh also Bare Naked Ladies, and Moxy Fruvous

[Shadow of the Sun]

Not exactly happy, but it always cheers me up: Rush. If you don't listen to this band you fail as a Canadian, as a bassist, and essentially as a human. They have some pretty meaningful songs, but they always seem to cheer me up.

Second: A boatload of ska. Ska is a very happy genre, also meaningful, and pretty fun to listen too.

Third: whoever advised Sigur Ros was right, that band is pretty damn cool.

Not really cheerful, but funny as hell: Happy With What You have To Be Happy With by King Crimson. Essentially it is a song making fun of the way most bands write their songs these days. And it is pretty damn heavy.

Fourth: Al DiMeola. Instrumental jazz-rock fusion, extremely talented, and pretty fun stuff.

And finally, Fifth: A lot of punk cheers me up. Don't ask me, why, but I find punk to be uplifting.

[Imrahil]

Two words - Yakety Sax. That is all.

[Ted_Stryker]

Peter Frampton not able to show you the way anymore? :smalltongue: :smallwink:

The B-52's - Cosmic Thing

This is the the album in my music collection that is by far the most upbeat. It's a lot of fun.

Some YouTube fun stuff:

Disco Apache (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTKL8MNH95Q) - I defy anyone to make it through this video with a straight face.

Sabotage (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzTxuDUfzzM) - I still can't wait for that show to come out.

What Is Love (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsCXZczTQXo) - aka blah, Blah, BLAH.

[Kumquat]

well, there is always Yatta! by greenleaf (I warn you now, it is not for the faint of heart or easily disturbed...)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=u9rWFZesV8s

thyat always puts me in a good mood...

[Scorpina]

Peter Frampton not able to show you the way anymore? :smalltongue: :smallwink:

My gods, I'd forgotten about Frampton!

SQUEEEE!

*puts 'Frampton Comes Alive' on immediately*

[Vaynor]

well, there is always Yatta! by greenleaf (I warn you now, it is not for the faint of heart or easily disturbed...)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=u9rWFZesV8s

thyat always puts me in a good mood...

YOU STOLE MY LINK!!!

I was gonna post that...

Yatta (http://youtube.com/watch?v=tWNFbYXhybw) anyone? :smallfrown:

[Indurain]

The Garden State Soundtrack
The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Soundtrack
The Children of Men Soundtrack

Or if you really just want mindless fun

Either Hello Nasty or Licensed to Ill by the Beastie Boys. Yes, I'm serious.

[Kumquat]

Quoth the Vaynor
YOU STOLE MY LINK!!!

I was gonna post that...

Yatta anyone?


HA! Totally rogued!

oh yeah...more songs...

you could always just go with Beethoven's ninth symphony...the last 22 minutes ought to be enough even...there is a reason it is commonly refered to as 'Ode to Joy'

also most of They Might Be Giants is good for this kind of thing...

[Innis Cabal]

dashboard, The Riddle, They might be Giants....

[ElfLad]

Up And Up - Relient K
Peace of Mind - Boston
Carry On Wayward Son - Kansas
Walk On - Boston
Something About You - Boston
The Wall - Kansas
Miracles Out Of Nowhere - Kansas
All the World - Kansas
Fun, Fun, Fun - The Beach Boys
Good Vibrations - The Beach Boys
Octopus's Garden - The Beatles
Good Day Sunshine - The Beatles
With A Little Help From My Friends - The Beatles
The World You Love - Jimmy Eat World
Daydream Believer - The Monkees
High of 75 - Relient K
(Listen to the) Flower People - Spinal Tap
Rock and Roll Creation - Spinal Tap (I cannot listen to this without laughing)
Experimental Film - They Might Be Giants

[Dispozition]

See...Happy music makes me feel sad if I'm happy, worse if I'm sad.
Sad music makes me feel happy when I'm sad and calm when I'm happy.

I'm messed up, you see :P

As for happy songs...Most of my 'happy' songs have sad lyrics...So I shouldn't post them...

[Tor the Fallen]

Skulls by the Misfits.
If satisfying an insatiable lust for heads doesn't cheer you up, I don't know what will!

[Jorkens]

The Quintet of the Hot Club of France (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebaYm65RC5Q&mode=related&search=) - just joyous stuff, really.

[Sewer_Bandito]

Ska. Seriously, other than saccharine J-pop, it's the most upbeat genre of music that I've come across.

Let's see...

Reel Big Fish (video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scoBURXI6Rs))
Mighty Mighty Bosstones (video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-skshpqL554))
Mustard Plug (video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XOna2OCJ9g))
Catch 22 / Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution / Streetlight Manifesto (video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffbf6kSA5n8))
Less Than Jake (video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kPVdgvZiZ0))
Save Ferris (video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F5Ye-g9i2U))

All good stuff.

*seconds all of the above*

...and Suburban Legends http://youtube.com/watch?v=abT2MyLctlE Everytime I listen to this song it makes me feel happy :smallbiggrin: Also, Ska is like a universal genre that appeals to everyone (at least I have yet to meet a person who doesn't like it when I introduce it to them, regardless of whether they're metal heads or country fans) And you have to love the skanking Godzilla at the end.

[HealytheHealslime]

In addition to the recommedations posted above, I heartily recommend "Mr Blue Sky" by the Electric Light Orcheastra.

And on the subject of wacky music videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dhp0hrRSf0E

[Indurain]

In addition to the recommedations posted above, I heartily recommend "Mr Blue Sky" by the Electric Light Orcheastra.

QFT...and this has nothing to do with the fact that it's on one of my recommendations. (Eternal Sunshine)

[Sereno]

Music that puts a smile on my face:

Katrina and the Waves - Walkin' on Sunshine
Bowling For Soup - Almost, 1985
Weird Al - just about anything, but the polka's most of all

Plus, a second (third?) for almost any ska!

[Catch]

How could I forget?

The Aquabats! (video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsqvHreMMbQ))