It’s happy music fun time!¹ While most of my favorite music tends to run to the angsty, I do enjoy me a catchy beat and a perky melody now and then. Inspired by Mary Lynn‘s list of songs that make her happy, I’ve put together a happy list of my own. Here are some songs that make make me sing along, tap along, or just plain dance around like an idiot.
- Safety Dance, Men Without Hats [YouTube]
We can dance if we want to. We can leave your friends behind. - Multi-Family Garage Sale [Bargain Bin Mix], Land of the Loops [YouTube]
I do so hope no one ever gets video footage of me dancing around the house to this song. - And She Was, The Talking Heads [YouTube]
The world was moving, she was floatin’ above it - Goody Two Shoes, Adam Ant [YouTube]
Don’t drink, don’t smoke. What do you do? - Lust for Life, Iggy Pop [YouTube]
I can’t even make out most of the words in this song. But it’s got a good beat, and you can dance to it. - Tainted Love, by Soft Cell [YouTube]
Don’t touch me please, I cannot stand the way you sneeze² - Should I stay or Should I Go, The Clash [YouTube]
Darlin’, you gotta let me know - How can I live without you, Cracker [YouTube]
How can I live without you, if it means I gotta get a job? - The Tide is High, by Blondie [YouTube]
I’m not the kind of girl who gives up just like that. - Island in the Sun, Weezer [YouTube]
...I can’t control my brain. - I Wanna Be Sedated, The Ramones [YouTube]
I can’t control my fingers, I can’t control my toes - Blister in the Sun [YouTube]
When I’m a-walking’, I strut my stuff. (And this one has even led to spontaneous family dance parties in the bathroom.) - Sweet Potato, Cracker [YouTube]
Be my sweet potato, I’ll be your honey lamb. - I’ll Tell Me Ma, Sinead O’Connor [YouTube]
She is handsome, she is pretty. She is the belle of Belfast City. - Three Little Birds, by Bob Marley [YouTube]
Every little thing’s gonna be all right.
There we go. A bunch of songs that make me happy.³ (Yes, I realize that there isn’t a song on here that’s under 10-years-old. And that the 80s are over-represented. What’s your point?)
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¹ With the good news that my mother’s surgery went very well, I’m ready to do a happy dance.
² Not the actual lyrics, but the ones I sing.
³ This list goes to 15. Tomorrow I’m going to make one that goes to 11. How about you?
collecting tokens 
I’m so happy to know that your mother’s surgery went smoothly!
We are obviously from the same generation, because lots of those songs would go on my happy song list too. Safety Dance would probably also be at the top of mine.
…Let’s face it. The 80s was a good decade for bouncy music.
Love the playlist! So glad to have inspired it. I’m particularly fond of the songs from Blondie, Iggy Pop, and the Violent Femmes. I was planning to put a Blondie song on my own playlist, but I got distracted by some shiny object on the internet and forgot to actually do it. It probably would’ve been Heart of Glass.
Awesome news about your mom!
Most of the music I like is closer to 30 years old. I don’t want to think about it.
Tainted Love will never be the same for me now, but at least it’s the season for it.
XO
Wow, I feel like I wrote this list myself! You and I would have definitely been friends in high school ;) And I’m so glad to hear your mom’s surgery went well. Here’s to a very speedy and full recovery.
Love this. If I get my act together, I’ll make it into a Spotify list…
Love your list. Cool thing to do– especially with the YouTube links conveniently located next to each song. Very thoughtful.
Here you go:
or
I couldn’t find Multi-Family Garage Sale, and I had to substitute a different version of I’ll Tell Me Ma.
(I think Spotify is cool.)
what a great list! surprisingly, i’m not really familiar with cracker. must check out!
I also love Safety Dance, Island in the Sun (several Weezer songs would be on mine), Blister in the Sun, Should I Stay or Should I Go, and I Wanna Be Sedated.
Some of my all time favorite happy songs are on this list! I have one more which you’d think would be obvious given the title and bounciness, but I’ve had more than one friend practically spit on me for liking the song in question– apparently people tend to hate it and it’s more likely to inspire rage than bouncing. Even the group that wrote the song doesn’t perform it. Can you guess what it is?
ok, I’ll tell you– It’s Shiny Happy People. I mean c’mon, any song that can inspire this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoc8_aJLpes can’t be all bad..