# 30 Day Song Challenge, number 3: A Song That Always Makes You Happy. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 8, 2016, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-3-a-song-that-always-makes-you-happy/751508 "2016-04-08T00:38:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-3-a-song-that-always-makes-you-happy/751508/21 "2016-04-08T14:25:04Z")
I have a confession. I like Coldplay. I know, they are so vanilla and a lot of people don’t like them, but I do. [Up & Up is the song that makes me happy lately.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJPt4eih5ao) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-3-a-song-that-always-makes-you-happy/751508/22 "2016-04-08T14:48:33Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > There’s a guy whose name I can’t remember right now who used to video a lot of bands especially at Moondogs. He has a YouTube channel, though the quality on many is kind of shitty. Found him. [Sasha Koledin.](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNXNvDU7vKh-RQiuwIWtVjg) ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-3-a-song-that-always-makes-you-happy/751508/23 "2016-04-08T14:53:16Z")
[All in the Mind](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_3GqfaOKBY), by the Verve. Every. single. time. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-3-a-song-that-always-makes-you-happy/751508/24 "2016-04-08T15:56:14Z")
Pretty much anything by Oingo Boingo but [Little Girls](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U630h-_QYEM) is downright joyful (despite it pedophile subject matter). And if you look closely at the video, I believe that is is Mr. Peter Dinklage playing one of the house guests. ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-3-a-song-that-always-makes-you-happy/751508/25 "2016-04-08T18:01:55Z")
[“Wake Me Up Before You Go Go” Wham!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIgZ7gMze7A) For some reason, the tempo seems slower in this video than it is in the version of the song I have. Or else I just have a case of the Fridays and my ears are playing tricks on me. ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-3-a-song-that-always-makes-you-happy/751508/26 "2016-04-08T18:25:41Z")
So this is a no-brainer for me—Patrick Wolf, [The Magic Position](https://www.tape.tv/patrick-wolf/videos/the-magic-position?hl=de). The song is made to perk you up, starting with a few major scales, which recurs as a theme in the lyrics, as well. Plus, few people know how to construct songs like Patrick Wolf. ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-3-a-song-that-always-makes-you-happy/751508/27 "2016-04-08T18:30:39Z")
_“Joy to the World”_ by Three Dog Night. Takes me right back to summers in high school, driving up to the lake with a car full of friends, singing along to the radio at the top of our lungs. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-3-a-song-that-always-makes-you-happy/751508/28 "2016-04-08T19:09:50Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > [Accidently Kelly Street](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdJYrkra0nk) by Frente. Just relentlessly perky. > > And yes, ironically they accidentally spelled it “accidently”. I love this band! Good call! ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-3-a-song-that-always-makes-you-happy/751508/29 "2016-04-08T19:32:10Z")
Beethoven, 7th Symphony, 1st movement. His 9th symphony famously has an Ode to Joy. This rollicking romp of a symphonic movement IS joy. ---
**Author:** ![somepumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@somepumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/somepumpkin)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-3-a-song-that-always-makes-you-happy/751508/30 "2016-04-08T20:31:08Z")
> [@Eddie The Horrible](#): > > It’ll kill me if I can’t sneak in one more - even when I was a 70’s kid I thought AM radio sucked anteater yarbles, but this number always had me bouncing off the walls. Still gives me that “sugar rush”, especially that low-down, stank-ass break right before every chorus. > Oh, and damn she’s hot, here. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm\_cFzVAoo8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm_cFzVAoo8) Nothing wrong with \*any \*of that! “[Only Makes Me Laugh](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEVmbldD5JM&nohtml5=False)” from Oingo Boingo’s \*Alive \*album. It’s gotta be this track, from this album. Danny’s studio version does not -even remotely- invoke the same level of joy. The Uninvited’s, “Too High for the Supermarket”, always brings a smile to my face, too. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-3-a-song-that-always-makes-you-happy/751508/31 "2016-04-08T20:40:56Z")
Wagon Wheel, the version by Darius Rucker. [Darius Rucker - Wagon Wheel - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvKyBcCDOB4) (Other songs too, but that’s the first that came to mind.) I don’t even like the lyrics that much, but it’s such a cheerful melody. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-3-a-song-that-always-makes-you-happy/751508/32 "2016-04-08T21:41:03Z")
Pretenders - [Don’t Get Me Wrong](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFCxKxzsUek) Much toe-tapping happiness. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-3-a-song-that-always-makes-you-happy/751508/33 "2016-04-08T22:57:43Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Beethoven, 7th Symphony, 1st movement. > > His 9th symphony famously has an Ode to Joy. This rollicking romp of a symphonic movement IS joy. I was going to mention Mendelssohn’s “Italian” Symphony, [1st movement](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lD80nL08dI). Total exuberant joy. ---
**Author:** ![Philliam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/philliam/32/3011_2.png) [@Philliam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philliam)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-3-a-song-that-always-makes-you-happy/751508/34 "2016-04-09T01:25:31Z")
Even in your dark moments, how could this not lift your spirits? O’Jays [The O'Jays Love Train - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyT9jTW7MHc&list=RDQyT9jTW7MHc&index=1&nohtml5=False) ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-3-a-song-that-always-makes-you-happy/751508/35 "2016-04-09T03:26:41Z")
If we’re doing Ahhhhht Music, I’ll shout out the Rondo from Beethoven’s First Piano Concerto. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVuy58-PYCc) For everyday pop/rock, The Kinks probably make me happier than almost any other band. “Waterloo Sunset,” “Picture Book,” “Village Green Preservation Society”…but hands down the best is “Victoria.” Especially at the 2:58 minute mark, where Dave Davies starts…_screaming with glee._ [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElJRnlfNAiU) And this one just came up in the “Best Music Video” thread. REM’s “Stand.” Great on its own, but if you watch the video over and over it will always make you think of pretty young 1980s people dancing up and down, and baby ducks. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/AKKqLl_ZEEY/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGGUgSShGMA8=&rs=AOn4CLB2hp3PBIxfyuyh7hxFh16H8sRC8Q "R.E.M. - Stand (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKKqLl_ZEEY) ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-3-a-song-that-always-makes-you-happy/751508/36 "2016-04-09T03:34:03Z")
A lesser known composer and piece of note is Sir Arnold Bax and his tone-poem _Tintagel_ (birthplace of King Arthur). The first two and a half minutes alone are like having the orchestra reach out and give you a gonad-shattering blow job. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ixF5f2cqIKo/hqdefault.jpg ""Tintagel", by Arnold Bax (1883-1953)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixF5f2cqIKo) ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-3-a-song-that-always-makes-you-happy/751508/37 "2016-04-09T03:39:03Z")
America - [Ventura Highway](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjgCqbPGq2A) Whoa, **Ike,** that sounds NSFW. I’ll listen to it at home. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-3-a-song-that-always-makes-you-happy/751508/38 "2016-04-09T03:51:44Z")
The _Tintagel_ link above has lotsa pretty pictures, but THIS is the definitive recording (so far)…Sir John Barbirolli conducting the London in 1967 (remastered): [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLZXNvU8X3c) No pretty pictures, though… ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-3-a-song-that-always-makes-you-happy/751508/39 "2016-04-09T04:13:18Z")
Here’s my second one that never fails to get my boogie to oogie. _Life is a Highway_ by Tom Cochran. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/U3sMjm9Eloo/maxresdefault.jpg "Tom Cochrane - Life Is A Highway (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3sMjm9Eloo) ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-3-a-song-that-always-makes-you-happy/751508/40 "2016-04-09T07:44:34Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > For everyday pop/rock, The Kinks probably make me happier than almost any other band. “Waterloo Sunset,” “Picture Book,” “Village Green Preservation Society”…but hands down the best is “Victoria.” Especially at the 2:58 minute mark, where Dave Davies starts…_screaming with glee._ > > [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ElJRnlfNAiU](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ElJRnlfNAiU) Great choice, it’s one of the many I considered, as well as most of their hits. Ray Davies’ lyrics have a knack for making me smile even when he is describing depressing situations. In this case, he’s a man who knows his country is screwed up, but he loves it anyway. Just awesome, plus it has a fantastic bass part. > [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > And this one just came up in the “Best Music Video” thread. REM’s “Stand.” Great on its own, but if you watch the video over and over it will always make you think of pretty young 1980s people dancing up and down, and baby ducks. > > [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AKKqLl\_ZEEY](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AKKqLl_ZEEY) When I saw REM on this tour, Michael Stipe introduced this song as “the stupidest song ever written by man”, and that always makes me happy when I hear it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-3-a-song-that-always-makes-you-happy/751508.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-3-a-song-that-always-makes-you-happy/751508.md?page=3)