# Happiness is... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 25, 1999, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/4325 "1999-10-25T14:01:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Beruang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/77aa72/32.png) [@Beruang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beruang)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 1999, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/4325/1 "1999-10-25T14:01:00Z")
different things to different people. for reasons I’d rather not get into right now, I’m looking for information on this incredibly annoying song of the mid-'60s: author/composer recording artist year of release lyrics Thank you for your indulgence. ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 1999, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/4325/2 "1999-10-25T16:56:00Z")
WAG: I think it was based off of the Peanuts comic strip. There were a series of books with the characters stating their “Happiness…” phrases; “happiness is… a warm puppy”, etc. Then in one of their TV specials, the Happiness song was sung. ---
**Author:** ![KCB615](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ea666f/32.png) [@KCB615](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KCB615)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 1999, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/4325/3 "1999-10-26T05:09:00Z")
## And, of course, if you listen to Mr. Lennon and his three friends, happiness is a warm gun… Jeremy… I can think of no more stirring symbol of man’s humanity to man than a fire engine - Kurt Vonnegut ---
**Author:** ![Beruang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/77aa72/32.png) [@Beruang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beruang)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 1999, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/4325/4 "1999-10-26T05:18:00Z")
Yes, and it was also co-opted by Kent cigarettes: "…To a smoker, it’s the taste of Kent. Happiness is…the taste of Kent Happiness is…the taste of Kent Happiness is…the taste of Kent Smooth taste, fine tobacco That’s what happiness is." (And the ability to remember TV commercials for cigarettes is a sure sign of middle age.) But I’m seeking info on the original. C’mon Teeming Millions… don’t let me down! ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 1999, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/4325/5 "1999-10-26T05:35:00Z")
Give CDNOW a shot. Maybe one of those will ring a bell. ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 1999, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/4325/6 "1999-10-26T05:54:00Z")
The song is from the stage musical, “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown”. * * * John W. Kennedy “Compact is becoming contract; man only earns and pays.” – Charles Williams ---
**Author:** ![Scout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Scout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scout)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 1999, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/4325/7 "1999-10-29T20:32:00Z")
If it’s the song “Happiness” from “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” that you’re looking for, it was written by Clark Gesner, copyright 1965. And since posting the lyrics would violate said copyright, I’m not going to do it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Nickrz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbce88/32.png) [@Nickrz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nickrz)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 1999, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/4325/8 "1999-10-29T22:07:00Z")
Thank you. Yer a good Scout. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 1999, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/4325/9 "1999-10-29T22:25:00Z")
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but those are two different songs. I don’t know who wrote the one that was used in the Kent commercial, but it’s not the same as the one from “Charlie Brown.” And I can remember cigarette commercials. Ouch. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9dc877/32.png) [@Manduck2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck2)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 1999, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/4325/10 "1999-10-30T01:41:00Z")
There’s a sample here if you want to hear it: [CDNOW](http://www.cdnow.com/cgi-bin/mserver/SID=1218945735/pagename=/RP/CDN/FIND/album.html/ArtistID=CONNIFF*RAY/DDCN=SD-7464+64688+2) My [extensive research](http://allmusic.com/cg/x.dll?UID=9:35:23%7CPM&p=amg&sql=A66420) reveals that it was written by Evans/Parnes, whatever that is.