Whether it’s singing, playing instruments, rapping, dancing, whatever.
It has to have lyrics expressing joy, happiness, love and other positive-affirming feelings about making music or hearing music or being moved to dance happily to music or singing music or perhaps even composing music. Bonus points if the song says something about music being good for the singer, composer, musician, audience. Instrumentals get honorable mention.
If the main topic of the song is something other than music’s power to transform, it’s probably not what I want. Most love songs with the sentiment, “I’m singing because it makes me happy to sing about how much I love you, how terrific you are,” may be great songs – just probably not what I’m looking for here.
I hope I didn’t make it too hard. All genres welcome. Whatchoo got?
One of the best songs about composing music is the Who’s “Guitar and Pen.” It perfectly encapsulates the frustrations and joy of writing a song. “Music Must Change” by the Who also may fit into what you are looking for.
• The Sound of Music, written by Rodgers and Hammerstein, performed by Julie Andrews.
• I Write the Songs, written by Bruce Johnson, performed by Barry Manilow.
• I Whistle a Happy Tune, written by Rodgers and Hammerstein, performed by Marni Nixon or Julie Andrews.
• Sing, written by Joe Raposo, performed by The Carpenters.
• The Sweetest Sounds, written by Richard Rodgers, performed by Sarah Vaughn, Barbra Streisand, and many others.
• Make Your Own Kind of Music, written by Barry Manilow, performed by Mama Cass.
• I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing, written by Backer, Cook, Davis & Greenaway, performed by The Hillside Singers, The New Seekers, and many others.
Yeah, that works. We can add Lionel’s Richie *Dancing On The Ceiling * and The Jackson 5’s Dancing Machine. The sentiment of happiness, excitement, etc. is there.
Music of the Night–Michael Crawford from Phantom of the Opera
trivia note: The music for this huge hit was originally a song called “Married Man,” written for Andrew Lloyd Webber for then mistress (now ex-wife) Sarah Brightman
Can’t believe I didn’t think of ABBA’s “Thank You for the Music”
And I’ve often wondered how did it all start
Who found out that nothing can capture a heart
Like a melody can; well, whoever it was, I’m a fan
So I say…Thank You for the Music, the songs I’m singing
Thanks for all the joy they’re bringing.
Who can live without it? I ask in all honesty. What would life be?
Without a song or a dance what are we?
So I say “Thank You For The Music” for giving it to me.
I remember, back when I was in the MN All-State Choir (over 15 years ago sigh), we performed an Alice Parker arrangement of an Irish folk tune, with this chorus:
Sing, sing,
Music was given to brighten the gay,
And kindle the loving
Souls here, like planets in heaven
By Harmony’s laws, alone, are kept moving
This song (entitled “Sing, Sing,” naturally) has always stuck with me. The verses are a bit of folk tale about music, involving Greco/Roman deities…
There was Frankie Lyman, Bobby Fuller, Mitch Ryder,
Jackie Wilson, Shangra-Las, Young Rascals
Spotlight on Martha Reeves – let’s don’t forget James Brown!