# Songs About The Joy of Music
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-joy-of-music/306200
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [May 31, 2005, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-joy-of-music/306200 "2005-05-31T12:11:48Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2005, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-joy-of-music/306200/1 "2005-05-31T12:11:48Z")
Whether it’s singing, playing instruments, rapping, dancing, whatever.
1. 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.
2. 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?
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### Author:  [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2005, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-joy-of-music/306200/2 "2005-05-31T12:16:25Z")
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.
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### Author:  [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2005, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-joy-of-music/306200/3 "2005-05-31T12:43:41Z")
Let’s start out with the obvious ones:
• _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](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005A7XC/qid=1117543256/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-1910303-2680626?v=glance&s=music) or [Julie Andrews](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00000415N/qid=1117543256/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/103-1910303-2680626?v=glance&s=music).
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### Author:  [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2005, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-joy-of-music/306200/4 "2005-05-31T12:46:14Z")
Sir Duke by Stevie Wonder.
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### Author:  [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2005, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-joy-of-music/306200/5 "2005-05-31T14:04:44Z")
• _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.
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### Author:  [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2005, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-joy-of-music/306200/6 "2005-05-31T14:11:52Z")
Sesame Street’s _Sing, Sing a Song_
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### Author:  [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2005, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-joy-of-music/306200/7 "2005-05-31T14:32:30Z")
How about _Dancing in the Streets_? (“music, sweet music, music everywhere…”)
Was it Martha and the Vandellas that did that one first?
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### Author:  [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2005, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-joy-of-music/306200/8 "2005-05-31T14:41:31Z")
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.
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### Author:  [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2005, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-joy-of-music/306200/9 "2005-05-31T14:49:35Z")
Okay… maybe not “Dancing Machine.”
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### Author:  [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2005, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-joy-of-music/306200/10 "2005-05-31T14:56:22Z")
> [@fishbicycle](#):
>
> Sir Duke by Stevie Wonder.
This is the first thing I though of. It just doesn’t get any better than this.
Then there’s “The Doctor” by the Doobie Brothers, and “Add Some Music To Your Day” by the Beach Boys.
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### Author:  [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2005, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-joy-of-music/306200/11 "2005-05-31T14:56:23Z")
Do Ri Me–Julie Andrews from the Sound of Music
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
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### Author:  [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2005, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-joy-of-music/306200/12 "2005-05-31T14:59:03Z")
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.
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### Author:  [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2005, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-joy-of-music/306200/13 "2005-05-31T14:59:30Z")
> [@Askia](#):
>
> Sesame Street’s _Sing, Sing a Song_
See post #5.
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### Author:  [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2005, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-joy-of-music/306200/14 "2005-05-31T15:02:53Z")
I believe _[Thank You](http://www.descendentsonline.com/discography/lyrics/lyrics.html#thank)_ by Descendents meets the “hearing music” part of your criteria.
If you’ve never hear 'em, you’re missing out.
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### Author:  [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2005, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-joy-of-music/306200/15 "2005-05-31T15:15:41Z")
Howsabout
“Totally addicted to Bass” by Puretone
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### Author:  [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2005, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-joy-of-music/306200/16 "2005-05-31T15:49:05Z")
> [@Walloon](#):
>
> See post #5.
You mean #6.
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### Author:  [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2005, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-joy-of-music/306200/17 "2005-05-31T15:50:06Z")
> [@Superdude](#):
>
> You mean #6.
Never mind. :smack:
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### Author:  [@RobuSensei](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobuSensei)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2005, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-joy-of-music/306200/18 "2005-05-31T16:19:32Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#):
>
> Do Ri Me–Julie Andrews from the Sound of Music
That’d be _Do Re Mi,_ by Rodgers and Hammerstein.
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…
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### Author:  [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2005, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-joy-of-music/306200/19 "2005-05-31T16:22:19Z")
“ROCK in the USA” by John Cougar Mellencamp
_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!_
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### Author:  [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2005, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-the-joy-of-music/306200/20 "2005-05-31T16:25:20Z")
Almost forgot my personal theme song! :smack:
“Mr. Tanner” by Harry Chapin
_He sang from his heart, and he sang from his soul
He did not know how well he sang – it just made him whole_
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