It’s summer and my I want my music joyful and summer-y. What songs/albums put a smile on your puss, start your toes or fingers a-tappin’, maybe even make you want to dance like a happy fool?
A few from me:
Erasure - Little Respect, Love to Hate You, etc.
Cardigans - Lovefool
Cornershop - Brimful of Asha
Counting Crows - Einstein on the Beach
Eels - Hey Man (Now You’re Really Livin’)
ELO - Mr. Blue Sky
Gomez - Girlshapedlovedrug
Gorillaz - Feel Good, Inc.
Imogen Heap - Goodnight and Go
James - Laid
Nelly Furtado - I’m Like A Bird
Phoenix - Consolation Prizes
Stars - Elevator Love Letter
Spirit in the Sky. When that come on the radio, I have to roll all the windows down and crank it up. Just because.
And for sheer goofiness - Build me up, Buttercup. How can you not be happy when you hear that?
The inevitable folky ones from me:
The Shouting End of Life
and
When I’m Up I Can’t Get Down - Oysterband
Old Haslam’s Bits - Bluehorses
Sligo Maid - Steeleye Span
Proud Mary by CCR, and of course, Free Bird, the perfect song for any occasion…
Heaven is a Place on Earth - Belinda Carlisle
Summer Shunshine and Breathless - The Corrs
Good Enough - Cyndi Lauper
Vacation, Our Lips Are Sealed and This Town - The Go-Go’s
Come to Daddy - Aphex Twin
Like A Prayer and Papa Don’t Preach - Madonna
Atomic, Rapture and Hanging on the Telephone - Blondie
Roses are Red and Dr. Jones - Aqua
Livin’ on a Prayer - Bon Jovi (And not in an in ironic sense, thank-you-very-much.)
Love My Way - Psychdelic Furs
Don’t You Want Me - The Human League
Sweet Dreams, Love is a Stranger, Who’s That Girl and There Must Be an Angel - Eurythmics
99 luftbaloons - Nena
The Metro - Berlin
Don’t Stop Believin’ - Journey
Private Eyes - Hall & Oates
OMG, I forgot Safety Dance by Men Without Hats and Come On Eileen by Dexy’s Midnight Runners. If either song comes on the radio, it just makes my day.
Currently on heavy rotation in my CD player (as in, I listen to it dozens of times in a row) is Dragonstea Din Tei (more commonly known as the “Numa Numa Song”) by Ozone . The lyrics are actually not all that happy, but it’s in Romanian and it’s such a dang infectious song, who cares? 
You can never go wrong with a little Bob Marley in the summer. I was just listening to him earlier this afternoon. 
The entire “Philadelphia Chickens” CD by Sandra Boynton and Michael Ford (and various well known performers)
OK, so, it’s for kids. But it never fails to put a smile on my face
A bunch of Springsteen’s tunes make me feel like I am in an old beat-up Cadillac convertible, the top and windows are down, we’re on our way to the beach but are in the asphalt jungle and while there is some joy, there is a certainly level of hopelessness and desperation as well:
Cadillac Ranch
Sherry Darlin
Ramrod
I’m a Rocker
Out on the Street
Glory Days
You Can Look (But You Better Not Touch)
also Meat Loaf:
Paradise by the Dashboard Light
You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (it was a hot summer night)
Neil Diamond:
Desiree reminds me of the summer
I absolutely lovethe whole “Bug Music” CD by Don Byron. Anyone who grew up with Loony Tunes will get a kick out of it.
The notion of joyful songs makes me think Bossa Nova for some reason.
Some specific songs/tunes:
O Barquinho
The Face I Love
Summer Samba
Chega De Saudade (No More Blues)
Agua de Beber
In fact, even when the mood of the song or the lyrics might suggest sadness or melancholy, Bossa Nova has an uplifting aspect.
Another category that makes me feel joyful is Steel Pan music, much of which is in the Bossa Nova vein.
Moved from IMHO to CS.
“Mass Romantic” and “Electric Version”, the two first albums from The New Pornographers are usually described as happy, summertime music you can roll your windows down to.
Oh No! Oh My!'s self-titled album might be a little dark in the lyrics, but the music is very shiny and happy. I also like Frente, The Violent Femmes and Ted Leo for my happy tunes.
Oddly enough, the soundtrack to the video game Katamari Damacy is probably the most jubilant thing I’ve ever heard.
The Ode to Joy, of course – the fourth movement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.
Also, Rossini’s overturn to The Barber of Seville.
Rosalita by Bruce Springsteen.
I’ve actually got the soundtrack on my iPod. It’s fantastically surreal listening to it while bopping through Manhattan. I start thinking of things to roll up.
It’s Raining Men (the Gerri Hallowell version) but only if you can get all the Filipinos in the car to do the dance, While passing through a security checkpoint.
I am doing my bit to ensure Americans are thought as eccentric as the British.
Anyone who doesn’t have their day lightened by hearing Don’t Get Me Wrong by Pretenders has no soul.