For this particular category, I’d vote for “Will the Roses Bloom” by Skaggs and Rice. For those who aren’t familiar with them, Ricky Skaggs and Tony Rice were (and are) two of the biggest names in bluegrass and related music styles in the 1980’s, and recorded this song together. It’s about the singer’s lost (i.e. dead) love, how he misses her, but has the happiest, jauntiest melody you can imagine.
I don’t know how happy it really is, but “Another Tricky Day” by The Who never fails to pick me up when I’m in a funk.
“Top of the World” by the Carpenters
“Happy Girl” by Martina McBride
walking on sunshine… it makes me sick each time I hear it… it’s toooooo happy…
LOL!!! I was having a fairly crappy day, but that definitely made me laugh! I’m gonna throw in my two cents and say “Shiny Happy People” by REM, and “We Didn’t Start the Fire” by Billy Joel.
Not that the lyrics are anything I can intellectually endorse, but there’s something about Centerfold by the J. Geils Band that makes me want to jump up and prance around the room!
Not that the lyrics are anything I can intellectually endorse, but there’s something about Centerfold by the J. Geils Band that makes me want to jump up and prance around the room!
Why is this always happening to me? 
For me the happiest sounding song/dismal lyrics winner is “I Used to Love Her (But I had to Kill Her)” by Guns n’ Roses. Absolutely dreadful lyrics which detail the title premise, but you can’t help snapping your fingers to it!
Pash
Pretty much the whole Cosmic Thing album by The B-52’s, but especially Love Shack and Roam.
What’s that soaring instrumental number by the Allman Brothers? You know the one. Is it Jessica?
Rock This Town by The Stray Cats.
What I Like About You - The Romantics.
Don’t Get Me Wrong - The Pretenders.
Settin’ the Woods on Fire - Hank Williams.
Twistin’ By the Pool - Dire Straits.
Oh Boy - Buddy Holly.
O Pretty Woman - Roy Orbison.
Surfin’ Bird - The Trashmen.
Three Little Birds - Bob Marley.
All Shook Up - Elvis
Great Balls of Fire - Jerry Lee Lewis
Am I the only one who thinks that Shiny Happy People, especially in light of the tone of the rest of the album, is bitterly, bitterly sarcastic?
Somebody has to mention Happy Happy Joy Joy from Ren and Stimpy.
But Jonathan Richman is the king of happy songs:
Roadrunner
Hey There, Little Insect
Here Come the Martian Martians
Government Center
lots more.
“I Only Want to Be with You”–Hootie and the Blowfish
“The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy)” again
“Sherry Darling”, “Ramrod” --Bruce Springsteen
Buona Sera - Louis Prima
September - Earth, Wind, and Fire
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da - The Beatles
La Bamba - Richie Valens
On the contrary. I heard an interview with Michael Stipe once and he said he didn’t intend any irony at all. He really does like people like that.
I will add Jump, Jive, and Wail by Louis Prima. Hell, just about anything I’ve ever heard by Louis Prima.
I’ve never heard the original by Donovan, but Sarah McLachlan’s version of Wear Your Love Like Heaven puts me in my happy place.
The Choice is Yours by Black Sheep is a pretty sure-fire way to get me making a joyful ass-wiggle unto the Lord, but that may just be me.
Also, and if any of you tell anyone I said this I’ll deny it, I absolutely fucking love Walking on Sunshine.
For greatest music/lyrics dichotomy I’d have to say “My Daddy’s Dream-time Lullaby”, recorded by the Coon-Sanders Orchestra in 1924. The lyrics are all about how this little boy and his mother miss his late father, but they’re set to a peppy dance tune!
Runner-up: Rudy Vallee’s recording of “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?”
Bob Marley- Three Little Birds*
Van Morrison makes a lot of happy songs. My favorite is Tupelo Honey
Beck’s Where Its At is pure fun.
Bob Mould - See a Little Light is a happy in the face of possible sadness song, very upbeat.
Echo and the Bunnymen - Lips like Sugar happy ode to love
sorry about coding - just woke up!
Well I’ll be damned. You sure he wasn’t just telling an outrageous lie? 