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Informal music poll

Bookworm on Jun 04 2011 at 11:01 am | Filed under: Uncategorized

What’s the most joyous, happy piece of music you know? (And Beethoven’s Ode to Joy doesn’t count, because it’s too obvious.) The music can be any genre, such as classical, pop, country, etc.

I ask because, since I woke up, I’ve had the Black Eyed Peas “I got a feelin’” running through my head.* Why? Because the second line is “that tonight’s gonna be a good night.” I fully expect tonight to be a truly excellent night, since I’m going to the annual Battle of Midway Commemoration. I had so much fun last year, I would be very surprised if I didn’t have just as much fun this year.

The only slight problem this year is that, entirely unexpectedly for June, it’s raining cats and dogs. It’s hard to walk two blocks from a parking lot to a formal event in the pouring rain, and still arrive appearing well-groomed. I’ve been planning logistics, and they include wearing running shoes and a hat, and packing the heels and emergency make-up supplies. I hate arriving at a party bearing luggage, but I hate even more looking like something the cat dragged in.

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*I don’t consider this song the most joyous song I know, it’s just that it is an upbeat song and the lyrics are so appropriate to my feelings about today.

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36 Responses to “Informal music poll”

on 04 Jun 2011 at 11:57 am 1kali

Katrina and the Waves, Walking on Sunshine
on 04 Jun 2011 at 11:57 am 2kali

Or was also too obvious?
on 04 Jun 2011 at 12:00 pm 3kali

Arrgh.
Was *that* also too obvious?
on 04 Jun 2011 at 12:19 pm 4Rich0116

Mozart’s 41st Symphony, especially the final movement. It rises ever upwards and feels like you’re reaching towards the gates of heaven itself.
on 04 Jun 2011 at 12:38 pm 5Gringo

I was going to post Louis Armstrong doing “You Are My Lucky Star,” but YouTube has only a truncated version or a full version not available in the US for copyright versions.

Mahogany Hall Stomp will do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUChrvmmH8k

The First Movement from Beethoven’s Pastorale [#6] Symphony

SoCa music from Trinidad
on 04 Jun 2011 at 12:45 pm 6Tom A.

The “Hallelujah” chorus of Handel’s “Messiah.” One needn’t be a Christian, or even a theist, to appreciate its joyous, celebratory majesty.
on 04 Jun 2011 at 12:54 pm 7Alix

I love “Get Happy” by Judy Garland!
on 04 Jun 2011 at 1:15 pm 8Ymarsakar

Tears of the East, Philip Wesley.

Or Lia by Eufonius. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sj1rEF8A7yM
on 04 Jun 2011 at 1:57 pm 9Bookworm

My daughter suggested “Waving Flag” by K’Naan. She’s right too. It’s a pretty joyous song.
on 04 Jun 2011 at 2:08 pm 10DeweyfromDetroit

As odd as it seems, Grand Rapids Michigan chose “American Pie” as the happiest upbeat song to produce a response to being put on Newsweak’s “dying cities” list. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s here, and is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. It really is quite wonderful.

http://www.deweyfromdetroit.com/2011/06/grand-rapids-revisited-longer-gone-than.html
on 04 Jun 2011 at 2:15 pm 11SADIE

Triumphal March from Aida – not so much upbeat, but it makes for a grand entrance. You could strut into this evening’s festivities soaked to the bone barefoot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3w4I-KElxQ
on 04 Jun 2011 at 4:02 pm 12jj

Faure’s “Requiem.” There is a heaven, and you’re going there. Choice of three of the last four popes.
on 04 Jun 2011 at 4:35 pm 13Danny Lemieux

Three Dog Night – Shambala
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8bXs9Er3iw
on 04 Jun 2011 at 5:58 pm 14Danny Lemieux

Here’s another one: Walking in the Air, from the Snowman.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEWcOcX_AHQ&feature=related
Sung by Aled Jones, young and grown-up.
on 04 Jun 2011 at 6:04 pm 15dianemadeline

kali, that was the first song that popped into my head, and it makes me smile to know someone feels the same way!
on 04 Jun 2011 at 6:06 pm 16roylofquist

6. Tom A

Agreed about the Hallelujah chorus. I listened to it performed at Lincoln Hall in NYC. Unfortunately there were three hours of the whole damned Jewish and Christian Hymnal before it. And a bunch after it. No wonder the king stood up. It sounded like the end and he was anxious to get out of there.
on 04 Jun 2011 at 11:27 pm 17jnb

Maybe not THE most joyous song, but when I was much younger, it was one of my favorites and a favorite of everyone I knew (which is because I am old enough to remember the original)
Sumertime by the Jamies, a do-wop classic
on 04 Jun 2011 at 11:33 pm 18Indigo Red

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life http://youtu.be/WlBiLNN1NhQ
on 05 Jun 2011 at 1:19 am 19Bookworm

My evening fully lived up to my ridiculously high expectations. The joyous music you all suggested was right on the money. I’ll write more about my evening tomorrow.
on 05 Jun 2011 at 4:25 am 20zabrina

Benny Goodman: “Sing, Sing, Sing.” Joyous with a drive = very American. Also Lionel Hampton playing vibes on “Avalon” with Benny makes me feel joy.
on 05 Jun 2011 at 7:49 am 21Tonestaple

Beethoven’s Violin Concerto, preferably with Itzhak Perlman on the violin.

Alternately, Beethoven’s 7th Symphony, first movement.
on 05 Jun 2011 at 12:31 pm 22gbear

I’m glad your evening went well. I would suggest “Happy Feet” as sung by Paolo Conte.
on 05 Jun 2011 at 1:13 pm 23Richard Johnston

I’ll disclose my Parrothead status to recommend these joyous songs. Neither one has a particularly upbeat tempo, but they do have some joy to offer I think. This one takes me back to Isla Vista and carefree college days:

http://youtu.be/EqAc2T4wYpA

And this one’s a little more general but speaks to me as well:

http://youtu.be/YB64ox77yow
on 05 Jun 2011 at 1:47 pm 24Charles Martel

“Up on the Roof” by Carole King (Drifters’ version)

“Dancing in the Streets” (Martha and the Vandellas)
on 05 Jun 2011 at 5:49 pm 25Mike Devx

“Just Like Heaven” by the Cure, but only for the guitars. Pure bliss to me.
on 05 Jun 2011 at 6:12 pm 26Charles Martel

Mike, yes, great song. Gets to me every time I hear it.
on 05 Jun 2011 at 6:54 pm 27Caped Crusader

Louis Armstrong——-What A Wonderful World
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzJY96m3lkg
on 05 Jun 2011 at 7:53 pm 28Dagwood

Two minor pop/rock favorites that I consider to worth mentioning: The Turtles, “She’d Rather Be With Me” and Edison Lighthouse, “Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)”. Among classical pieces I’d add the Pachelbel canon.
on 05 Jun 2011 at 8:11 pm 29Gringo

Two votes for Satchmo. What can I say?
on 05 Jun 2011 at 8:26 pm 30Mike Devx

Dagwood,
When you listen to Pachelbel’s Canon, which performance do you prefer? There are so many variations out there.

I ran across this one just now on the web. Original composition, played apparently on “original instruments”.
The women are marvelous.
on 05 Jun 2011 at 8:27 pm 31Mike Devx

Hey, we’re getting video links displayed as embedded images in our comments. Wow. That’s a new twist.
on 05 Jun 2011 at 8:44 pm 32Charles Martel

Wow, what a treat. There are so many wonderful versions of the Canon in D. This one was superb. I also like the “fantastic version” by the London Symphony, I guess for its sheer power. The piece amazes me—there seems to be no end to the interpretatons, all so sweet, that people bring to it.
on 05 Jun 2011 at 8:48 pm 33Charles Martel

Hey, jnb, just noticed “Summertime.” What a great call! Thanks for listing it.

I grew up in Southern California and the Jamies were the first heavy eastern accents I’d ever heard on a pop record—”It’s sum, sum, summah time.” Loved it. The Jamies were one-hit wonders, but, boy, what a hit.
on 06 Jun 2011 at 1:18 am 34pmccarthy

Absolutely, without question, Evelyn Freeman’s (and the Exciting Voices) “Didn’t It Rain,” 1958. Find it and listen!
on 06 Jun 2011 at 1:28 am 35pmccarthy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jLOvkNRIB4&hd=1

Here is the link to Didn’t it Rain.
on 06 Jun 2011 at 7:21 pm 36Dagwood

Mike, my favorite is a version on a cheap cassette that I purchased over 30 years ago. The tempo is faster than most versions, and the performance is (at least to my untrained ear) very straightforward and simply presented. It was performed by the German Bach Soloists – Amazon has a few of the vinyls (Great Baroque Adagios). The version you posted is closer in tempo than almost any others I have heard. Thanks for sharing the YouTube.