Remarks:
This is one of those songs that helps me to wake up in the morning, but I cannot say I understand it. Not even later in the day. I am not sure if it is supposed to be bitterly sarcastic or what.
This song came out 20 years ago this month in America. It went to #10 on the American pop charts and across the Anglosphere as a whole. It is the last song of REM to reach the top ten in America. REM has only just now split up.
The woman singing is Kate Pierson of the B-52s.
Lyrics:
Shiny happy people laughing
Meet me in the crowd
People people
Throw your love around
Love me love me
Take it into town
Happy happy
Put it in the ground
Where the flowers grow
Gold and silver shine
Shiny happy people holding hands
Shiny happy people laughing
Everyone around love them, love them
Put it in your hands
Take it take it
There’s no time to cry
Happy happy
Put it in your heart
Where tomorrow shines
Gold and silver shine
Shiny happy people holding hands
Shiny happy people laughing
There were quite a few catchy tunes during that era. I think “Stand” was another tune I remember.
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I’ve always assumed it was bitterly sarcastic.
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Glass half full. I always took it for what it said. A good outlook will make your day better.
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Maybe if we keep singing, it’ll come true! It’s also the type of multi-generational song that parents can sing with their children as they drive to school in the morning to set the tone for the day. My son and I used sing Love Shack back in the day.
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Ha! This is one of my favorite songs. I feel really happy when I hear it and I love B52s and REM. Unfortunately REM has broken up : (
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I always liked this song. I always take it at face value, as far as the lyrics go.
For instance, the ‘gold and silver shine’ that is referred to has always reminded me of a little song my mom used to sing when I was younger:
“Make new friends
But keep the old
One is silver
And the other is gold!”
R.E.M. has a lot of great songs that I like…Stand, Losing My Religion, Everybody Hurts, Fall On Me…it’s a long list! 😎
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Heh…
The song (according to interviews given at the time of initial release) was based on the Chinese government’s reaction to the events at Tiananmen Square. To wit: the official reports from the govt’s media censorsImean advisors was that the “protesters” were actually “shiny happy people holding hands in the street” (AFAICT, the “shiny” part of the equation may have been a bad translation. )
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The put a man on the moon
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