Happy music is when you start shakin something automatically

December 2, 2004 8:48 AM

I'm soliciting your recommendations for happy music. What gives you that carpe diem, joie de vivre, dancing-around-the-living-room-and-singing-into-a-rolled-up-magazine feeling? Suggestions for whole albums preferred to individual songs, but as long as we're doing this thread go ahead and suggest singles too for posterity's sake.

I'll start us off by saying the B52s do some pretty happy-go-lucky stuff.

posted by orange swan to media & arts (88 comments total)

Kinda corny, but I always loved Paul Simon's Graceland.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 8:55 AM on December 2, 2004 [1 favorite]

I like to listen to old cowboy tunes from the 20's and 30's, like the Sons of the Pioneers.
posted by skwm at 8:56 AM on December 2, 2004

Junior Senior's d-d-don't don't stop the beat album is a good buzz from start to finish.

Download the fantastic video for ther hit 'Move Your Feet' here. Pixelated fun. Infectious tune. Quicktime 5mb.

Don't be put off by the Cheers music at the download page.
posted by kenaman at 8:58 AM on December 2, 2004

Piebald's "If It Wasn't For Venetian Blinds..." Not happy all the time, but so catchy and anthemic that it's very hard not to pump your fists and sing along to every song.
posted by saladin at 9:06 AM on December 2, 2004

For geek-a-riffic happiness, nothing beats They Might Be Giants. Try their Clock Radio.
posted by LarryC at 9:08 AM on December 2, 2004

This'll sound weird, but you should check out Roger Miller, the old-timey country guy best known for "King of the Road." The guy's songs are hilariousand surreal, and he can do some crazy things with his voice.

Highlights would include "You Can't Roller Skate in a Buffalo Herd" (an entire song full of very true statements), "Lou's Got the Flu," "Chug-A-Lug," "My Uncle Used to Love Me But She Died," "Reincarnation," and "Jason Flemming."
posted by COBRA! at 9:09 AM on December 2, 2004

Peter Gabriel's "Solsbury Hill" works every time.
posted by GeekAnimator at 9:11 AM on December 2, 2004

LarryC beat me to TMBG, but Flood is also a fine, fine album.
posted by ..ooOOoo....ooOOoo.. at 9:12 AM on December 2, 2004

The compilation Pop American Style never fails to put a smile on my face.
posted by banjo_and_the_pork at 9:13 AM on December 2, 2004

Moxy Frouvous' Bargainville.
posted by bondcliff at 9:15 AM on December 2, 2004

Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. Makes you really wanna sing along.
posted by icontemplate at 9:19 AM on December 2, 2004

Tangle Eye, Alan Lomax's Southern Journey: Tangle Eye, "Soldier" and "Holler"

Fatboy Slim, Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars, "Weapon of Choice" and "Mad Flava"

Dead Milkmen, Beezlebubba

Nina Simone, "Feelin Good"

Devo, Greatest Hits, "Whip It" and "Peek-a-Boo"

The Cars, Greatest Hits, "Good Times Roll" and "Just What I Needed"

Second/Third/Whatever'd TMBG and Graceland
posted by robocop is bleeding at 9:23 AM on December 2, 2004

If you like that Sons of the Pioneers stuff, look into the group called Asleep at the Wheel, especially the album Ride with Bob.

Concerto for a Rainy Day by Electric Light Orchestra, which is an album side of 4 songs on their album Out of the Blue. It starts out rainy, sure, but climaxes with the inanely happy Mr. Blue Sky (includes a link to listen to the song).

I'm Walkin' On Sunshine by Katrina & the Waves.

Right By Your Side by the Eurhythmics.

Beethoven's Ninth Symphony: Ode to Joy.
posted by Doohickie at 9:27 AM on December 2, 2004

the Smoking Popes Born to Quit and Hepcat's Right on Time were the first two I thought of.
posted by Ufez Jones at 9:28 AM on December 2, 2004

Any old Poi Dog Pondering CD, Like "Wishing Like a Mountain". Any good Zydeco or Louisiana swing band, but particularly the Red Stick Ramblers because I have junior-high giddy crushes on half the band.
posted by pomegranate at 9:29 AM on December 2, 2004

Jem's Finally Woken
Nearly any record by the Push Kings; here are sample tracks Sunday on the West Side and European Dreams on insound).
posted by pedantic at 9:29 AM on December 2, 2004

I don't know what you kids are listening to these days but for this old fogey happy is: early Sly & the Family Stone.
posted by TimeFactor at 9:33 AM on December 2, 2004

Danielson Famile. They're an incredibly strange christian band involving high-school band instrumentation and falsetto singing. There are really only two possible responses to it: "What the hell is this shit?", or "What the hell is this shit and why do I like it so much?"

Also, a completely different kind of happy, but Goldfrapp's "Utopia" simultaneously gives me chills and a warm fuzzy feeling every time I listen to it.
posted by squidlarkin at 9:35 AM on December 2, 2004

Also Bob Wills & the Texas Playboys. A happy, swingin', good time, Texas style.
posted by TimeFactor at 9:37 AM on December 2, 2004

The single piece of music that brightens my day more than anything is ELO's "Mr Blue Sky."

The second single piece of music that brightens my day more than anything is Stevie Wonder's "Sir. Duke." How can you hear those horns and not feel good about life?

For happy albums, I have very few good sources, as I tend to prefer music that makes me feel miserable. When I am happy, sometimes I will play my Ramones Anthology, Bee Thousand and Alien Lanes from Guided By Voices make me happy. Very Emergency from the Promise Ring puts me in good spirits (as, you know, "Happiness is all the Rage"). Sunflower (from the Beach Boys) and its vanilla soul make me happy ("You got so much SOUL you blow my mind!"). Weezer's debut is happy music for me.

Oh, and though I found it via a good review on Pitchfork, the new album from Annie (Anniemal - best title ever), is so so so so good, and fun, and happy, and everything Gwen's solo debut should have been.
posted by Quartermass at 9:46 AM on December 2, 2004

There are a lot of Talking Heads songs that make me happy.

And Richard Cheese does lounge versions of angry songs that also put me in a good mood.
posted by jefeweiss at 9:49 AM on December 2, 2004

Dvorak's New World Symphony
The Beatles' Martha My Dear from the White Album
General Public's Tenderness
And I'll second Sly and the Family Stone, especially the stuff they did at Woodstock!
posted by sophie at 9:52 AM on December 2, 2004

ABBA's greatest hits!
posted by widdershins at 9:52 AM on December 2, 2004

songs:
the jackson 5 - i want you back
the beach boys - i get around
bill haley - rock around the clock
outkast - happy valentines day
phasmid - her friend the blue star(silver sleigh song remix by snospray)
ilkae - setzer remix
sam sham & the pharaohs - wooly bully

i don't find many albums that are happy all the way through very enjoyable. usually a really good album has happy moments, but i wouldn't call the whole thing happy. good albums like these:

of montreal - satanic panic in the attic
the beach boys - pet sounds
the new pornographers - mass romantic

on preview: for me the stevie wonder tracks are uptight (everythings alright) and superstition
posted by too many notes at 9:52 AM on December 2, 2004

Not that there aren't some slow spots in each, but these are some of random favorite "upper" albums/tracks:

Saint Etienne - Too Young to Die (tracks: "Nothing Can Stop Us," "Hug My Soul")

The Pogues - If I Should Fall From Grace With God (title track, "Bottle of Smoke")

The Clash - London Calling (gotta listen the whole way through, peaks at "I'm Not Down")

Pharoah Sanders, "Karma" ("The Creator Has A Master Plan")

Cypress Hill, "Cypress Hill" (tracks 1-4 in a row)
posted by thirdparty at 9:58 AM on December 2, 2004

Early bebop.

Dizzy Gillespie's "Groovin' High" (personal favorite track: the delirious, silly "Oop Bop Sh'bam". )

Charlie Parker's "Now's The Time."
posted by enrevanche at 10:02 AM on December 2, 2004

"Graceland" is a remarkably sad album to me... no accounting for taste, I guess.

For happy, there's "Stupidly Happy," "Rocket from a Bottle", "We're All Light", and many others from XTC.

"Waiting for Columbus" by Little Feat is tough to listen to without smiling...

(just off the top of my head...)
posted by fingers_of_fire at 10:03 AM on December 2, 2004

honestly, nothing gets me dancing around like hooked on classics. very pathetic, i know, but there's something addictive to those pseudo-remixes.

some non-embarrasing albums:
barenaked ladies- gordon
the i am sam soundtrack
the moulin rouge soundrack
anything broadway
and ditto for moxy fruvous' bargainville.
posted by wallaby at 10:04 AM on December 2, 2004

Great Big Sea's Road Rage CD. Awesome live music.
posted by carabiner at 10:06 AM on December 2, 2004

The single piece of music that brightens my day more than anything is ELO's "Mr Blue Sky."

And I thought I was uniqe.... I bought the album when it came out (I was in middle school), and played it until it didn't play no more. I still have it, but it's a lot of snap-crackle-pop.
posted by Doohickie at 10:36 AM on December 2, 2004

some non-embarrasing albums:
...anything broadway

We must hang with different kinds of crowds...
posted by Doohickie at 10:37 AM on December 2, 2004 [1 favorite]

For me, for the last couple years, it's been Ted Leo.
posted by leecifer at 10:39 AM on December 2, 2004

Nobody's yet mentioned Frank Sinatra. My friends and I have gone on many a drive around the back streets listening to Ol' Blue Eyes when there was nothing else to do.
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 10:40 AM on December 2, 2004

Queen Greatest Hits. Second that Sinatra suggestion too. Surprised nobody's mentioned those two above.
posted by still at 10:47 AM on December 2, 2004

So Orange Swan are you making us all a CD for Christmas?
posted by pomegranate at 11:35 AM on December 2, 2004

All of these albums pick me up. Not all the lyrical themes are happy, but in general the music is.*

Le Tigre: Le Tigre
New Order: Substance
The Buzzcocks: Singles Going Steady
Hey Mercedes: Everynight Fireworks
McLusky: McLusky Do Dallas
Elvis Costello: This Year's Model
Joe Jackson: Look Sharp!
Murder City Devils: Empty Bottles, Broken Hearts
Heavenly: Operation Heavenly
7 Seconds: Walk Together, Rock Together
Beastie Boys: Paul's Boutique
Cheap Trick: Cheap Trick
Citizen Fish: Wider than a Postcard
Dag Nasty: Four on the Floor
Guided By Voices: Alien Lanes
Komeda: What makes it Go?
Liars: They Threw Us All In A Trench And Stuck A Monument On Top
Pavement: Slanted & Enchanted
The Specials: The Specials

* with some exceptions, particularly with the "last song" phenomenon: where the album is a rocker except for the last song where the band shows it can emote with a downbeat.
posted by safetyfork at 11:51 AM on December 2, 2004

Right pomegranate... and I'm going to fly down your respective chimneys Christmas night and leave it under the tree:-)

Don't worry about being cheesy, people. I'm so hard to suit and hypercritical in a number of areas (books, art, clothes, movies, men) that I decided years ago that music was going to be the one area where I was just going to wallow.
posted by orange swan at 11:52 AM on December 2, 2004

Niceness (mp3) (via)
posted by Otis at 11:52 AM on December 2, 2004

Check out Channel Light Vessel's "Everything Everywhere" if you can find it. New Age Perky, scary as it may sound.
posted by frallyth at 11:54 AM on December 2, 2004

the beach boys - pet sounds

Oh god - that is one of my favorite albums of.all.time., but it depresses the hell out of me. I don't know - I find the album so sad. "Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)," "God Only Knows," and "Caroline No?" would go on my "sad songs" list. The only really happy song on that album is "Sloop John B," and that song was tacked on by the record company, and even then - "this is the worst trip / I've ever been on".
posted by Quartermass at 11:55 AM on December 2, 2004

I'll third Mr. Blue Sky by ELO and also recommend Dressy Bessy, Polyphonic Spree, and Apples in Stereo.
posted by hootch at 11:57 AM on December 2, 2004

Amen on Jem's Finally Woken, with the addendum of portions of Dave Matthews Band's Crash, notably "Two Step," "So Much to Say," and "Lie in Our Graves."
posted by waldo at 11:59 AM on December 2, 2004

This is a totally subjective topic - someone mentioned the Barenaked Ladies' Gordon album, for instance. I have that album and love it, but "What a Good Boy", "Wrap Your Arms Around Me", and "Blame It On Me" were a integral part of a rocky relationship and subsequent break up play list for me once upon a time.
posted by orange swan at 12:09 PM on December 2, 2004

Nothing gets my ass jumping like Candido - The Thousand Finger Man. Trust me, put this on and you got an instant party.
posted by pwb503 at 12:10 PM on December 2, 2004

my all time favorite album, filled with 3 min pop songy goodness is, The Lemonheads "Its A Shame About Ray" ...oh so good....always makes me run around singing along.
posted by ShawnString at 12:10 PM on December 2, 2004

oh and let add...juliana hatfield (who does some background vox on this) has the most beautiful voice on the planet. just listen to "buddy"
it breaks my heart EVERY time!
posted by ShawnString at 12:14 PM on December 2, 2004

4th for Mr. Blue Sky.
Todd Rundgren's Bang on the Drum.
Groove Is In The Heart, Dee-Lite.
The Good Life. Weezer.
New Sensation, INXS.
Sir Duke, Stevie Wonder.
Wild Night, John Cougar Mellencamp.
A bunch of songs on the latest Blue Man Group album.
I Want To Break Free, Queen.
Under Pressure, Bowie and Queen.
Sunday Morning, No Doubt.
posted by gramcracker at 12:16 PM on December 2, 2004

Larry C that They Might Be Giants Clock Radio thingie is the COOLIEST! Quirky weird TMBG flavored online radio makes work very, very happy. Excellent.
posted by pomegranate at 12:18 PM on December 2, 2004

Django Reinhardt & Stephane Grappelli, Parisian Swing.
posted by kenko at 12:22 PM on December 2, 2004

Sublime, Prince, Manu Chao (Bongo Bong), Shakira (Estoy Aqui) When in Rome (The Promise), Cake and Franz Ferdinand have some great sing-along music.
oh, and Michael Jackson – nothing can prevent me from singing along to Billie Jean, or dancing to Smooth Criminal. Not even criminal charges.
posted by finallymarki at 12:28 PM on December 2, 2004

The first couple of Style Council albums, Cafe Bleu and Our Favourite Shop, have some incredibly chirpy, swinging tunes that never fail to get me dancing around the living room. Their singles collection, The Singular Adventures, often does the trick as well. So does the ABC "best of" collection, as well as any of the first several Madness records. Also, They Might Be Giants' first record makes me grin like an idiot. And, um, dare I admit it... but the Bay City Rollers' greatest hits is really, really fun.
posted by scody at 12:31 PM on December 2, 2004

For joie de vivre, I strongly recommend that you try Les Sans Culottes. Absolutely the greatest fake French rock band in the history of the world. One of their singers kept a Slate diary for a week a while back.

C'est impossible de les écouter sans sourit.
posted by coelecanth at 12:39 PM on December 2, 2004

D'oh! I can't believe I forgot the Stone Roses self-titled debut -- a record that frequently makes me feel as if I am soaring across the sky and could take on the whole world with one hand tied behind my back. (I am the resurrection, I tell you! And I am the light!)
posted by scody at 12:42 PM on December 2, 2004

My iPod isn't working right now, so in my car I only have London Calling by The Clash on cassette. When Those opening stabs of the title track start, I get happier. When the first notes of Spanish bombs hit, I get happier. Everything in between is good, good, good, but I love those two songs.
posted by rfordh at 12:47 PM on December 2, 2004

Electric Six - Fire. It can't help but make me happy and bouncy and stupid.
posted by aspo at 1:00 PM on December 2, 2004

Manu Chao - King of the Bongo

Sing-a-long-a-goodness!

The album's great too, especially if you like making the lyrics up as you go along. I think you'd need to be quadralingual to get the lyrics of every tune.
posted by davehat at 1:12 PM on December 2, 2004

Shooglenifty, an upbeat kind of celtic live techno jazz fusion. Really great stuff, and an amazing live show. I recommend the albums Solar Shears and The Arms Dealer's Daughter. Albums can be ordered off their site.
posted by The White Hat at 1:38 PM on December 2, 2004

Beethoven's symphony No. 3, Eroica, but, oddly enough not his 9th symphony, Ode to Joy. Practically any of moe.'s live sets. And the song Blackberry Brandy by the Ominous Seapods never fails.
posted by euphorb at 1:40 PM on December 2, 2004

Beat Farmers, "Happy Boy"

KC and the Sunshine Band, "Give It Up"

Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na
Baby give it up
Give it up
Baby, give it up

The opening chords of The Connells' "Slackjawed" and "Stone Cold Yesterday" (two great album-opening songs) always make me happy, even though the the lyrics aren't happy. (Similarly, The Housemartins' "Happy Hour" is very happy, but only if, like with most Housemartins/Beautiful South songs, you don't listen to the lyrics.)
posted by kirkaracha at 1:48 PM on December 2, 2004

Flat Earth Society's Isms made me very happy.
posted by kenko at 2:22 PM on December 2, 2004

Supergrass! They just released a brilliant compilation cd. [cue piano] "We are young, we run green/Keep our teeth nice and clean/See our friends, see the sights/Feel alright"
posted by swordfishtrombones at 2:39 PM on December 2, 2004

."St. Paul's Cathedral" - Trembling Blue Stars
."Stem" - Hayden
."Jumpstart" - Hang Ups
.Regina Spektor
.All Over The Land - Syrup USA
.The GoGos!
.that cover, "You Can Have It All" - Yo La Tengo
.i don't know exactly why, but a lot of Pavement exudes a goofy joy both in lyrics and music.
posted by ifjuly at 2:40 PM on December 2, 2004

The Husker Du "Eight Miles High" 7-inch makes me extremely happy.
posted by majick at 2:40 PM on December 2, 2004

oh yeah, and Poole, a very underrated 90s power pop band (which is saying a lot, as almost all power pop was underrated). and Tommy Keene.
posted by ifjuly at 2:41 PM on December 2, 2004

It ain't called SMiLE for nothing.

Oh also... the song with my favorite title of all time: Beulah's "If We Can Land on the Moon, Surely I Can Win Your Heart."
posted by drpynchon at 2:46 PM on December 2, 2004

Instrumental, horn-driven Sesame Street-type music: Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass - "Greatest Hits"

Improbably bouncy and gleeful electronic music: Mouse On Mars - "Niun Niggung"

Just plain happy music: Harry Nilsson's "The Point" and "Nilsson Schmilsson"

And I'll second Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, particularly "Are A Drag."
posted by flod at 2:51 PM on December 2, 2004

Esquivel is always fun to listen to!
posted by glyphlet at 3:05 PM on December 2, 2004

Some good suggestions here.

Hearty agreement for weezer's blue album (but gramcracker: The Good Life, a happy song?), and SMiLE. Oh, glorious SMiLE.

I'll add My Bloody Valentine's Loveless. The sound of the record is just so warm and pleasing, it always makes me feel good. Also:

The Shins - Oh Inverted World
Sondre Lerche - Two Way Monologue
The Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin
posted by ludwig_van at 3:06 PM on December 2, 2004

What a thoughtful and eclectic line-up so far. To it I'd add, At Worst...the Best of Boy George and the Culture Club Band -- the whole CD, especially tracks like Karma Chameleon and I'll Tumble 4 Ya (but note: for your purposes, skip over selections like "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" or "The Crying Game.")

I also hate myself for digging the rude, sexist, homophobic stylings of Mr. Eminem (The Eminem Show, Slim Shady, and other albums). But I have to admit, when i'm a little down, the boy's rhyming skill and beats make me smile and stomp energetically around my apartment, despite myself.

Did no one mention Elvis Presley?
posted by jellybuzz at 3:42 PM on December 2, 2004

69 comments and I can't believe that no-one's mentioned the Pixies. Doolittle and Trompe Le Monde always leave me with a gigantic grin on my face; and I just listened to Copper Blue by Sugar for the first time in about five years, which has pretty much the same effect.
posted by Len at 3:49 PM on December 2, 2004

Fat Boy Slim, Half Way Between The Gutter and the Stars.
posted by rainbaby at 3:57 PM on December 2, 2004

69 comments and I can't believe that no-one's mentioned the Pixies.

Good call.
posted by ludwig_van at 4:12 PM on December 2, 2004

Nobody has yet mentioned the gloriousness that is The Polyphonic Spree either.
Also
Sumday by Grandaddy
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots by The Flaming Lips
The Scissor Sisters
Sun Q by IQU is really great as well.
Madvillany by Madvillan makes me smile too.
(also I second the votes for the Pixies, The Shins and Smile.)
Oh yeah and The Postal Service too.
posted by Restlessavenger at 4:27 PM on December 2, 2004

Oh, and after reading the jazz thread up there ^^^ I have to add Charles Mingus's Haitian Fight Song (It's on The Clown, all of which is amazing.) And then there's the Pentangle's cover of the same. And Angie, by Bert Jansch.
posted by Len at 4:31 PM on December 2, 2004

"Don't you Worry 'Bout a Thing" by Stevie Wonder makes me happier than any song EVAR
posted by tristeza at 4:41 PM on December 2, 2004

I was in Central Market the other day; the PA had Roy Orbison singing "Pretty Woman". I realized I was doing that lipsync/half-singing thing and looked around to see who was watching me being a dork. Everyone around me was tapping on their carts, singing along, bobbing their heads and probably not realizing it. That song must be in our DNA by now.

Other candidates: La Bamba by Richie Valens, Rock and Roll is King or Hold on Tight by ELO, Stop the Rock by Apollo 440.
posted by joaquim at 4:55 PM on December 2, 2004

I second Sinatra. Although many rate his downbeat Wee Small Hours of the Morning, as his best, my favorite is the very uptempo (but embararassingly named) Songs for Swinging Lovers. Often a walking workout with strong women on the Walkman will really get me pumped, Aretha, Janis, or Etta James.
posted by marsha56 at 4:56 PM on December 2, 2004

A German A'cappella band calld Die Prinzen. Their website is down right now, but some of their pop is so catchy that it doesn't matter I speak almost no German. Millionar, Mann Im Mond, and especially Ich Kanne Nicht Rappen are sure pick-me-ups.

Lots of Bluegrass works for me, too, especially the instrumental stuff. The vocals, when present, tend to be about love, death, and transportation, which can be unhappy topics.

Dixieland jazz is also great.
posted by weston at 5:47 PM on December 2, 2004

Edie Brickell - Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars makes me happy

but then, that's me.
posted by weretable and the undead chairs at 7:03 PM on December 2, 2004

All the great rockin' oldies like:
"Bad Moon Rising"
"Soul Man"
"Louie Louie"
"Help Me Rhonda"
"Brick House"
"(Make Me Want To) Shout"
"Bad, Bad LeRoy Brown"
"Wild Thing"
"Brown-Eyed Girl"
"Twisting the Night Away" or pretty much anything by Sam Cook

And I'll go way out there and say Cajun music makes me dance. I have a number of CDs but my favorite is: Alligator Stomp vol 2. It is crazy mad music that few people can resist.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 7:44 PM on December 2, 2004

The Incredible Moses Leroy. The Electric Pocket Radio album is fantastic with plenty of fun music, especially "It's A Sunday" which makes everything right in the world. Really.
posted by Apoch at 8:16 PM on December 2, 2004

Liquid Child
posted by Lynsey at 8:22 PM on December 2, 2004

Rodeohead!
posted by Dr. Zira at 9:01 PM on December 2, 2004

I forgot - George Michael: Faith, Freedom and Father Figure!
posted by sophie at 10:54 PM on December 2, 2004

"Like Humans Do", David Byrne
posted by Tufa at 12:32 AM on December 3, 2004

I'll also second ELO's "Mr. Blue Sky," but I also go ecstatic every time I hear their song "I'm Alive," which is from the Xanadu movie soundtrack (mediocre movie, yes, but great song.)
posted by Ironwolf at 3:58 AM on December 3, 2004

x+1th recommendation for Polyphonic Spree... They're like if the "i'd like to buy the world a coke" people got together and put out an album (well...a couple of albums now)

Also:

Singles
------
The Cure "Friday I'm In Love" + "Why Can't I Be You"
Prince "Let's Go Crazy"
most Wham!
Madness "Our House" (okay okay, I used to DJ 80s music, go easy on me)

Albums
-----
Anberlin "Blueprints for the Black Market"
early Madonna
I hear the new Gwen Stefani record is happy happy...

many, many more...
posted by softlord at 7:12 AM on December 3, 2004

For a pure joy-inducer - although maybe without the dancing - you can't beat

The 59th Street Bridge Song by Simon & Garfunkel

And for happy, pub-boozy, sing-along music, again without the dancing, I suggest

Lean on Me by Red Box (not a remake of the classic, different song altogether)

Although it's been overplayed to death in North America at least, Come on Eileen by Dexy's Midnight Runners definitely qualifies.

In the more-recent category it would be hard to leave out

Tubthumping by Chumbawamba
posted by lockedroomguy at 1:39 PM on October 14, 2005