Secular songs of communal joy
August 17, 2012 8:48 AM Subscribe
Secular songs of communal joy?
For our purposes, "communal" requires more than just a number of people dancing in the same location. So Martha & The Vandellas's "Dancing In The Street" would qualify, since people are dancing "everywhere around the world", but Sam Cooke's "Twistin' The Night Away" would not qualify, since it only involves "a place up-a New York way".
Similarly, The Young Rascals's "Groovin'" would qualify, since it involves "All the happy people we could meet", while The Drifters's "Under The Boardwalk" would not qualify, since despite "the happy sounds of the carousel", no one but the narrator and his baby are specifically identified as having a good time.
For our purposes, "communal" requires more than just a number of people dancing in the same location. So Martha & The Vandellas's "Dancing In The Street" would qualify, since people are dancing "everywhere around the world", but Sam Cooke's "Twistin' The Night Away" would not qualify, since it only involves "a place up-a New York way".
Similarly, The Young Rascals's "Groovin'" would qualify, since it involves "All the happy people we could meet", while The Drifters's "Under The Boardwalk" would not qualify, since despite "the happy sounds of the carousel", no one but the narrator and his baby are specifically identified as having a good time.
Celebration by Kool & the Gang. There is the line "There's a party going on right here" but on the other hand "everyone around the world / come on", so I think it fits your criteria.
posted by jedicus at 8:57 AM on August 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by jedicus at 8:57 AM on August 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
Does it have to be dancing? "Freude, schöner Götterfunken" meets your criterion.
posted by Philosopher Dirtbike at 8:57 AM on August 17, 2012
posted by Philosopher Dirtbike at 8:57 AM on August 17, 2012
The Grateful Dead have a lot of these - two that come to mind are "Scarlet Begonias" and "The Music Never Stopped."
posted by Daily Alice at 8:58 AM on August 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Daily Alice at 8:58 AM on August 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
Kool and the Gang's "Celebration" is pretty much the standard for this genre of song, the "let's come together and have a party" song.
Sam Cooke's "Having a Party" might also fit.
posted by inturnaround at 8:59 AM on August 17, 2012
Sam Cooke's "Having a Party" might also fit.
posted by inturnaround at 8:59 AM on August 17, 2012
Response by poster: Does it have to be dancing?
No, not at all. For example: "Groovin'" involves no dancing.
However, "Ode to Joy" invokes deities and so is not secular.
posted by Egg Shen at 9:02 AM on August 17, 2012
No, not at all. For example: "Groovin'" involves no dancing.
However, "Ode to Joy" invokes deities and so is not secular.
posted by Egg Shen at 9:02 AM on August 17, 2012
Oh, also "One More Saturday Night".
posted by Daily Alice at 9:05 AM on August 17, 2012
posted by Daily Alice at 9:05 AM on August 17, 2012
O'Jays, "Love Train"
posted by Dixon Ticonderoga at 9:11 AM on August 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Dixon Ticonderoga at 9:11 AM on August 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
"Holiday" by Madonna!
(Although this song is routinely played at the mall at Chrsitmas as though it were a Christmas song, WTF.)
posted by Violet Hour at 9:15 AM on August 17, 2012
(Although this song is routinely played at the mall at Chrsitmas as though it were a Christmas song, WTF.)
posted by Violet Hour at 9:15 AM on August 17, 2012
John Lennon's "Imagine" is aggressively secular.
posted by Dixon Ticonderoga at 9:16 AM on August 17, 2012
posted by Dixon Ticonderoga at 9:16 AM on August 17, 2012
Because the Night by Patti Smith Group
posted by zoomorphic at 9:17 AM on August 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by zoomorphic at 9:17 AM on August 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
However, "Ode to Joy" invokes deities and so is not secular.
It invokes deities as a poetic device. I don't see why that would disqualify it from being secular.
posted by Philosopher Dirtbike at 9:23 AM on August 17, 2012
It invokes deities as a poetic device. I don't see why that would disqualify it from being secular.
posted by Philosopher Dirtbike at 9:23 AM on August 17, 2012
Not sure if C&C Music Factory's Everybody Dance Now works. Technically they just want people to get on the dance floor (does my living room qualify as my own private dance floor?). But we also have the lyrics "Everybody over here, everybody over there" - a little vague. But since the interpretation is vague and left up to the listener as to where "here" and "there" is, I think this qualifies.
posted by raztaj at 9:37 AM on August 17, 2012
posted by raztaj at 9:37 AM on August 17, 2012
Ow pretty ladies, around the world... Cameo's "Word Up" makes me happy. (Here's the gloomy version.)
posted by The corpse in the library at 9:42 AM on August 17, 2012
posted by The corpse in the library at 9:42 AM on August 17, 2012
Jump by House of Pain?
Love Shack by the B-52s. They've got them a car and it's as big as a whale!
Also, it's not explicitly about partying, but Legion of Superheroes' The Great Namedropper pts 1 and 2.
posted by mippy at 9:49 AM on August 17, 2012
Love Shack by the B-52s. They've got them a car and it's as big as a whale!
Also, it's not explicitly about partying, but Legion of Superheroes' The Great Namedropper pts 1 and 2.
posted by mippy at 9:49 AM on August 17, 2012
Also, not sure if it's exactly secular from memory, but The Isley Brothers Harvest For The World ('gather every man, gather every woman, celebrate your life, give thanks for your children'). The verses aren't that joyful though, given that they're asking when the harvest will come.
posted by mippy at 9:51 AM on August 17, 2012
posted by mippy at 9:51 AM on August 17, 2012
The Beatles have a lot of songs with this vibe: All Together Now, All You Need is Love, The Word... (The Word might be an interesting borderline case: there are obvious religious undertones, but it could actually be seen as an attempt to take religious ideas and make them secular. It is communal, since they're sing about wanting to generally spread love around.)
John Lennon - Instant Karma (Definitely communal, though "karma" might be too religious for you.)
Prince - 1999 ("We could all die any day" -- implying that we should all dance the night away in light of this realization.)
The Kinks - Everybody's Gonna Be Happy
The Apples in Stereo - Energy
posted by John Cohen at 9:54 AM on August 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
John Lennon - Instant Karma (Definitely communal, though "karma" might be too religious for you.)
Prince - 1999 ("We could all die any day" -- implying that we should all dance the night away in light of this realization.)
The Kinks - Everybody's Gonna Be Happy
The Apples in Stereo - Energy
posted by John Cohen at 9:54 AM on August 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
Badlands - Bruce Springsteen
Jump - Van Halen
Soul Man - The Blues Brothers
Both Sides Now - Judy Collins
posted by jgirl at 10:06 AM on August 17, 2012
Jump - Van Halen
Soul Man - The Blues Brothers
Both Sides Now - Judy Collins
posted by jgirl at 10:06 AM on August 17, 2012
Also:
The Carpenters - "Sing" ("Let the world sing along")
The Jacksons - "Enjoy Yourself"
Josh Rouse - "Love Vibration"
Lady Gaga - "Born this Way",
Stevie Wonder - "Sir Duke" a lot of first person, but I think the communal celebratory message is clear
Sly and the Family Stone - "Everyday People"
posted by raztaj at 10:20 AM on August 17, 2012
The Carpenters - "Sing" ("Let the world sing along")
The Jacksons - "Enjoy Yourself"
Josh Rouse - "Love Vibration"
Lady Gaga - "Born this Way",
Stevie Wonder - "Sir Duke" a lot of first person, but I think the communal celebratory message is clear
Sly and the Family Stone - "Everyday People"
posted by raztaj at 10:20 AM on August 17, 2012
Some generic "everybodies", some specifically global and most of dubious quality:
ELO - (Party) All Over The World
Status Quo - Rockin' All Over The World
Dave Stewart - Everybody All Around the World (Join the Celebration)
5ive - Everybody Get Up
C&C Music Factory - Everbody Dance Now
US 3 - Come On Everybody
^ definitely Instant Karma: "We all shine on like the moon and the stars and the sun"
Only now realised that Bob Marley's One Love (Let's Get Together and Feel All Right) is as just about as gospel-ly as it gets.
posted by kreestar at 11:38 AM on August 17, 2012
ELO - (Party) All Over The World
Status Quo - Rockin' All Over The World
Dave Stewart - Everybody All Around the World (Join the Celebration)
5ive - Everybody Get Up
C&C Music Factory - Everbody Dance Now
US 3 - Come On Everybody
^ definitely Instant Karma: "We all shine on like the moon and the stars and the sun"
Only now realised that Bob Marley's One Love (Let's Get Together and Feel All Right) is as just about as gospel-ly as it gets.
posted by kreestar at 11:38 AM on August 17, 2012
Daft Punk - One More Time (I like the Alive 2007 version best -- listen to the whole crowd sing it!)
posted by vorfeed at 1:37 PM on August 17, 2012
posted by vorfeed at 1:37 PM on August 17, 2012
You might want to check out the book Rise Up Singing. It has a "good times" chapter and "Unity" chapter. But, this is folky, sing-along stuff and I'm not sure if that's what you're looking for.
posted by vespabelle at 2:22 PM on August 17, 2012
posted by vespabelle at 2:22 PM on August 17, 2012
Utopia - One World
Todd Rundgren - I Love My Life (lyrics, if you want to confirm whether it meets the communal criterion - I think it does, but YMMV)
Great question!
posted by kristi at 6:35 PM on August 17, 2012
Todd Rundgren - I Love My Life (lyrics, if you want to confirm whether it meets the communal criterion - I think it does, but YMMV)
Great question!
posted by kristi at 6:35 PM on August 17, 2012
Pop Musik - M
Everybody's Free (To Feel Good) - Rozalla
Brand New Day - from The Wiz
posted by SisterHavana at 7:57 PM on August 18, 2012
Everybody's Free (To Feel Good) - Rozalla
Brand New Day - from The Wiz
posted by SisterHavana at 7:57 PM on August 18, 2012
I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (not the version from an ad for a sugary soft drink).
posted by booth at 11:33 AM on August 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by booth at 11:33 AM on August 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by muddgirl at 8:54 AM on August 17, 2012