I watch the Today Show each weekday morning and when this Grandma saw there was a study done on the ten happiest songs on earth, it brought a smile to my face. We all want happiness. Whatever can make us happy is of interest. I wanted to know which songs were selected. See the article on Today.com.
I was surprised at the list.
Songs Artist
Don’t Stop Me Now Remastered 2011 Queen 3:29
Dancing Queen Abba 3:50
Good Vibrations The Beach Boys 3:39
Uptown Girl Billy Joel 3:14
Eye Of The Tiger Survivor 4:03
I’m A Believer The Monkees 2:47
Girls Just Want To Have Fun Cyndi Lauper 3:58
Livin’ On A Prayer Bon Jovi 4:09
I actually had to go on YouTube to find the top song and listen to it, as I was unfamiliar with what was supposed to be the winner!
Then, I studied the study. It surveyed British adults! It was commissioned by a Dutch cognitive neuroscientist named Dr. Jacob Jolij. He determined the formula to use and is quoted as saying “the formula of what makes a happy song happy: “The pattern was very clear – the average tempo of a ‘feel good’-song was substantially higher than the average pop song. Where the average tempo of pop songs is around 118 BPM, the list of feel good songs had an average tempo of around 140 to 150 BPM.” Go to this website for an easy way to click and listen to all ten he chose:
So, as an American, and not one who understands tempo and beat and the scientific formula, I think that we could come up with a different list. Let’s do it with our grandchildren.
I think Happy by Pharrell Williams is one that each of our grandchildren would immediately mention. After all, they know the movie, Despicable Me 2, for which it was supposed to have been written and for which it was nominated for the Oscar, but lost to Frozen, “Let It Go.” The theme seems to be, at least according to some reviewers, that “when you believe in the power of love and happiness, nothing can bring you down.” See website:
Then I read that “Happy” by Pharrell Williams was a U.K. number one hit in 2013 . . . .and still did not make the top ten list of happy songs from British adults surveyed. If you look on the internet for “happy songs” it does appear as number one on many lists. Here is one list where it is number one and you will know most of the others:
There are lists, like this last one, of happy songs of all time. There are lists of happy songs in 2016. When this Grandma saw the segment on the Today Show, the first song that came to mind was from my childhood, “Get Happy,” sung by Judy Garland in a 1950 movie,
“Summer Stock,” and throughout her life. See it on You Tube.
Why not share your favorite “happy” song from your history with your grandchildren. Why not include our grandchildren in the search for the happiest song they can find. Let’s make a family top ten happy song list. What a wonderful . . .and happy. . . activity!
Joy,
Mema
Comments