I don't listen to the radio, I don't do classes in a gym, I don't want music television, and I don't watch music videos online. I don't not do these things as a form of protest or as part of a lifestyle choice that involves a fixed gear bike and a beard (okay I have a beard), but just my life generally sees me listening to my own fixed music collection and without access to streaming or radio as I travel, and my age has seen me lose touch and interest in hot new things. However, despite this, the song Happy was so ever present in the past year that it was impossible not to have heard it, enjoyed it, heard it, enjoyed it, and gradually got to the point where maybe you had heard it enough.
The song itself is very positive and upbeat, delivered by Williams who is very good at what he does – which is music and smiling. He smiles and his sense of enjoyment even makes you forgive him for wearing an absurd hat as he does. This video is the main version which sees him and others dancing towards a retreating camera while lip-syncing; and not just the usual sexy women who are partially dressed in Williams videos, but "colorful" characters or all ilks. This is meant to be part of the inclusive and all encompassing joy of the video and mostly it does work. I would say that my own introverted ways means that it hurts me to see others being so carefree and extroverted, but even for me I do like the video in small doses. For those wishing to see more I think there is a 24 hour version (done in hour-long blocks) which expands this even more – I have watched parts of some of it, but the idea of watching 24 hours of it seems far too much for a short track like this – and this is before you go online and see all the extroverts doing it themselves on their YouTube channels.
As such I guess the music video itself is a nice taste of that without (comparatively) overdoing it. Like the track it is infectious, cheering, extroverted and care-free – some of which is painful for me to watch, but yet the catchy and relentlessly upbeat song and the enthusiasm of those involved does make it work.
