#HappyMusicVolumeOne

#HappyMusic is one of two BlueSky music challenges I've been taking part in August, this one set by Griff, with a inclusive brief to post any music that:

-- makes you happy

-- includes the word "happy"

-- contains any variation of "happy" in the title, lyrics or band name

-- features a synonym of "happy"

-- reminds you of happiness

I started with a song by bdrmm and have been pretty much making it up as I go along ever since. I have tomorrow's final contribution picked and ready to go, so it seems as good as time as any to post my selections here over the next two days.

Goodness knows we could all do with a bit of happy right now!

Rather than create selections in the order I posted them, I've compiled two hour-long mixtapes, pulling my picks from here, there and everywhere to create what I think is a better "in one go" listening experience.

Volume One starts with the wonderful Groovy Feeling by Fluke (posted on 4th August) and ends with The Statue Got Me High by They Might Be Giants (posted on 15th August). Along the way, you get Olivia Newton-John & Electric Light Orchestra, Teenage Fanclub, Chic, Wreckless Eric, bdrmm, The Peanut Butter Conspiracy, Dream Warriors, Nelly Furtado, Julian Cope and many more.

Be here tomorrow for some Bank Holiday happiness!

1) Groovy Feeling (Make Mine A 99): Fluke (1993)

2) Xanadu (Single Version): Olivia Newton-John & Electric Light Orchestra (1980)

3) Do You Love Me Like You Say? (Album Version): Terence Trent D'Arby (1993)

4) Miss Modular (Single Version): Stereolab (1997)

5) Bon Bon Bon (Album Version): Vanessa Contenay-Quiñones (2008)

6) Belt: Teenage Fanclub (1993)

7) The Greatness And Perfection Of Love (Remixed Version): Julian Cope (1984)

8) Happy (International Teachers Of Pop De-Mix): bdrmm (2020)

9) Good Times (Edit By Khayem): Chic (1979)

10) Wash Your Face In My Sink (Original Mix): Dream Warriors (1990)

11) Whole Wide World (Album Version): Wreckless Eric (1977)

12) Steve: Billy Reeves (2024)

13) Vitamin D: Psychederek (2023)

14) It's A Happening Thing: The Peanut Butter Conspiracy (1967)

15) I'm Like A Bird (Album Version): Nelly Furtado (2000)

16) The Statue Got Me High (Album Version): They Might Be Giants (1992)

1967: The Peanut Butter Conspiracy Is Spreading: 14

1977: Wreckless Eric: 11

1979: Good Times EP: 9

1980: Xanadu EP: 2

1984: The Greatness And Perfection Of Love EP: 7

1990: Wash Your Face In My Sink EP: 10

1992: Apollo 18: 16

1993: Six Wheels On My Wagon: 1

1993: Terence Trent D'Arby's Symphony Or Damn: 3

1993: Volume Seven: 6

1997: Miss Modular EP: 4

2000: Whoa, Nelly!: 15

2010: Allez Pop!: 5

2020: Happy EP: 8

2023: Vitamin D / Oven Ready EP: 13

2024: Steve (A Weekend In Egham, 1996): 12

#HappyMusicVolumeOne (59:11) (GD) (M)

Open Your Eyes And See

A fond farewell to Olivia Newton-John, 26 September 1948 to 8 August 2022.

 

I saw Grease on it's first release at the cinema in 1978, aged 7, and fell in love with Olivia Newton-John (although, in fairness, I loved all of the Pink Ladies) and I've lost count of the number of times I've seen it on TV since. Not that I actively seek it out or own the VHS, DVD, Blu Ray... but it's one of those films that's so embedded that a flick through the channels, a line of dialogue, a bars of a song, and I've found myself hopping on for the rest of the ride.

 

With the sad news of Olivia's passing, I'm guessing that clips and quotes from Grease will be all over the blogosphere and social media today, so I've opted for something else, but equally embedded in my young mind.

 

First off, I'll admit that I've never seen the movie musical Xanadu, which came out in 1980. Depending on which reviews you read, it's either brilliantly ambitious or woefully underwritten. However, it did contain a couple of pop song gems in the title track (with Electric Light Orchestra) and follow up single Magic. Xanadu spent two weeks at #1 in the UK whilst Magic managed a less impressive peak of #32.

I was less enamoured with follow up single Physical with it's, let's face it, pretty shonky video even for 1981. I'd assumed it was also a #1 as it felt like Top Of The Pops was always showing it (or at least an extract with the allegedly "racy" bits excised). I was surprised to find it only got as far as #7, although it managed 12 weeks in the Top 40.

 

Anyway, I still can't bring myself to post a link to that song/video so here's Goldfrapp performing a re-titled cover version of Physical in 2020, having originally recorded it as a B-side to her single Utopia in 2001.

Xanadu (Single Version): Olivia Newton-John & Electric Light Orchestra (1980)

Magic (Single Version): Olivia Newton-John (1980)

U.K. Girls (Physical) (Live Version) (Cover of Olivia Newton-John): Goldfrapp (2020)