Enik takes it into town · Jul 10, 10:59 PM by Don
In 1991, soon after “Losing My Religion” catapulted R.E.M. into the mainstream, “Shiny Happy People” was named the second single off Out of Time. I remember reading an interview with singer/lyricist Michael Stipe in which he said he consciously chose the titular words because they all have the long “e” sound, which is impossible to say without smiling. If you wanted to sing along, you would have to smile along as well.
“Shiny Happy People” is not a well-loved, or even well-liked, R.E.M. song. Though the song was one of only four top ten hits the band had on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, R.E.M. has effectively disowned the song by refusing to play it live, decrying it in interviews, and leaving it off the 2004 best-of, In Time. Despite this, the song has thrived in its own small way. An episode of the vampire-themed TV show, Angel, has a 2003 episode titled “Shiny Happy People,” in which a god-like being enchants all she encounters, creating a fanatically devoted cult. Michael Moore used a bit of the song in his 2004 documentary, Fahrenheit 9/11, to underscore the chummy relationship between the Bush family and the Saudi royal family. R.E.M. needn’t be too embarrassed by the candy-sweet song; it did find a purpose, if only as an ironic touchstone.
On June 27, I put up a post asking readers to tell me their favorite/least favorite R.E.M songs and to defend their choices. The winner would receive a VHS copy of the band’s 1987 home video, R.E.M. Succumbs. By now, it is obvious that the winner, Ben, wrote about “Shiny Happy People.” What is not obvious is that Ben actually likes the song and has a touching story to go with it.
Before I present Ben’s piece, I have to say that when I started this site with my buddy, Chaka, I expected to have some fun sharing music with the world. I was looking for a unique hobby, and I found one. But what I didn’t expect was to be moved by the experience of maintaining a blog. Less than six hours after posting about the contest, I received Ben’s essay and I knew right away it was going to be the winner. I hope it hits you the way it hits me. After reading, you’ll hear “Shiny Happy People” in a new way. You’ll hear it as an irony-free beacon of glee.
Long Shot
Under any other circumstance, “Shiny Happy People” would seem a long shot from my favorite R.E.M. song. I much prefer their days with I.R.S. and cute, bubbly songs rarely appeal to me, but regardless of the odds, few songs have meant as much to me in my life as it has.
Out Of Time was released shortly before my dad was diagnosed with cancer. He was an avid music fan and had been a student at the University of Georgia during R.E.M.’s initial rise. Naturally, he bought the album as soon as it was released and had it playing in our house throughout 1991. As a four-year-old child, “Shiny Happy People” was an easy favorite, and I would beg and beg my parents to play that song again and again and again until I’m sure it drove them mad.
My father passed away shortly after, but the album left a marked impression on me as one of my few memories of a love we shared together. As time has passed since my father’s death, few things strike my memory as much as R.E.M., and whenever “Shiny Happy People” comes on, I revert to the memories of my four-year-old self dancing up and down as my dad watched and smiled.
~Ben
The smash hit song:
mp3: R.E.M. – Shiny Happy People
The cassingle b-side:
mp3: R.E.M. – Forty Second Song
Demo from Outtakes of Time boot:
mp3: R.E.M. – Shiny Happy People [demo]
Cover version by Mitch Easter from the 1992 Surprise Your Pig tribute:
mp3: Mitch Easter – Shiny Happy People [R.E.M. cover]
Parody performed by the band during its 1998 Sesame Street appearance:
mp3: R.E.M. – Furry Happy Monsters
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