Single Review: ‘Happy’ by Pharrell Williams

PHOTO from www.clizbeats.com

For now, there is no escaping this summery cheerful hit as we have been hearing it being played, not only on radio, but also in numerous noontime shows, game shows, and anything else we can imagine on local television.

The huge jump in this song’s popularity really started after Pharrell Williams performed it in the recently concluded 86th Academy Awards.

If this song sounds familiar and rings a bell, it is because “Happy” is taken from the OST of the movie “Despicable Me 2” although it was first featured as the lead single taken from Pharrell’s second solo album entitled ‘G I R L’.

*****

Now, let’s review the single “Happy”.

Let’s start off first with Pharrell’s vocal work. He delivers all his words with so much ease that it almost sounds effortless on his part. Plus, there is also that very distinctive soulful quality to his voice which adds to the mass appeal and friendly warmth to this single.

One thing that I really do enjoy about “Happy” is that it doesn’t fall under the classification of EDM. You can relegate “Happy” more to the “old school” category because you can clearly hear influences of Motown throughout the song.

It does make sense, therefore, why Pharrell opted for a more classic and refined approach to the production of “Happy”–it is no secret that Pharrell Williams has a deep appreciation for the famed artists under Motown Records who rose to prominence specifically in the 60’s to the 70’s, like the great Smokey Robinson.

Given the above-mentioned facts, Pharrell certainly does an excellent job in helping provide mainstream listeners a “breath of fresh air” from all the EDM-laced influences that we get to hear played almost on non-stop rotation from music channels and on radio stations.

*****

What is the overall meaning of “Happy”?

Unlike other songs, there are no hidden messages here.

The message is clear. It is all about maintaining a positive state of mind despite how “gloomy” and sometimes disheartening events can be. When you can have a cheerful disposition in life, everything will look “bright” and “sunny” and way better than it really is.

In a way, you can say that “Happy” is a rare kind of song because it offers the listeners a hearty dose of innocent fun and makes them look at the inner child in themselves.

Thumbs Up!