Night Garden: Berry, Buck, Mills, Stipe [R.E.M.]1981-1996 Song-by-song*

Ha ha,after all that's happened in the world the last couple of years that sounds like a plan!

 

"Shiny Happy People" simply does for me what it says on the tin - it makes me feel happy. Plus extra points for Kate Pierson whose voice I love.

4/5

 

Perfect XTC reference - I love that song

 

Shiny Happy People - If I dont hear this for years and I hear it fresh, its pretty good! But second or third time in a week or so? Its too sickeningly sweet. Kate really makes this one for me, the circus waltz grates after a while. I used to give it a 1 by default, but I'll give it a 3/5 today.

 

So, I was just in the grocery store and guess what song was on the intercom? Yep: Shiny Happy People.

 

I’m going to pass on this round, Alex. 2.5/5

 

Shiny Happy People

I'm not ashamed to admit it: I like this song. It's silly, and I can see why some hate it, but it works for me. I always assumed the song was a bit ironic, though you can take it literally as well. It's catchy and helps get the energy of the album back up and running. 4/5

 

You can never go wrong with Muppets. I think Peter may have enjoyed filming this, a little. Miss Bill though.

 

Shiny Happy People is a 5/5 for me, just because it’s fun and jolly. If being picky I don’t like how it loses momentum when the intro strings come back in but then I do really like renewed energy when the main riff restarts so it’s taking with one hand and giving with the other.

 

Shiny Happy People.

I can only imagine what fans from the IRS years made of this when they heard it..!

It's far from my favourite R.E.M. song, but as an exercise in writing and arranging a perfect pop song it's right up there. Most bands would kill to be able to toss off something like this. Plus I love the strings. 4.5/5.

 

I am a fan from the IRS years and I love it! I have loved it from when it was first released. Out Of Time brought me back into the fold, so to speak. Sadly, it was the last R.E.M. album I pretty much loved in its entirety.

 

Great pop song with a classic power pop guitar melody..not nearly as irritating as its undeserved reputation suggests.
5/5

 

Shiny Happy People
I loved this song the first time I heard it and love it even more as time goes by. I thought, "this is going to be a hit single". I love the changes in tempo. The song is so upbeat. Micheal, Mike, and Kate Pierson all "shine" throughout the song. The little guitar lick is catchy as heck. Did I mention that I love the tempo changes? The moment in the song when it goes from the slow part and Micheal shouts "Here we go" and the uptempo part clicks in again is not only one of my favorite moments in the REM catalogue, but one of my favorite musical moments by anyone.
As to the video, I always liked it. The mix of all the different people dancing is great! One of my favorite things is how Pete is trying so hard to act bored and uninterested, but the song is so damn infectious he just can't stay dour and his smile never fails to bring a smile to my face.
The video has become one of my very favorite videos in light of the political climate in the US in recent years. When I did a Facebook countdown of "The best anti-Trump songs that weren't written about him", "Shiny Happy People" was right at the top of my list. I love how there are all the different nationalities, races, and types of people dancing together (heck there is even a handicapped guy-and remember Trump making fun of the handicapped reporter?). I picture Trumpers being bugged by the message of this song/video and I love it. When Biden became president I posted this song and it made me feel better about the world than I had in a long time.
I hope I never grow so cynical that I don't love this song!!!!
(5/5)

 

The guitar line of SHP is so happy and infectious. And I’ve loved the B-52’s since their first album, so there’s a lot here for me to like. When they did “Furry Happy Monsters” for Sesame Street it made me love the song even more (my son was a toddler at the time).

4.5/5.

 

I loved it. I loved pretty much everything about Out Of Time. Green was the album that this IRS years fan had a few problems with. With Out Of Time, it felt like I had my old R.E.M. back.

 

Add me to the list of IRS-years fans that like Out Of Time. The sound and atmosphere of their IRS records were considerably different, but good songs are good songs, and Out Of Time has a lot of them. I will concede that it has taken this thread to get me to rediscover and to fully appreciate what the band accomplished here. I was fairly ambivalent towards the record when it was first released (although I've always liked Shiny Happy People).

 

I really like "Shiny Happy People," but it's just not one of the best songs from R.E.M. Best single, most slick and commercial, cutesiest? Maybe, sure.

4.5/5

 

Shiny Happy People: I never thought about it until reading this thread, but the band really was in a Beach Boys kick in1990, weren’t they? The strings on the bridge reminds me of California Girls intro.

anyway, it’s a fun song, even if the origin of the title was from a very unfunny situation. It’s catchy and corny, and it’s self aware. It gets a extra point because of Kate P. 4.5/5

 

5/5. I guess it's a guilty pleasure, like "The Rain, The Park, And Other Things" by The Cowsills. Same with the video. It's nice to see the band having fun.

 

One of my all time faves - The Rain, The Park, And Other Things

 

Endgame… 4/5
Shiny Happy People… 3/5

 

Our votes for "Shiny Happy People"

1-1
2-0
3-7
4-7
5-20
Average: 4.1714

 

Today's song is "Half A World Away", written by Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Michael STipe. Produced by Scott Litt and R.E.M. Strings Arranged by Mark Bingham.

R.E.M. – Half a World Away Lyrics | Genius Lyrics

"Half A World Away" borrows a line from John Keats' "Ode to a Nightingale."

Michael Stipe: lead vocal
Peter Buck: mandolin, acoustic guitar
Mike Mills: harpsichord, organ, percussion, backing vocal
Bill Berry: bass, percussion

Michael:

Live versions of "Half a World Away" have been released on:

• Mountain Stage 1991 (part of Out Of Time Deluxe, 2016)
• 1991 Unplugged (part of Unplugged: The Complete 1991 And 2001 Sessions, 2018) also released on REMTV, 2014
• Live AT The Borderline 1991 (2019)

A demo version called "Blackbirds", was released on Out of Time Deluxe in 2016.

 

You skipped Belong, Lance.



One of my favorite Beavis and Butt-Head videos was for Shiny Happy People. The song involves Santa because it is about bringing happiness to kids. I mean come on!