"If You're Happy and You Know It" is a popular repetitive children's song, stemming from an old Latvian folk song[citation needed]. The song is supposed to belong to the public domain, although many of the different versions of the song are still protected by copyright law. Music to this song coincides with the music of the song "Molodejnaya" written by Isaak Dunayevsky for the 1937-1938 Soviet film Volga-Volga.[1] Another version was written by songwriter Alfred B. Smith (1916–2001). It has, like many familiar childhood cantations, been altered in various ways over the years for various uses.
The original song as it is known to many people begins:
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands.
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands.
If you're happy and you know it,
And you really want to show it,
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands.
A common variation of the fourth line is "Then your face will surely show it."
The song usually proceeds with other verses that replace "clap your hands" with alternate phrases such as "stomp your feet."
OTHER VARIATIONS
If you're happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it
If you're happy and you know it, then you really ought to show it
shout "Hurray!"
(hoo-ray!)
say "Amen"
(Amen)
slap your legs
(slap slap)
turn around
snap your fingers
(snap snap)
slap your knees
(slap slap)
nod your head
(nod nod)
tap your toe
(tap tap)
honk your nose
(honk honk)
stomp your feet
(stomp stomp)
clap your nose
(sniffle sniffle)
Contents [hide]
1 Other versions
2 See also
3 References
4 External links
Other versions[edit]
Numerous variations of the song have been recorded and performed. Some notable versions include:
In the TV show The Suite Life of Zack & Cody the English and Japanese versions were sung in the Tipton Hotel's entertainment show for adults.
"Shiawase Nara Te o Tatakō" (幸せなら手を叩こう meaning "If You're Happy, Clap Your Hands." ?) is the Japanese version of this song written by Rihito Kimura. A version of it can be seen in the film The 40-Year-Old ******.
For years, Cal Worthington has used a variation of the tune as the advertising jingle for his Worthington automobile dealerships in the United States.
The European resorts of Centerparcs use the tune in their TV adds promoting holiday parcs.
Raffi created new lyrics for this song on his Let's Play album including "If You're Bananas and You Know it, Let it Ring" and "If You're Beautiful and You Know It, Shout Hooray".
Bill Russell wrote a song adapted for the tune called "Spider on the Floor".
On the children's television show Barney & Friends, the tune was used for the song "Mix a Color." In addition, the original song is commonly sung on the show.
The PBS show "The Kidsongs Television Show" featured the song on the episode "Let's Work Together". Kidsongs recorded a version for both TV, home video market and a children's music CD.
It was referenced in the song "Dance with me" (2001) by the group 112, only changing the word "happy" with "sexy".
It was referenced in the song "Sexy and You Know it" (2011) by the group Justice Crew, changing the word "happy" with "sexy", much like "Dance with me" by 112.
It was a joke played by users of MS-DOS. It goes like this.
“ C:\>If you're happy and you know it, syntax error!
Syntax error
C:\>if you,re happy and you know it, syntax error!
Syntax error
C:\>If you're happy and you know it and you really want to show it, if you're happy and you know it, syntax error!
Syntax error
”
In the MMORPG Eve Online from CCP Games there is a version featuring the 5 major races:
"If you're happy and you know it Pod Amarr!
If you cannot find Caldari, Pod Amarr!
If the Minnie are too frisky
And Gallente look too shifty
And the Jovians too risky, Pod Amarr!"
In the early 1960s, a version was brought to the Caltech campus by an unidentified student, and was sung by the students:
Oh, the hat I got for Christmas is too big.
Oh, the hat I got for Christmas is too big.
Is it raining? Is it snowing?
I can't see where I am going!
'Cause the hat I got for Christmas is too big.
It was also the favorite tune of killer Varlyn Stroud in the HBO series "Carnivale".
See also[edit]
Repetitive songs
References[edit]
Jump up ^ "Molodejnaya".[dead link]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSgIJr-hmls
External links[edit]
The free score on
www.traditional-songs.com. English version.
The free score on
www.traditional-songs.com. German version.
The free score on
www.traditional-songs.com. French version.
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This page was last modified on 5 November 2013 at 22:46.
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