"Happy Hour" - The Housemartins

What’s crazy is how much The Housemartins look like a dad band in that Top of the Pop clip above. The bassist, Norman Cook (aka Fatboy Slim, later on), was just 23 years old at the time. He and the rest look like they’re so happy to be jamming after a busy week of Q1 planning meetings and expense reports. It’s probably because all their shirts are tucked into their jeans. Regardless, this song might just be the catchiest song ever written. And not for nothin’, we all deserve a happy hour tonight.

Part of the reason this song endures 40 years on is because, depending on your social calendar, you have a weekly reason to sing it. Anytime you go to a bar or restaurant at “Happy Hour” is an invitation to to affect an ever so slight Elvis-y drawl and and sing “Oh what a good place to be.” The music itself is so happy and peppy and full of joy (though Wikipedia tells me the lyrics are a sobering look at hypocrisy and sexism). With its jangly guitars and jaunty rhythms, its fun to bop around to and sway your hips back and forth like the lead singer. Clocking in at less than two and a half minutes, the song doesn’t overstay its welcome and leaves you wanting more. Get in and get out before things take a turn — just like happy hour itself.

I feel like this song is like the Tardis in Dr. Who. The song is bigger than the moderate hit it actually was. In the U.S. “Happy Hour” tapped out at No. 51 on the Billboard chart. That’s not really a “hit.” But despite it’s lack of chart position, there are huge swaths of GenX (ha ha, old) that know — and love — this song. And there are probably a ton of dad bands who know and love this song enough to add it to their set list.

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Stay cool. Have a great summer.
Class of ‘90 rulez.