Shiny Happy People

"Shiny Happy People" is described as an accessible and optimistic pop song. It contains waltz-time strings, "rippling" guitars and "hippy" lyrics, and guest vocals from Kate Pierson.{{cite web |last=Chadwick |first=Justin |date=March 10, 2016 |title=R.E.M.'s 'Out of Time' Turns 25: Anniversary Retrospective |url=https://www.albumism.com/features/tribute-celebrating-25-years-of-rem-out-of-time |access-date=November 16, 2020 |publisher=Albumism}} Pierson said she felt the song was an "homage" to her band, the B-52s. R.E.M. had already recorded the song when she arrived, and gave her no direction, telling her "do whatever you want".

R.E.M.'s lead singer, Michael Stipe, described "Shiny Happy People" as a "really fruity, kind of bubblegum song".{{Cite web |last=Rogers |first=Jude |date=12 November 2011 |title=Michael Stipe's last stand — an R.E.M. exit interview |url=https://thequietus.com/articles/07351-michael-stipe-s-last-stand-an-r-e-m-exit-interview |access-date=2022-07-30 |website=The Quietus |language=en-us}} Pierson interpreted the line "throw your love around" to mean "to share your love and grow your love with others. It's not mindless at all. It's a song about spreading love."{{cite web |last=Chadwick |first=Justin |date=March 10, 2016 |title=R.E.M.'s 'Out of Time' Turns 25: Anniversary Retrospective |url=https://www.albumism.com/features/tribute-celebrating-25-years-of-rem-out-of-time |access-date=November 16, 2020 |publisher=Albumism}}

According to some reports, the phrase "shiny happy people" was taken from Chinese propaganda posters used after the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.{{Cite web |date=2020-09-17 |title=The story behind R.E.M. hit song 'Shiny Happy People' |url=https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/rem-shiny-happy-people-song-meaning-tiananmen-square/ |access-date=2022-07-30 |website=Far Out Magazine |language=en-US}} However, no statements from the band members have been found to support this.{{Cite web |last=Ivie |first=Devon |date=2021-03-11 |title=Kate Pierson Likes to Think 'Shiny Happy People' Was an 'Homage to the B-52's' |url=https://www.vulture.com/2021/03/interview-kate-pierson-shiny-happy-people-rem.html |access-date=2023-08-17 |website=Vulture |language=en-us |quote=It's long been purported by fans that 'Shiny Happy People' was written about the propagandistic aftermath of China's Tiananmen Square massacre. However, there's not a verified quote from Stipe or any other R.E.M. member that supports this theory.}} Pierson said the song was "supposed to be shiny and happy ... So I can't imagine that R.E.M. was thinking at the time, 'Oh, we want this song to be about Chinese government propaganda.{{'"}}

Larry Flick of Billboard wrote that "Shiny Happy People" took R.E.M. further into the mainstream. He praised Pierson's "splendid vocal harmonies" on the "infectious, sing-along" chorus.{{cite magazine|first= Larry |last= Flick |title= Single Reviews |magazine= Billboard |date= July 27, 1991 |page= 67 |access-date= October 22, 2020 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/90s/1991/BB-1991-07-27.pdf |author-link= Larry Flick}} Richard Wagamese of the Calgary Herald felt Stipe "sounds almost ebullient on the bouncy 'Shiny Happy People' and that alone is radical. R.E.M.'s guitar foundation is also replaced by the occasional bass clarinet, cello, and flugelhorn."Wagamese, Richard (March 17, 1991). "Recent Releases". Calgary Herald. The Drogheda Independent declared it "unbelievably catchy",Drogheda Independent. July 16, 1999. p.19. while Scottish Dundee Courier described it as "sardonic but delicious disposable pop"."Out Of Time". Dundee Courier. March 28, 1991. p. 18. A reviewer from Evening Herald called it a "gilt-edged" pop hit."R.E.M. rocking with Monsters". Evening Herald. September 23, 1994. p.16. Liverpool Echo felt the song "comes at you concealed as bubble gum pop in the guise of an opening string arrangement even Kylie Minogue wouldn't thank you for—before it throws off the cloak of conformity and gets down to a more resonant rendition of power pop"."Near miss". Liverpool Echo. April 15, 1991. p. 30. In Melody Maker, David Fricke wrote that it contained a "bizarre" mix of features that "you can't but help but laugh along with",{{cite magazine|first=David|last=Fricke|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/nothingelseon/52306843130/|title=Albums|magazine=Melody Maker|date=March 9, 1991|page=31|access-date=April 6, 2023|author-link=David Fricke}} and Paul Lester wrote that it's "not one of their best".{{cite magazine|first=Paul|last=Lester|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/nothingelseon/52353255517/|title=Singles|magazine=Melody Maker|date=May 11, 1991|page=34|access-date=April 29, 2023|author-link=Paul Lester}}

Music & Media described the song as "heaven on earth",{{cite magazine|title= New Releases: Albums |magazine= Music & Media |date= March 30, 1991 |page= 12 |access-date= October 20, 2020 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1991/MM-1991-03-30.pdf}} noting that Pierson's voice is "as prominent" as it was on Iggy Pop's song "Candy".{{cite magazine|title= New Releases: Singles |magazine= Music & Media |date= June 8, 1991 |page= 12 |access-date= October 20, 2020 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1991/MM-1991-06-08.pdf}} Terry Staunton from NME complimented it as "a lilting waltz before breaking into a sun-drenched pop anthem, a warm and welcome blood relative to the B-52s' own 'Love Shack'."{{cite magazine|first=Terry|last=Staunton|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/nothingelseon/52310823567/|title=Long Play|magazine=NME|date=March 16, 1991|page=30|access-date=April 6, 2023}} People wrote that the guest singer "added some spark".{{cite magazine|url= https://people.com/archive/picks-and-pans-review-out-of-time-vol-35-no-17/ |title= Picks and Pans Review: Out of Time |magazine= People Magazine |date= May 6, 1991 |access-date= November 13, 2020}} Mark Frith from Smash Hits remarked that the song is "very summery, optimistic and has some fine vocals" from Pierson. He added, "It's so good that it will make you too want to go around and give the world a great big hug. Summer's here and everything's groovy."{{cite magazine|first= Mark |last= Frith |title= Review: Singles |magazine= Smash Hits |date= May 15, 1991 |page= 44 |access-date= October 20, 2020 |url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/smashhits90s/44475785031/in/album-72157699378363171/ |author-link= Mark Frith}} Celia Farber from Spin found that it "is the most accessible" song of the album Out of Time, noting the waltz-time break in the middle of the song as one of "the least R.E.M.-like stuff", that works best on the album.{{cite magazine|first=Celia|last=Farber|title=Spins|magazine=Spin|date=March 1991|page=73|accessdate=January 23, 2023|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QurB9YiFO9QC}} The Sunday Tribune felt that it "waltzes joyfully" with the added vocal attraction of Pierson,"Zombies and Elvis Presley Wine". Sunday Tribune. March 10, 1991. p.26. and noted the "joyous" and "celebratory" noises, calling it "one of 1991's pure pop highlights"."Top Ten Dubun Movies". Sunday Tribune. October 11, 1992. p.28.

In a 2016 retrospective review, Justin Chadwick from Albumism described the song as "buoyant" and R.E.M.'s "most unabashedly pop-fueled composition of their career". He added further, "Regardless of the song's true inspirations or whether you care for the song or not, I suspect most can agree that the soaring backing vocals supplied by Kate Pierson ... are the unequivocal highlight."{{cite web|first= Justin |last= Chadwick |title= R.E.M.'s 'Out of Time' Turns 25: Anniversary Retrospective |publisher= Albumism |date= March 10, 2016 |access-date= November 16, 2020 |url= https://www.albumism.com/features/tribute-celebrating-25-years-of-rem-out-of-time}} In 1998, the Daily Vault's Christopher Thelen said it's the song "that dared to show a new side of R.E.M. — a, well, happy side. Who woulda thunk it? The song is a tad cornball, but is infectiously catchy, nonetheless."{{cite web|first= Christopher |last= Thelen |title= Out Of Time – R.E.M. |publisher= The Daily Vault |date= July 5, 1998 |access-date= November 20, 2020 |url= http://dailyvault.com/toc.php5?review=3761}}

The accompanying music video for "Shiny Happy People" was directed by American film and music video director Katherine Dieckmann. She was asked by the band to direct the video, and drew some inspiration from a scene in the 1948 movie Letter From an Unknown Woman by German director Max Ophuls. In this scene, a couple goes to a carnival with a railroad car attraction. Rotating landscape backdrops roll past their "window", and eventually we learn they're propelled by an old man pedaling a stationary bicycle behind the scenes. Dieckmann wanted to re-create this situation, using a large children's painting for the moving mural. Stipe suggested her to contact a friend that was schoolteacher, having her fifth-grade class create the backdrop.

In its 2006 "Song of the Summer" countdown, CBC Radio's Freestyle named "Shiny Happy People" 1991's "Song of the Summer".{{cite web |url=http://www.weladwbanat.net/category/human-development-happiness-happiness-tips |title=Pursuit Of Happiness - Love & Happiness Tips |access-date=March 14, 2012}}{{cite web |url=http://www.weladwbanat.net/ |title=How To Reach The Happiness }} By contrast, in 2006, the song received the No. 1 position on AOL Music's list of the "111 Wussiest Songs of All Time".{{cite web |url=http://music.aol.com/feature/111-wussiest-songs-number-1 |title=The 111 Wussiest Songs of All Time (No. 1) |publisher=AOL Music |access-date=August 20, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060826070723/http://music.aol.com/feature/111-wussiest-songs-number-1 |archive-date=August 26, 2006}} Blender magazine also ranked the song No. 35 on its list of the "50 Worst Songs Ever",[http://www.blender.com/guide/articles.aspx?id=786 "Run for Your Life! It's the 50 Worst Songs Ever!"] from Blender.com. Retrieved on May 3, 2008. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080430231429/http://www.blender.com/guide/articles.aspx?id=786 |date=April 30, 2008}} and Q included it in a list of "Ten Terrible Records by Great Artists" in 2005.{{cite news |last1=Kirby |first1=Terry |date=December 11, 2006 |title=If you're happy and you know it, listen to Lily. If not, it's the Verve |work=The Independent |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/if-youre-happy-and-you-know-it-listen-to-lily-if-not-its-the-verve-427996.html}}

When Stipe made an appearance on Space Ghost Coast to Coast in 1995, he told Space Ghost he hated the song. It was one of their few Warner-released singles not included on their 2003 greatest hits album In Time, and R.E.M. have rarely played it.{{cite news |last1=O'Neal |first1=Sean |title='Shiny Happy People' and a young man's blossoming into cynicism |work=The A.V. Club |url=http://www.avclub.com/article/shiny-happy-people-and-young-mans-blossoming-cynic-214436|access-date=April 25, 2017|date=January 29, 2015}} However, over time, Stipe's position on the song has softened. Speaking in 2011, Stipe said he was "always at peace" with it, but that it was "embarrassing" that it had become a hit. He said: {{quote|Many people's idea of R.E.M, and me in particular, is very serious, with me being a very serious kind of poet. But I'm also actually quite funny – hey, my bandmates think so, my family thinks so, my boyfriend thinks so, so I must be – but that doesn't always come through in the music.... (But) I'm in 'Shiny Happy People', 'Stand', 'Pop Song 89', 'Get Up', too. Our fruitloop songs!}}In 2024, Mike Mills stated: "It started out as not the bubblegum epic that it became. I wrote the thing on acoustic guitar. We made it a song about kids. It's for kids. It's a great song, I'm proud of it, we don't hate it."{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRfhX-XAIiY |title=Mike Mills: The Story Of R.E.M. |date=2024-06-14 |first=Rick |last=Beato |access-date=2024-06-15 |via=YouTube}}

All songs were written by Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Michael Stipe unless otherwise stated.

• US and UK 7-inch and cassette single{{cite AV media notes|title=Shiny Happy People|others=R.E.M.|year=1991|type=US 7-inch single vinyl disc|publisher=Warner Bros. Records|id=7-19242}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Shiny Happy People|others=R.E.M.|year=1991|type=US cassette single cassette notes|publisher=Warner Bros. Records|id=4-19242}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Shiny Happy People|others=R.E.M.|year=1991|type=UK 7-inch single sleeve|publisher=Warner Bros. Records|id=W0027, 5439-19307-7}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Shiny Happy People|others=R.E.M.|year=1991|type=UK cassette single sleeve|publisher=Warner Bros. Records|id=W0027C, 5439 19307-4}}

1. "Shiny Happy People" (album version) – 3:44
2. "Forty Second Song" – 1:20

• UK 12-inch and CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Shiny Happy People|others=R.E.M.|year=1991|type=UK 12-inch single sleeve|publisher=Warner Bros. Records|id=W0027T, 9362-40078-0}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Shiny Happy People|others=R.E.M.|year=1991|type=UK CD single liner notes|publisher=Warner Bros. Records|id=W0027CD, 9362 40078-2}}

1. "Shiny Happy People" – 3:45
2. "Forty Second Song" – 1:20
3. "Losing My Religion" (live acoustic version, recorded on Rockline, April 1, 1991.) – 4:36

• UK limited-edition CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Shiny Happy People|others=R.E.M.|year=1991|type=UK limited CD single liner notes|publisher=Warner Bros. Records|id=W0027CDX, 9362 40079-2}}

1. "Shiny Happy People" – 3:45
2. "I Remember California" (live, from Tourfilm) – 5:42
3. "Get Up" (live, from Tourfilm) – 3:15
4. "Pop Song '89" (live, from Tourfilm) – 3:30

Personnel taken from the Out of Time liner notes.{{cite AV media notes|title=Out of Time|title-link=Out of Time (album)|others=R.E.M.|year=1991|type=US CD album liner notes|publisher=Warner Bros. Records|id=9 26496-2}}

R.E.M.

• Bill Berry – drums, percussion
• Peter Buck – electric guitar
• Mike Mills – bass guitar, vocals, organ
• Michael Stipe – vocals

Additional musicians

• Peter Holsapple – acoustic guitar
• Kate Pierson – vocals

Strings

• David Arenz – violin
• Ellie Arenz – violin
• Mark Bingham – string arrangements
• David Braitberg – violin
• Andrew Cox – cello
• Reid Harris – viola
• Ralph Jones – double bass
• Dave Kempers – violin
• Elizabeth Murphy – cello
• Paul Murphy – viola
• Jay Weigel – orchestral liaison

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{{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|type=single|artist=R.E.M.|title=Shiny Happy People|award=Gold|relyear=1991|certyear=2021|access-date=August 30, 2021|id=8906}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|artist=REM|title=Shiny Happy People|award=Platinum|relyear=1991|certyear=2024|source=radioscope|access-date=December 30, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Spain|type=single|artist=R.E.M.|title=Shiny Happy People|award=Platinum|relyear=1991|certyear=2024|access-date=December 6, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=REM|title=Shiny Happy People|award=Platinum|relyear=1991|certyear=2024|id=15038-840-1|access-date=December 6, 2024}}

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Category:1991 singles

Category:1991 songs

Category:American pop rock songs

Category:Male–female vocal duets

Category:R.E.M. songs

Category:Song recordings produced by Bill Berry

Category:Song recordings produced by Michael Stipe

Category:Song recordings produced by Mike Mills

Category:Song recordings produced by Peter Buck

Category:Song recordings produced by Scott Litt

Category:Songs written by Bill Berry

Category:Songs written by Michael Stipe

Category:Songs written by Mike Mills

Category:Songs written by Peter Buck

Category:Warner Records singles

Category:Songs about China