If You're Happy and You Know It

"If You're Happy and You Know It" is a popular traditional American repetitive children's song, folksong, and drinking song.

History

The song was published in various places through the decades following the late 1960s, including a volume of "constructive recreational activities" for children (1957),[1] a book of drama projects for disabled children (1967),[2] and a nursing home manual (1966).[3]

In 1971, Jonico Music filed for copyright on the song, crediting it to Joe Raposo.[4]

During the early part of the 2000s, the music Recording Industry Association of America sued individuals for downloading music using file-sharing services. Widespread media attention was paid to one 12-year-old, whose downloads included "If You're Happy and You Know It" from Kazaa.[5][6][7][8]

In 2020, Granger Smith recorded a version that relied on alcohol drinking called "Country and Ya Know It".[9]

Lyric variations

Like many children's songs, there are many versions of the lyrics. A popular version goes as follows:

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!

This verse is usually followed by more which follow the same pattern but say: "If you're happy and you know it, stomp/stamp your feet!", "If you're happy and you know it, shout/say 'hooray'!" or "shout/say 'amen'!", "If you're happy and you know it, do all three!", "If you're happy and you know it, do all four!". Other versions of the song tend to say, "then your face will surely show it" in place of "and you really want to show it"; the form "then you really ought to show it" has also been used. Many variations on the substance of the first three verses exist, including:[10]

"... stomp/stamp your feet."
"... wave your arms."
"... say/shout, "hooray!", "amen!""
"... do all three, four, five, etc..

Melody

\transpose c, f { \key c \major \time 6/8 \tempo "Moderato" \tempo 4. = 110 \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"piano" \partial 4. g,4 g,8 | c4 c8 c4 c8 | c4 c8 b,4 c8 | d4. \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"woodblock" \xNotesOn f4. | f4. \xNotesOff \bar "" \break \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"piano" g,4 g,8 | d4 d8 d4 d8 | d4 d8 c4 d8 | e4. \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"woodblock" \xNotesOn f4. | f4. \xNotesOff \bar "" \break \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"piano" e4 e8 | f4 f8 f4 f8 | a,4 a,8 f4 f8 | e4 e8 e4 d8 | c4 c8 \bar "" \break e4 e8 | d4 d8 d4 c8 | b,4 b,8 a,4 b,8 | c4. \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"woodblock" \xNotesOn f4. | f4. \xNotesOff \bar "|." } \addlyrics { If you’re hap -- py and you know it, clap your hands (clap) (clap) If you’re hap -- py and you know it, clap your hands (clap) (clap) If you’re hap -- py and you know it, and you real -- ly want to show it, If you’re hap -- py and you know it, clap your hands (clap) (clap) }

In the Japanese version as popularized by Kyu Sakamoto and included as the 11th track of Kyu Sakamoto Memorial Best, the third line has a different melody to fit the Japanese lyrics.[11]

References

  1. ↑ Kraus, Richard G. (1957). Play Activities for Boys and Girls, Six Through Twelve: A Guide for Teachers, Parents. McGraw-Hill. p. 168. Archived from the original on 2015-04-11. Retrieved 2015-04-03.
  2. ↑ Schattner, Regina (1967). Creative Dramatics for Handicapped Children. John Day Company. p. 75. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-04-03.
  3. ↑ Jacobs, H. Lee; Morris, Woodrow Wilbert, eds. (1966). Nursing and retirement home administration. Iowa State University Press. p. 153. ISBN 9780813811758. Archived from the original on 2015-04-11. Retrieved 2015-04-03.
  4. ↑ "Music: current and renewal registrations, January-June 1971". Catalog of Copyright Entries. 3rd Series, Volume 25, Part 5, Sections 1-2. Washington DC: Copyright Office, The Library of Congress: 348. 1972. Archived from the original on 2016-03-13. Retrieved 2015-04-03.
  5. ↑ "Music firms target 12-year-old". BBC News. 10 September 2003. Archived from the original on 7 April 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  6. ↑ Barrow, Becky (10 September 2003). "Girl, 12, sued for download of tunes". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 8 April 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  7. ↑ Palfrey, John; Gasser, Urs (25 November 2013). Born Digital: Understanding the First Generation of Digital Natives. Basic Books. p. 141. ISBN 978-0465013838. Archived from the original on 11 April 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  8. ↑ Sparrow, Andrew Peter (2006). "Protecting and exploiting IPR". Music Distribution and the Internet: A Legal Guide for the Music Business. Gower Publishing, Ltd. p. 40. ISBN 056608709X. Archived from the original on 2015-04-11. Retrieved 2015-04-03.
  9. ↑ "Granger Smith's 'Country & Ya Know It' Is a Play on a Popular Children's Song" by Lauren Jo Black, Country Now, 2 September 2020
  10. ↑ If You're Happy and You Know It on YouTube
  11. ↑ "幸せなら手をたたこう". www.churchofjesuschrist.org (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-06-21.
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