It’s been a while since I could proclaim the title of this song both musically, professionally, personally and on and on. It happens. Life is real and sometimes life has a way of just getting in the way and handing you a bad hand but it’s all about how you play that hand. For the purposes of this space let’s talk about the music.
I was watching an interview a week or so ago that summed up what I feel a lot of people would agree with… the artist was talking about the change in the music industry and the usual talk about sales and piracy etc., But then the conversation changed with a poignant turn of phrase which (paraphrasing) the artist stated the no one is buying music (I’m being very general here. Very general) because artists (again I’m being very broad and using general terms) are not making music that people want to buy. In simple terms I agree.
Now granted, music has become hyper ubiquitous and as such in many corners it has become incredibly devalued. Not only has the music become devalued but I think another factor in many quarters is the process of making music has become so aligned with a “product” a “brand” that for some masking music has more to do with making soda than making a statement or contributing to the culture. I’m not saying that every song has to be “What’s Going On?” to be valid. No, what I’m saying is that the care and detail and inspiration that went into a making a “What’s Going On?” and countless other timeless recordings need to be present when the muse is being conjured. See if you take care of and respect the music, I feel like everything else should take care of itself.
So why did I choose to post “Happy” by Pharrell? Well because the song makes me happy. It’s a great tune that beckons me to purchase it solely on the premise that it’s a great tune. I don’t care about trappings, sponsorship, visibility none of that. What I care about is does this music move me? Do I have an urge to hear it again and again? Sure I could play it incessantly on You Tube, but in this instance I really want to do my part and support this art. You know why? Because I feel compelled to do so because this music makes me #Happy.
Ivan Orr is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, performer, and writer. A native of Charlottesville, Virginia Ivan was involved with the forming and nascent days of The Music Resource Center as its first Program Director. A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of Music, Ivan currently resides in Richmond, VA where he maintains an active performance and production schedule while serving as the Music Editor for Grown Folks Music, a position he has held since 2010.
