Thursday 2 April 2020

If You're Happy and You Know It, Clap Your Hands

This is a very popular children's song. The simple sheet music can be downloaded here. It is a popular repetitive children's song from the United States, United Kingdom, etc. The song has been noted for its similarities to "Molodejnaya", a song appearing in the 1938 Soviet musical film Volga-Volga. For more information, look here.

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

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, then your face will really show it;
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!

This verse is usually followed by three more, four more, etc. 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 ' here'!"; and, "If you're happy and you know it, do all three!" 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:

"... shout/say, 'Hooray'!"
"... slap your knees!"
"... slap your legs!"
"... turn around!"
"... snap your fingers!"
"... nod your head!"
"... tap your toe!"
"... honk your nose!"
"... pat your head!"
"... shout/say, 'We are'!"
"... stomp/stamp your feet!"
"... shout/say, 'Ha, ha'!"
"... shout/say, 'Amen'!"
"... do all three!"





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