Happiness

Happiness was written by Sergio Pizzorno and is the 12th track on West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum.

Background[]

Written by Serge when he was around 20 years old, Happiness went through a few different versions, one of them sung by Tom, until it was decided to "leave it basic" and add three gospel singers at the end, whose vocals were recorded in Los Angeles and layered to sound like a whole choir.^[1] Described by Serge as blissful, euphoric and the "light at the end of the tunnel", the song has been compared to Perfect Day by Lou Reed, Elvis' Sun recordings and the "sinking-into-the-floor moment in Trainspotting".^[2]^[3] Tom described it as being "really warm" and "like someone hugging you, holding you"^[4] and at the end of the official album commentary he noted that you could fall asleep to it. Kasabian's tour DJ Dan Ralph Martin plays piano on the album version.

Live[]

The last West Ryder track to be played live, Happiness was first performed by Serge alone for an episode of Sky Arts Songbook in April 2011. They later played it twice with the whole band in November and December 2011.

On Christmas Eve 2019 a new acoustic version of Happiness was released on Kasabian's social media.

In October 2021 a part of the song was played for the first time in 10 years as a new intro to L.S.F. (Lost Souls Forever).

Quotes[]

"There's a lot of bad news around at the moment but we wanted to show people there is light at the end of the tunnel, you've just got to believe in yourself."

— Serge (West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum Press Release)

"Tom originally sang Take Aim but it didn't sit right. The same thing happened with Happiness. It was something I'd had for years. One day I started playing it again in my kitchen but decided to change the melody around. It felt like it needed something at the end, too, so I added the gospel bit. This ended up with three people [singing] but I layered them up until it sounded like there were 50. I like the fact that it ends the album and it's not what you'd expect from us. Throw it in, keep the listener guessing. Just when you think you know what Kasabian are all about, you never guess where we'll go next."

— Serge (Q Magazine, December 2009)

Releases[]

Lyrics[]

I will follow you now
Wherever you go
I'll be with you now
Stick around forever

And I never wanna see those tears again
No no
When will you realise
That I ain't that tough

Save what you got
Keep it safe
Don't ever stop
It's nothing more
It's nothing less
It's all we got
It's happiness
It's happiness
Ain't that right

And I will have a thousand dreams
Of how I came for you
Through these coloured streams
Look into the future

And I never wanna see those tears again
No no
When will you realise
That you make me me now

Save what you got
Keep it safe
Don't ever stop
It's nothing more
It's nothing less
It's all we got
It's happiness

And happiness
Oh it's always been you
It's always with you

And I know you got to make it right
Hanging all my feelings on these new satellites
And I've done my time
Yeah I've paid my dues
You know there's one thing
That gets us together
It's gonna keep us together now

Save what you got
Keep it safe
Don't ever stop
It's nothing more
It's nothing less
It's all we got
It's happiness
Happiness

References[]

↑ Q Magazine, December 2009
↑ NME, 17 January 2009
↑ NME, 13 June 2009
↑ Kasabian's Paradise Interview

[1] Q Magazine, December 2009

[2] NME, 17 January 2009

[3] NME, 13 June 2009

[4] Kasabian's Paradise Interview

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]