‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ Composer Danny Elfman Returns With New Single ‘Happy’

Halloween is getting a welcome boost this year that many weren't expecting as Danny Elfman is releasing a new single outside of his frequent soundtrack work. Titled "Happy," the song and video serve up a somewhat sinister side to the upbeat emotion.

Fans of a younger generation most likely recognize Elfman's efforts on film scores, most notably The Nightmare Before Christmas. Meanwhile older fans will flash back to the musician's heyday as the frontman for Oingo Boigo, who gave us the new wave classics "Dead Man's Party," "Weird Science" and "Only a Lad" among others. So given the affinity for darker themed music, it seems the perfect time for Elfman to surface with new music just ahead of Halloween.

The vocalist explained, "I originally wrote 'Happy' to perform at Coachella 2020. It was written to be an absurd anti-pop song, designed to begin as a very simple pop tune that degrades into something more subversive. The cynical nature of the lyrics echo how I feel about living in a semi-dystopian world turned upside down."

“I always enjoyed Halloween because it was a night to let loose, to become something or someone else,” Elfman said in a statement. “[Halloween is] a night to celebrate the dead, and ghosts and monsters of all variety. A night for mutants, zombies, vampires, misfits, and miscreants to celebrate themselves and each other. And, aligned with the Mexican holiday Dia De Los Muertos, a night to celebrate departed spirits… and for me, a night to laugh in death’s face (and feel safe doing so).”

So why release the song now? Elfman states, “Halloween has always been my Big Night. As a child there was no competition. Coincidently, in my earlier band Oingo Boingo, our Halloween shows became special events and our biggest shows of the year. And double coincidently The Nightmare Before Christmas also became a special live Concert Halloween event, which became more successful than I’d ever dreamed possible. This really meant a lot to me as the character of Jack Skellington, who I related to quite closely, has for many years been a very special part of my life.”

Elfman has really found his niche in the film world often working with Tim Burton on scores for his films. Some of his credits include scores for Batman, Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure and more. He's had four Oscar nominations, received two Emmys and has a Grammy award as well. His last studio album with Oingo Boingo came in 1994.

The song features Elfman on vocals, guitar and synths, with Josh Freese handling drums, Nili Brosh on guitars and Stu Brooks on bass. The video (see below) show Elfman with a somewhat sinister smile as his face morphs into more horrific imagery. Check out the lyrics for the song and the video below. And if you like what you hear, the song is available at this location.

Danny Elfman, "Happy" Lyrics

I’m so happy— Happy!
I’m so happy— Happy!
I’m so happy— Happy!

Everything is crumbling (crumbling,crumbling)
Everything is crumbling (crumbling,crumbling)
Everything is crumbling (crumbling,crumbling)

Happy! – Happy! – Happy! – Happy! – Happy! – Happy! –

———————————————

Choose your Poison – Poison!
Choose your Poison – Poison!
Choose your Poison – Poison!

Everything is shutting down (shutting down, shutting down)
Everything is shutting down (shutting down, shutting down)
Everything is shutting down (shutting down, shutting down)

Poison – Poison – Happy! – Happy! – Happy! – Happy! –

———————————————

EAT (Eat) – FLY (Fly) – SILENCE (Silence) – JOY (Joy)
CAT (Cat) – SEQUENCE (Sequence) – FUTURE (Future) – PUPPY (Mother fucking puppy)
MY (My) – OWN (Own) – MOTHER (Mother) – FUCKING (Mother fucking)
LIFE – BURNED DOWN LIKE A HOLE IN THE WARM SOFT GROUND

HOUSE – CHILD – HAPPY – FEAR
Of my — own — voice
Concentrating on flies
Fill me up – knock me down
Take my hand, in my hand, and my eloquent knife
Through my heart — through my heart
Straight through my mother — mother fucking

Heart belongs to you – My Heart belongs to you..

Puppy, Puppy, Puppy, Puppy.

Eyes for an eye, eye for an eye —
Tickety-tackety, tickety-tackety

Eye for an eye, Tooth for a tooth —
It’s never enough, but it’s never the truth
Life is a treat so pretty and pink.

Youth is wasted on the mother,
Youth is, youth is wasted on the mother,
Youth is wasted on the mother fucking,
Wasted on the mother fucking youth.

I’m so happy — Happy!
I’m so happy — Happy!

Snap chat- Rotting rats- Minecraft- Cheerios
Netfiix- Bag of tricks- soothe my soul

My anesthesiologist is fucking my psychiatrist
And I feel no pain- cover me with Lidocane
I'm so happy everything's so great
And the world is an oyster on an appetizer plate.

Happy, Happy, Happy, Happy