She self-released her first two albums, Lush and Retired from Sad, New Career in Business, while studying studio composition at Purchase College's Conservatory of Music. The albums were originally made as her senior project. Her third studio album, Bury Me at Makeout Creek, was released in 2014 on the label Double Double Whammy.
Mitski signed with Dead Oceans in 2015 and released Puberty 2, Be the Cowboy and Laurel Hell , the last of which made the top ten in several countries. In 2022, The Guardian dubbed her the "best young songwriter" in the United States. That same year, she co-wrote "This Is a Life" for the film Everything Everywhere All at Once, which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song. Her seventh studio album, The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We, was released in 2023.
Happy
Mitski Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I poured him tea and he told me it'll all be okay
Well I told him I'd do anything to have him stay with me
So he laid me down, and I felt Happy come inside of me
He laid me down, and I felt happy
Oh if you're going, take the train
So I can hear it rumble, one last rumble
And when you go, take this heart
I'll make no more use of it when there's no more you
I was in the bathroom, I didn't hear him leave
I locked the door behind him and I turned around to see
All the cookie wrappers and the empty cups of tea
Well I sighed and mumbled to myself again, I have to clean
I sighed and mumbled to myself
If you're going, take the train
So I can hear it rumble, one last rumble
And when you go, take this heart
I'll make no more use of it when there's no more you
And if you're going, take the moon
Then maybe I will see you, in the night I'll see you
And when you go, take this heart
I'll make no more use of it when there's no more you
The song "Happy" by Mitski speaks to themes of loneliness and the desire for emotional connection, expressed through the metaphor of a personified entity named Happy. The song begins with the singer recounting how Happy came to visit her and brought cookies, which they enjoyed over tea. Happy assures the singer that everything will be okay, to which she responds with the declaration that she would do anything to keep him with her. Happy then lays her down and "comes inside" of her, leaving her with a sense of euphoria and contentment.
Despite this moment of intimacy, the song takes a melancholic turn in the second verse. The singer is in the bathroom and doesn't realize when Happy leaves, only noticing the remnants of their time together - empty wrappers and cups - once she emerges. This leads her to sigh to herself and reflect on the reality of her situation, which is that Happy is a fleeting presence in her life. She can only hope that he takes the train so she can hear the rumble one last time, and that he takes her heart with him since she feels it will be of no use without him. She even suggests that he take the moon, as a way of expressing her desperate desire for him to stay.
As a whole, the song is a poignant commentary on the struggle to find meaning and fulfillment in one's life. The singer grasps at happiness and connection wherever she can find it, but ultimately recognizes that these things are transient and difficult to hold onto. The metaphor of Happy as a personified force suggests that these feelings are outside of the singer's control, and must be seized upon in the moment before they pass by.
Overall, the song "Happy" by Mitski is a haunting and evocative exploration of the human desire for happiness and connection, and the transience of these feelings. Through its use of vivid imagery and metaphor, the song creates a powerful emotional resonance that stays with the listener long after it ends.
Line by Line Meaning
Happy came to visit me, he bought cookies on the way
The singer personifies 'Happy' as a visitor who brings cookies as a gift.
I poured him tea and he told me it'll all be okay
The singer looks to 'Happy' as a source of emotional comfort and assurance.
Well I told him I'd do anything to have him stay with me
The singer is desperate to hold onto the feeling of happiness and will do whatever it takes to prolong it.
So he laid me down, and I felt Happy come inside of me
The artist suggests that happiness is a physical sensation that can be felt within the body.
He laid me down, and I felt happy
The artist associates physical intimacy with a feeling of happiness.
Oh if you're going, take the train
So I can hear it rumble, one last rumble
And when you go, take this heart
I'll make no more use of it when there's no more you
The singer acknowledges that happiness is fleeting and wants 'Happy' to take everything associated with him when he leaves, as they will no longer serve a purpose after he is gone.
I was in the bathroom, I didn't hear him leave
I locked the door behind him and I turned around to see
All the cookie wrappers and the empty cups of tea
Well I sighed and mumbled to myself again, I have to clean
I sighed and mumbled to myself
The singer is left to clean up after 'Happy' has left, further emphasizing the temporary nature of happiness and its messiness.
If you're going, take the train
So I can hear it rumble, one last rumble
And when you go, take this heart
I'll make no more use of it when there's no more you
And if you're going, take the moon
Then maybe I will see you, in the night I'll see you
And when you go, take this heart
I'll make no more use of it when there's no more you
The artist repeats their earlier sentiments, indicating a sense of hopelessness; that without 'Happy' there can be no happiness and everything they possess will no longer have any purpose.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Mitsuki Laycock
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
megangoldberg
on My Love Mine All Mine
very interesting
mon
on My Love Mine All Mine
w song
Samounou
on My Love Mine All Mine
Samounou
Samounou
on My Love Mine All Mine
Gaoussou
Tut
on My Love Mine All Mine
Great song
kenna
on My Love Mine All Mine
Moon, a hole of light
Through the big top tent up high
Here before and after me
Shinin′ down on me
Moon, tell me if I could
Send up my heart to you?
So, when I die, which I must do
Could it shine down here with you?
Cause my love is mine, all mine
I love, mine, mine, mine
Nothing in the world belongs to me
But my love, mine, all mine, all mine
My baby here on earth
Showed me what my heart was worth
So, when it comes to be my turn
Could you shine it down here for her?
Cause my love is mine, all mine
I love, mine, mine, mine
Nothing in the world belongs to me
But my love, mine, all mine
Nothing in the world is mine for free
But my love, mine, all mine, all mine
pax
on Brand New City
"But if I gave up on being pretty, I wouldn't know how to be alive. I should move to a brand new city and teach myself how to die." that part goddamn so damn good
i
on A Burning Hill
i think for me i interpret this as how i’ve accepted my sadness and anxiety, at this point i even cause more pain for myself on purpose. i just observe it and don’t do anything and even if i do i just make everything worse and if i somehow feel better im disappointed spreading more fire to watch and observe.
nana
on Fireworks
I wish i was as beautiful as this song