She is known for her sense of humor, which is expressed in both her music and her onstage performances. Many of her songs alternate between emotional reflections on romance and outright comedy. Two of her more famous songs include "Sensitive New Age Guys" and "Bald Headed Men".
Happydance
Christine Lavin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
but no one dare utter that out loud
when the preacher said, "speak now or forever hold your peace"
an uncomfortable silence fell over the crowd
Then we watched you try to make him happy
as the days and weeks and months and years rolled by
then one morning you woke up to find that he had left
Stop your sobbing he's an idiot
we never liked him and we never understood
why you fell for this stupid cretin
when you are so sweet and kind and good
Behind your back we are doing a happy dance (Happy Dance!)
we're thrilled we never have to see him anymore
be glad you are no longer tethered to
the world's biggest ingrate and bore
Now all you remember are the happy times
that the two of you supposedly shared
but all we remember is how hard you tried
to please him when the truth is
he barely cared
We watched you lose your zest for living
we're here to tell you, you can get it back
he's been an unhealthy addiction
think of him as potato chips dipped in chocolate and crack!
Stop your sobbing he's a heartless meanie
we never liked him and we never understood
why you fell for this witless weenie
when you are so smart so kind so good
Behind your back we are doing a happy dance (Happy Dance!"
we're thrilled we never have to see him anymore
be glad you are no longer beholden to
the world's biggest ingrate and bore
Was he as bad as we've made him out to be?
let's think about that . . . no, he was worse
but what a stroke of luck
you are no longer stuck
to the human equivalent of a spooky voodoo curse
Don't waste one more precious moment
on someone your friends are so sick of
look at what you had
a little good but a lotta bad
and where was the love? where was the love?
Welcome back to the land of the living
we missed you and are so glad you've returned
now's the time to let bygones be
hallelujah you are free
let's be grateful for all the lessons learned
Stop your sobbing he's a cheap right wing xenophobe
we never liked him and we never understood
why you fell for a mental snowglobe
when you are so decent and kind and good
Join us now in doing a happy dance (Happy Dance!)
we're thrilled we never have to see him anymore
be glad you are no longer married to
the world's biggest ingrate and bore
he's the world's bigest ingrate and bore!
Happy dance!
The song Happydance by Christine Lavin is a humorous take on a relationship that nobody approved of but no one spoke against. The lyrics delve into the singer's relationship, which was frowned upon by everybody around her. The song picks up at the moment when the singer's partner leaves her, and how everyone around her begins to rejoice in their own ways.
Lavin's witty lyrics present the perspective of the singer's friends who believe that her partner was never good enough for her. They are happy that she is no longer with him, and even sing "Behind your back we are doing a happy dance!" They use the opportunity to remind the singer of the negative aspects of the relationship that she seems to have forgotten. The singer's friends encourage her to focus on the positive aspects of life, rather than dwell on the past, and move on.
Through its catchy tune and humorous tone, Happydance presents a relatable situation of a failed relationship, where the singer realizes her worth after being left by her unsuitable partner. The song serves as a reminder that sometimes relationships don't work out, and it is always better to surround ourselves with people who appreciate us.
Line by Line Meaning
No one thought he was right for you
People saw that he wasn't a good match for you
but no one dare utter that out loud
But they didn't share their thoughts with you
when the preacher said, "speak now or forever hold your peace"
During the moment of your wedding, when the preacher asked if anyone objects to the union
an uncomfortable silence fell over the crowd
Everyone kept quiet
Then we watched you try to make him happy
We observed how you tried to make the relationship work
as the days and weeks and months and years rolled by
As time went by
then one morning you woke up to find that he had left
Then one day, he left you
and now you cry and you cry and you cry
And now you're left feeling sad and crying
Stop your sobbing he's an idiot
Don't cry for him, he's not worth it
we never liked him and we never understood
We never approved of him and never understood why you chose him
why you fell for this stupid cretin
Why you fell for someone so unintelligent
when you are so sweet and kind and good
When you're such a good-hearted person
Behind your back we are doing a happy dance (Happy Dance!)
We're secretly celebrating your freedom from him
we're thrilled we never have to see him anymore
We're so happy we don't have to interact with him anymore
be glad you are no longer tethered to
Be glad you're no longer bound to
the world's biggest ingrate and bore
Someone who's ungrateful and boring
Now all you remember are the happy times
Now you only remember the good moments
that the two of you supposedly shared
That you two supposedly experienced together
but all we remember is how hard you tried
But we remember how much you put in the effort
to please him when the truth is
To make him happy even though he didn't deserve it
he barely cared
He hardly cared about you
We watched you lose your zest for living
We noticed how you lost your enthusiasm for life
we're here to tell you, you can get it back
We're here to encourage you that you can regain it
he's been an unhealthy addiction
He was someone that you were addicted to that was bad for you
think of him as potato chips dipped in chocolate and crack!
Think of him as something that's enjoyable but has detrimental consequences
Stop your sobbing he's a heartless meanie
Don't cry for him, he's cruel and heartless
when you are so smart so kind so good
When you're intelligent, kind, and a good person
we're thrilled we never have to see him anymore (Happy Dance!)
We're so happy we don't have to interact with him anymore
be glad you are no longer beholden to
Be glad you're no longer obligated to
the world's biggest ingrate and bore
Someone who's ungrateful and boring
Was he as bad as we've made him out to be?
Was he really as bad as we portrayed him to be?
let's think about that
Let's contemplate that
... no, he was worse
He was even worse than what we thought
but what a stroke of luck
But it's lucky for you
you are no longer stuck
That you're no longer trapped
to the human equivalent of a spooky voodoo curse
To someone who's like a cursed object in the form of a person
Don't waste one more precious moment
Don't spend any more valuable time
on someone your friends are so sick of
On someone that your friends don't like
look at what you had
Look at what you experienced
a little good but a lotta bad
Some good but mostly bad
and where was the love? where was the love?
Where was the love in the relationship?
Welcome back to the land of the living
Welcome back to enjoying life to the fullest
we missed you and are so glad you've returned
We missed you and are happy you're back
now's the time to let bygones be
Now's the time to move on
hallelujah you are free
Hallelujah you're free from the relationship
let's be grateful for all the lessons learned
Let's be thankful for the knowledge gained from the experience
Stop your sobbing he's a cheap right-wing xenophobe
Don't cry for him, he's a prejudice, cheap, and conservative individual
why you fell for a mental snowglobe
Why you fell for someone who's mentally unstable and irrational
Join us now in doing a happy dance (Happy Dance!)
Celebrate with us, it's a joyful occasion
be glad you are no longer married to
Be happy that you're no longer legally tied to
the world's biggest ingrate and bore
Someone who's ungrateful and boring
he's the world's biggest ingrate and bore!
He's truly the biggest ungrateful and boring person in the world!
Happy dance!
Let's do a happy dance in celebration!
Contributed by Charlie K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.