Her new album, Caterpillar Sarabande, includes the well known track 'Happy Thoughts'. She had what one describes as "a stellar gig" in The Sugar Club in Dublin in February. She has been described as having "unusual and witty lyrics - and fantastic music."
Happy Thoughts
Vyvienne Long Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Happy thoughts
Happy thoughts will save me
Happy thoughts
Happy thoughts
Happy thoughts will save me
Why do cats smile
Why do frogs shigh
When camels wish to retire
Why do the antelope
Go swingling off the anchor-rope
Why do bares bore
Oh why whatever for
No one will ever know
And neither will I
So think happy thoughts
?till bad ones go by
Happy thoughts
Happy thoughts
Happy thoughts will save me
Happy thoughts
Happy thoughts
Happy thoughts will save me
Why do birds sing
When worms can?t hear a thing
Why do snakes dance
When snalis get fryed in france
Why do the red foxes
Go pulling off the badgers socks
Why do sheep dive
Straight in to the bee hive
No one will ever know
The blackbird in the pie
So think happy thoughts
?till bad ones go by
Happy thoughts
Happy thoughts
Happy thoughts will save me
Happy thoughts
Happy thoughts
Happy thoughts will save me
Vyvienne Long's song Happy Thoughts is an exploration of the natural world in which animals and creatures do things that are unexpected, bizarre and unexplainable. The song starts with the repetition of the phrase "Happy Thoughts will save me" as if the singer is trying to convince themselves of this truth. The subsequent verses are then filled with images that are strange and wondrous. The lyrics wonder, "Why do cats smile when dragons breath fire? Why do frogs sigh when camels wish to retire?" as if to convey the sense of confusion that life is full of.
The song then uses animals like "antelope" and "sheep" to illustrate the inexplicable behavior of creatures. These animals are doing things that are outside of their natural tendencies as if to underline the confusion and chaos of existence. The song ends with the line, "No one will ever know the blackbird in the pie, so think happy thoughts 'til bad ones go by." This line emphasizes the mystery of life and that sometimes you just have to resort to hoping for the best.
Overall, Happy Thoughts is a song that reflects on the beauty and weirdness of life. By showcasing the weird behavior of animals, the singer is trying to convey that life is not always logical and that we should just appreciate it for what it is.
Line by Line Meaning
Happy thoughts
Positive and optimistic thoughts
Happy thoughts will save me
Believing in happy thoughts can pull me out of negative thoughts or situations
Why do cats smile
There can be various reasons for joy and enthusiasm
When dragons breath fire
Even things that might seem destructive or negative can be interpreted in a positive way
Why do frogs shigh
Sometimes life can be overwhelming, but it's important to not lose hope
When camels wish to retire
Even the most hardworking need rest and relaxation
Why do the antelope
Questioning the curiousness of nature and events
Go swingling off the anchor-rope
The unpredictability and spontaneity of life can be embraced with joy and excitement
Why do bares bore
Even the most simple and mundane things can hold some meaning or purpose
No one will ever know
Some mysteries of life are meant to remain unanswered
And neither will I
Accepting the limitations of human understanding and knowledge
Why do birds sing
Finding joy and positivity in small things
When worms can’t hear a thing
The lack of external validation or recognition shouldn't stop us from expressing happiness
Why do snakes dance
Even those who might be unusual or different in some way can enjoy life and find reasons to celebrate
When snalis get fryed in france
Accidents and unfortunate events can be seen as opportunities for growth or learning
Why do the red foxes
Finding humor and enjoyment in the strangeness of life
Go pulling off the badgers socks
Embracing playfulness and joy even in otherwise ordinary or serious situations
Why do sheep dive
Taking risks and exploring new things can be exciting and fulfilling
Straight in to the bee hive
Even things that might seem difficult or dangerous are worth trying in order to discover new aspects of life
The blackbird in the pie
The true origins or explanations for some things or events might never be discovered
Contributed by Muhammad D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
laura osully
This is such a beautiful song!!
James Ryan
Love it so much... Thank you :D
IrelandMuayThai
Oh my god, I just stumbled upon this lady and her voice is so divine and her music is so mellow and angelic. She kinda reminds me of a mix between Enya and Regina Spektor.
ProfRonanMC
This song makes me ridiculously happy.
Ricardo Nascimento
Ok, it works! I can listen her voice cause in my country is hard to find.
bobby quinn
! so thanks vyvienne your music saved my day from being a complete and utter disaster!
bobby quinn
i had a moment today, when i was getting on the bus this young guy (making a statement, i presume) started shouting at me a causing a huge scene, allegedly i was 'looking to start something' but being restrained as i am i decided not to punch him and instead i just ignored him in his feeble attempt for attention and while the bus driver kicked him off the bus all i could think about was this song so i started to quietly hum(which turned into quietly singing) and i instantly felt better.....
Vyvienne Long
Big 😊.
Chigbert
Wow this is great! I wish I could hit Like a hundred times.
Vyvienne Long
Hello Maynooth11, thanks for posting this! x Vyvienne