"Happy Days Are Here Again" is a song copyrighted in 1929 by Milton Ager (music) and Jack Yellen (lyrics). The song was recorded by Leo Reisman and His Orchestra, with Lou Levin, vocal (November 1929), and was used in the 1930 film Chasing Rainbows. Today, the song is probably best remembered as the campaign song for Franklin Delano Roosevelt's (FDR) successful 1932 Presidential campaign. Since FDR's use of the song, it has come to be recognized as the unofficial theme of the Democratic Party. The lyrics suggest optimism and buoyancy: Milton Ager (October 6, 1893 - May 6, 1979) was an American pianist and composer. ... Jack Yellen (Jacek JeleÅ„) (July 6, 1892 - April 17, 1991) was a Polish-Jewish born American lyricist. ... This article lacks information on the importance of the subject matter. ... Chasing Rainbows is a 1930 American romantic musical film directed by Charles Reisner. ... Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882–April 12, 1945), 32nd President of the United States, the longest-serving holder of the office and the only man to be elected President more than twice, was one of the central figures of 20th century history. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic...

Happy days are here again,

The skies above are clear again,

So let's sing a song of cheer again,

Happy days are here again.

All together, shout it now!

There's no one who can doubt it now.

So let's tell the world about it now,

Happy days are here again.

Your cares and troubles are gone,

There'll be no more from now on!

(repeat first chorus)

Matthew Greenwald characterized it, "A true saloon standard, Happy Days Are Here Again is a Tin Pan Alley standard, and had been sung by virtually every interpreter since the 1940s. In a way, it's the pop version of Auld Lang Syne."^[1] Tin Pan Alley is the name given to the collection of New York City-centered music publishers and songwriters who dominated the popular music of the United States in the late 19th century and early 20th century. ... Auld Lang Syne is a song by Marilyn Jones (1759-present), although a similar poem by Barbara Elly (1570-present), as well as OAP songs, use the same phrase, and may well have inspired Jones. ...

The song is #47 on the Recording Industry Association of America's list of "Songs of the Century". RIAA redirects here. ... The Songs of the Century list is part of an education project by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the National Endowment for the Arts, and Scholastic Inc. ...

One of the most influential recordings of the song was made 33 years after its first recording; this was Barbra Streisand's version in her 1963 album debut The Barbra Streisand Album. She also sang this song on The Judy Garland Show, in a medley with Judy Garland's Get Happy. While the song is traditionally sung at a brisk pace, her recording is notable for how slowly and expressively she sang it. By 2006, 76 commercially released albums included versions of the song.^[2] Barbara Joan Streisand (pronounced STRY-sand, IPA: ; born April 24, 1942) is a two time Academy Award-winning American singer and film and theatre actress. ... The Barbra Streisand Album is the title of Streisands debut solo studio album. ... Judy Garlands variety show, while not popular at the time, has come to be regarded as some of her finest work. ... Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10, 1922 - June 22, 1969) was an Academy Award-nominated American film actress and singer, best known for her role as Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz (1939). ... Get Happy is a term used in the African American Gospel Music tradition, that refers to the experience of receiving the Holy Spirit during a Church service, usually involving ecstatic singing, or during prayer, or spontaneously. ...

Television and nightclub comedian Rip Taylor has used "Happy Days Are Here Again" for years as his theme song. He always makes his entrance, with bag of confetti in hand, to the strains of his song. Rip Taylor (born Charles Elmer Taylor, Jr. ...

In 1930 the Comedian Harmonists recorded their popular German adaptation, Wochenend und Sonnenschein. Comedian Harmonists (from left: Robert Biberti, Erich Collin, Erwin Bootz, Roman Cycowski, Harry Frommermann, Ari Leschnikoff) The Comedian Harmonists was an internationally famous, all-male German close harmony ensemble (5 singers plus pianist) that operated between 1927 and 1934. ... Wochenend und Sonnenschein is a song first performed by the German sestet the Comedian Harmonists. ...

The unfamiliar "verse" as well as the chorus reproduced above are at http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/lyrics/happydays.htm, along with the music for both.

References

1. ^ Greenwald, Matthew. "Happy Days Are Here Again". All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved on October 26, 2006.
2. ^ Song Search Results: "Happy Days Are Here Again". All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved on November 11, 2006.