In 2013 Pharrell Williams featured in the disco hit 'Get Lucky' by Daft Punk and wrote and produced Robin Thicke's controversial song 'Blurred Lines' which became the biggest selling songs of the year, both selling over a million copies.
Williams had composed the soundtrack to 'Despicable Me' in 2010, so when the sequel was being made in 2013, he was asked to contribute. Of the three songs he wrote for the soundtrack, 'Happy' was the single. The song was released with very little impact until a 24-hour music video was made using people dancing to the song in different locations around the world. Then in Williams' words: "Boom."
With more than 10 million global sales, 'Happy' is the biggest-selling single of all time. It was nominated for an Academy Award for best original song, but it was a special year for movie soundtracks and the award went to 'Let it Go' from Frozen.
'Happy' is incredibly infectious, filled with optimism. The heartbeat of the song is the celebration of a person:
It might seem crazy what I'm about to say
Sunshine she's here, you can take a break
I'm a hot air balloon that could go to space
With the air, like I don't care baby by the way
The luminous presence of this person makes everything OK – no circumstance can deflate his mood.
There are moments we taste this kind of joy in our lives and this song is gift to help us celebrate these moments. But those moments of joy are often fleeting. C S Lewis talked about joy being a clue to the need we have for God:
"If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world."
The moments of joy that we experience in this life are like a breadcrumb trail to draw us to God, the one who promises a joy unspeakable. We are given confidence by knowing someone brighter than the sun, whose presence in our lives enables us to face any situation. Now that's something worth being happy about.
