Written by American songwriter, Bill Anderson, Ken Dodd released "Happiness" in July 1964. It reached Number 31 in the British hit parade. Dodd was born in 1927 and has spent an entire lifetime in entertainment. In spite of old age and health problems, his performing days are still not over.
Dodd has brought happiness, however momentarily, to millions. The song champions the gift of happiness that of course all of us experience from time to time but like the ocean tide that is referred to in the song, it ebbs and flows. Although a few people we meet are of a consistently happy disposition, most of us have our ups and downs. Happiness can be very slippery. You might try to hang on to it but because of events, changing seasons or other factors that are difficult to pin down, happiness can steal away.
SING ALONG WITH KEN EVERYBODY:-
Happiness, happiness, the greatest gift that I possess
I thank the Lord I've been blessed
With more than my share of happiness
To me this world is a wonderful place
And I'm the luckiest human in the whole human race
I've got no silver and I've got no gold
But I've got happiness in my soul
Happiness to me is an ocean tide
Or a sunset fading on a mountain side
A big old heaven full of stars up above
When I'm in the arms of the one I love
Happiness, happiness, the greatest gift that I possess
I thank the Lord that I've been blessed
With more than my share of happiness
Happiness is a field of grain
Turning its face to the falling rain
I can see it in the sunshine, I breathe it in the air
Happiness happiness everywhere
A wise old man told me one time
I thank the Lord I've been blessed
With more than my share of happiness
To me this world is a wonderful place
And I'm the luckiest human in the whole human race
I've got no silver and I've got no gold
But I've got happiness in my soul
Happiness to me is an ocean tide
Or a sunset fading on a mountain side
A big old heaven full of stars up above
When I'm in the arms of the one I love
Happiness, happiness, the greatest gift that I possess
I thank the Lord that I've been blessed
With more than my share of happiness
Happiness is a field of grain
Turning its face to the falling rain
I can see it in the sunshine, I breathe it in the air
Happiness happiness everywhere
A wise old man told me one time
Happiness is a frame of mind
When you go to measuring my success
Don't count my money count my happiness
Happiness, happiness, the greatest gift that I possess
I thank the Lord I've been blessed
With more than my share of happiness
Happiness, happiness, the greatest gift that I possess
I thank the Lord I've been blessed
With more than my share of happiness
When you go to measuring my success
Don't count my money count my happiness
Happiness, happiness, the greatest gift that I possess
I thank the Lord I've been blessed
With more than my share of happiness
Happiness, happiness, the greatest gift that I possess
I thank the Lord I've been blessed
With more than my share of happiness
The joke was (unintentionally from a master wit?) that the play on words was of course:
ReplyDelete"A penis, a penis, the greatest gift that I possess...
I thank the lord, that I possess, more than my share of a penis."
But, more seriously (adopts newsreaders solemn expression following lighthearted news item) Buddha says that to try to hang onto a transient feeling such as happiness makes us unhappy- we have to appreciate the rollercoaster of emotions.
Often to do with simple chemical imbalance in our bodies and nothing to do with any such made-up thing as feeling- a very unromantic and boringly inhuman scientific way to look at things- but then again that's very Buddhist.
BB Thank you for reminding us of the chemical influence upon one's state of mind. I always think the saying "We are what we eat" contains more science and wisdom than it might first suggest. By the way, as he is a Liverpudlian, I very much doubt that Ken Dodd would ever have been singing about his penis!
ReplyDeleteI heard Doddy being interviwed the other week when they unveiled the Blackpool Comedy Carpet and he was the same as ever.
ReplyDeleteThere are lots of people who are only happy when they're miserable. I'm sure Buddha must have something to say on that subject as well.
You seem a little "thoughtful" recently YP.......".....
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis goes along with the idea that you don't remember someone quite as well as you remember how they make you feel...
ReplyDeleteI'm with Bhudda... and the Sulfi : "There are wild wandering Sufis called qalandars, who are constantly tickled with life. It's scandalous how they love and laugh at any small event."
JOHN GRAY I never stopped being thoughtful. I'm cursed that way.
ReplyDeleteKATHERINE I don't understand that but I agree with it all the same.