Shiny Happy People
by R.E.M.
- Type: Single
- Released: May 1991
- Label: Warner Bros.
- Country: United States
- Length: 9:39
- Community rating: 3.32/5 from 2 ratings
Artists on this release: Scott Litt
Album Notes & Community Reviews
Featuring guest vocals from The B-52's Kate Pierson, this aggressively cheerful jangle-pop track was intended as an ironic, subversive commentary on Chinese government propaganda posters. However, the song's incredibly buoyant melody and upbeat arrangement caused the satirical context to be entirely overlooked by the mainstream public. Despite its massive commercial success, the band infamously distanced themselves from the track in subsequent years.
Genres
Descriptors: satirical, melodic, duet
Tracklist
Credits
- Bernie Lubell - artwork [lettering stamped by]
- Bill Berry - written-by
- Michael Stipe - written-by
- Mike Mills - written-by
- Peter Buck - written-by