If You're Happy and You Know It

The origin of the melody is unknown, but numerous sources trace it back to Spain, Latin America, Latvia or the United States. The song was published in various places through the decades following the late 1960s, including a volume of "constructive recreational activities" for children (1957), a book of drama projects for disabled children (1967), and a nursing home manual (1966). In 1971, Jonico Music filed for copyright on the song, crediting it to Joe Raposo. During the early part of the 2000s, the music Recording Industry Association of America sued individuals for downloading music using file-sharing services. Widespread media attention was paid to one 12-year-old, whose downloads included "If You're Happy and You Know It" from Kazaa. In 2007, the song was included as part of the Nihon no Uta Hyakusen, a list of the 100 most well-known folk songs in Japan. It is one of nine songs from foreign countries included on the list. It was selected by the Agency of Cultural Affairs and the National Congress of Parents and Teachers Associations of Japan. In 2020, Granger Smith recorded a version that relied on alcohol drinking called "Country and Ya Know It". In 2025, the German duo GroßstadtEngel released a hit single called Gute Laune whose lyrics resemble the lyrics of ''If You're Happy and You Know It'' very much. ==Lyric variations==

Like many children's songs, there are many versions of the lyrics. A popular version goes as follows: If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands! If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands! If you're happy and you know it, and you really want to show it; If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands! This verse is usually followed by more which follow the same pattern but say: "If you're happy and you know it, stomp/stamp your feet!", "If you're happy and you know it, shout/say 'hooray'!" or "shout/say 'amen'!", "If you're happy and you know it, do all three!", "If you're happy and you know it, do all four!". Other versions of the song tend to say, "then your face will surely show it" in place of "and you really want to show it"; the form "then you really ought to show it" has also been used. Many variations on the substance of the first three verses exist, including: :"... stomp/stamp your feet." :"... wave your arms." :"... say/shout, "hooray!", "amen!", "we are!"" :"... do all three, four, five, etc.." O Be Careful O Be Careful is a very popular Christian children's song. It is sung to the tune of If You're Happy and You Know It, and it teaches children to be careful about what they see, hear, say, and do. This song is about living a life that pleases God. The song is rooted in the biblical principle of living a life pleasing to God, particularly in line with verses such as Proverbs 4:23, which encourages guarding the heart, and Psalm 101:3, which advises not to set wicked things before people's eyes. Lyrics Each verse of the song addresses a different part of the body with a sense, to encourage children to be careful with what they see with their eyes, hear with their ears, say with their tongues, do with their hands, go with their feet, trust with their heart and think with their mind. Meaning "O Be Careful" is intended as a reminder to children that God is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent, so to be mindful. ==Melody==

\transpose c, f { \key c \major \time 6/8 \tempo "Moderato" \tempo 4. = 110 \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"piano" \partial 4. g,4 g,8 | c4 c8 c4 c8 | c4 c8 b,4 c8 | d4. \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"woodblock" \xNotesOn f4. | f4. \xNotesOff \bar "" \break \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"piano" g,4 g,8 | d4 d8 d4 d8 | d4 d8 c4 d8 | e4. \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"woodblock" \xNotesOn f4. | f4. \xNotesOff \bar "" \break \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"piano" e4 e8 | f4 f8 f4 f8 | a,4 a,8 f4 f8 | e4 e8 e4 d8 | c4 c8 \bar "" \break e4 e8 | d4 d8 d4 c8 | b,4 b,8 a,4 b,8 | c4. \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"woodblock" \xNotesOn f4. | f4. \xNotesOff \bar "|." } \addlyrics { If you’re hap -- py and you know it, clap your hands (clap) (clap) If you’re hap -- py and you know it, clap your hands (clap) (clap) If you’re hap -- py and you know it, and you real -- ly want to show it, If you’re hap -- py and you know it, clap your hands (clap) (clap) } In the Japanese version as popularized by Kyu Sakamoto and included as the 11th track of Kyu Sakamoto Memorial Best, the third line has a different melody to fit the Japanese lyrics. ==References==