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When you're feeling down, there's nothing quite like a happy song to bring a smile back to your face.
Now, a music psychologist has discovered the formula for the happiest songs in the world - and the tune that best follows it is 'Good Vibrations' by The Beach Boys.
Dr Michael Bonshor from the University of Sheffield found that the most uplifting tracks have a tempo of 137 beats per minute (bpm) and a regular verse-chorus-verse-chorus structure, but are peppered with unpredictable elements like a key change or 'seventh chords'.
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I have no knowledge of beats-per-minute or chorus structure, but the article got me thinking about some of my favorite oldies songs that would make the list of "Ultimate Cheerful Tunes".
Friday On My Mind - The Easybeats
Happy Together - The Turtles
Here Comes My Baby - The Tremeloes
Double Shot (Of My Baby's Love) - The Swinging Medallions
More suggestions?
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I can't hear Manfred Mann's version of "Doo Wah Diddy" without brightening up.
I was once in a radio newsroom during a meeting and at a dull point in the proceedings (and there were lots of those!) I suddenly thought of this song. And during one of the long silences, I said, "There she was just walking down the street singing..." And I stopped.
And to my amazement, nearly everyone in the gathering instantly and almost automatically responded, "Doo Wah Diddy Diddy Dum Diddy Do." It was like they couldn't stop themselves. To this day, I've never seen anything like that. So that's what comes to mind whenever the Mann is played on the radio. And it always makes me feel good.
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how about these three
My pledge of love-Joe Jeffery Group
Beach Baby-First Class
This old heart of mine-Isley Brothers
foot tapper all
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Lots of tunes cheer me up, especially when I'm in my car. Some of them include...
"Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel" - Tavares
"Green Onions" - Booker T & MG's
"Baubles, Bangles & Beads" - Kirby Stone 4
"Thinking Of You" - Jaguars