Legendary composer Danny Elfman has shared his first new solo song in 36 years. Arriving just in time for Halloween, ‘Happy’ is out now via ANTI-/Epitaph Records and comes with an accompanying music video directed by Aron Johnson. Check it out below.
“I originally wrote ‘Happy’ to perform at Coachella 2020,” Elfman said in a press release. “It was written to be an absurd anti-pop song, designed to begin as a very simple pop tune that degrades into something more subversive. The cynical nature of the lyrics echo how I feel about living in a semi-dystopian world turned upside down.”
He continued: “Halloween has always been my Big Night. As a child there was no competition. Coincidently, in my earlier band Oingo Boingo, our Halloween shows became special events and our biggest shows of the year. And double coincidently The Nightmare Before Christmas also became a special live Concert Halloween event, which became more successful than I’d ever dreamed possible. This really meant a lot to me as the character of Jack Skellington, who I related to quite closely, has for many years been a very special part of my life.”
‘Happy’ features contributions from drummer Josh Freese (of the Vandals and Nine Inch Nails), guitarist Nili Brosh (of Dethklok), and bassist Stu Brooks (of Dub Trio), with additional synth design from Randall Dunn.
