#PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS SONG GENTE SERIES#

#PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS SONG GENTE SERIES#

The great thing about the Pursuit of Happiness, besides a run of great singles off of this record, and on the albums to follow, is that ironic intelligent power-pop began to flourish in Canada along the same lines as TPOH, with The Odds, Treble Charger, and Sloan following suit, although with individual sounds of their own.Д«y 1995, and on release of their excellent and under-appreciated WhereвЂ™sВ The Bone? album, and after an unabashedly pop album The Wonderful World of the Pursuit of Happiness, the group faded after a series of personnel shifts over five albums, although they never officially broke up. And when it comes to pop song construction and execution on record is concerned, producer Todd Rundgren is the perfect match, having written a number of songs himself that troll these very same thematic waters. ThereвЂ™s no novelty in that, where rock songwriting is concerned. And where вЂњIвЂ™m An Adult NowвЂќ could be looked upon as a one-off novelty song, вЂњHard To LaughвЂќ is undeniable as a rock song that is ultimately about sex, and how it can mess you up if youвЂ™re not careful. ItвЂ™s really Moe BergвЂ™s handle on that kind of irony and contrast as a songwriter that really allows the bandвЂ™s material to shine. Pop smarts is where The Pursuit of Happiness excelled, first in Canada, and then internationally (although not so much in the States), with their initial hit вЂњIвЂ™m An Adult NowвЂќ, an ironic, partially spoken-word song about the burdens of having to abandon the restlessness and impetuousness of youth and face up to being a grown-up, all the while set to a rock n roll backing that seems to suggest an opposite point of view. When it comes to pop smarts, of course, it helps that the guy in the producerвЂ™s chair knows a thing or two about them вЂ“ Todd Rundgren. Berg had as firm understanding that tough-sounding music against vulnerable, anti-macho lyrics creates a compelling concoction that is all about contrast, irony, and a unique brand of wit that doesnвЂ™t stray into jokey silliness. The song, and the band was conceived and led into glory by one Moe Berg, a songwriter with a love for short stories, Cheap Trick, and Alice Cooper. This time, the girl has been won, but itвЂ™s keeping her that proves to be the goal that remains out of reach. ItвЂ™s a variation of a quintessentialВ power pop song theme вЂ“ wanting the girl you canвЂ™t have. HereвЂ™s a story about a guy whoвЂ™s out of his depth where his woman is concerned, with a suspicion that she may well be playing him for a fool that may or may not be a product of his own insecurity. The story of most musicals is the pursuit and achievement of happiness. ThatвЂ™s the magical ingredient to classic power pop, good people! A standard model for the history of a genre could be divided into three periods. This is aВ tune that is both shit-kicking and self-deprecating all in one go. ItвЂ™s вЂњHard To LaughвЂќ, the lead-off track and third Canadian radio single (after вЂњIвЂ™m An Adult NowвЂќ and вЂњSheвЂ™s So YoungвЂќ) from their 1988 debut album Love Junk. Listen to this track from Toronto-based power pop via hard rock idols The Pursuit of Happiness.

Pursuit of happiness song gente