Shiny Happy People

"Shiny Happy People"
Single by R.E.M.
from the album Out of Time
B-side	"Forty Second Song"
Released	May 6, 1991 (1991-05-06)[1]
Recorded	September–October 1990
Genre	Jangle pop[2][3] pop rock[4]
Length	3:45 3:12 (radio edit)
Label	Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)	Bill Berry Peter Buck Mike Mills Michael Stipe
Producer(s)	Scott Litt R.E.M.
R.E.M. singles chronology
"Losing My Religion" (1991) "Shiny Happy People" (1991) "Near Wild Heaven" (1991)
Music video
"Shiny Happy People" on YouTube

"Shiny Happy People" is a 1991 song by alternative rock band R.E.M. and is the second single from their seventh studio album Out of Time. It went to the top ten in the United Kingdom, the United States, Ireland, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Norway. It features the voice of The B-52's singer Kate Pierson.

Track listings

All songs were written by Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Michael Stipe unless otherwise stated.

US and UK 7-inch and cassette single^[5][6][7][8]

1. "Shiny Happy People" (album version) – 3:44
2. "Forty Second Song" – 1:20

UK 12-inch and CD single^[9][10]

1. "Shiny Happy People" – 3:45
2. "Forty Second Song" – 1:20
3. "Losing My Religion" (live acoustic version, recorded on Rockline, April 1, 1991.) – 4:36

UK limited-edition CD single^[11]

1. "Shiny Happy People" – 3:45
2. "I Remember California" (live, from Tourfilm) – 5:42
3. "Get Up" (live, from Tourfilm) – 3:15
4. "Pop Song '89" (live, from Tourfilm) – 3:30

References

1. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. May 4, 1991. p. 31. Misprinted as May 7 on source.
2. O'Neal, Sean (January 29, 2015). ""Shiny Happy People" and a young man's blossoming into cynicism". Retrieved 27 December 2022.
3. Andrew Marr (November 20, 2016). REM Talk Donald Trump on Andrew Marr show, Michael Stipe Mike Mills. YouTube. The Andrew Marr Show. BBC. Archived from the original on 2016-11-21. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
4. "In Defense of… R.E.M.'s 'Shiny Happy People'".
5. Shiny Happy People (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). R.E.M. Warner Bros. Records. 1991. 7-19242.
6. Shiny Happy People (US cassette single cassette notes). R.E.M. Warner Bros. Records. 1991. 4-19242.
7. Shiny Happy People (UK 7-inch single sleeve). R.E.M. Warner Bros. Records. 1991. W0027, 5439-19307-7.
8. Shiny Happy People (UK cassette single sleeve). R.E.M. Warner Bros. Records. 1991. W0027C, 5439 19307-4.
9. Shiny Happy People (UK 12-inch single sleeve). R.E.M. Warner Bros. Records. 1991. W0027T, 9362-40078-0.
10. Shiny Happy People (UK CD single liner notes). R.E.M. Warner Bros. Records. 1991. W0027CD, 9362 40078-2.
11. Shiny Happy People (UK limited CD single liner notes). R.E.M. Warner Bros. Records. 1991. W0027CDX, 9362 40079-2.