"Happy Idiot" is the first single from American indie rock band

TV on the Radio TV on the Radio (TVOTR) is an American rock music, rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2001. The band consists of Tunde Adebimpe (vocals, loops), Dave Sitek (guitars, keyboards, loops), Kyp Malone (vocals, guitars, bass, loops), and ...

's fifth studio album ''

Seeds In botany, a seed is a plant structure containing an embryo and stored nutrients in a protective coat called a ''testa''. More generally, the term "seed" means anything that can be sown, which may include seed and husk or tuber. Seeds are the ...

''.

Background

TV on the Radio's lead singer

Tunde Adebimpe Babatunde Omoroga Adebimpe (; born February 25, 1975) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor. He is best known as a founding member and co-lead vocalist of the Brooklyn-based band TV on the Radio, with whom he has recorded five st ...

clarified to Music Feeds that Happy Idiot's lyrics were about distancing from the shock of an event and placing oneself in danger.

Composition

In an interview with Rolling Stone, guitarist

Dave Sitek David Andrew Sitek (born September 6, 1972) is an American musician and record producer, known for his work with his band TV on the Radio. He has also worked with bands such as Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Liars, Foals, Celebration, Little Dragon, Wavves ...

explained the step by step process of "Happy Idiot". Sitek started creating the song at

Sonic Ranch Sonic Ranch, in the border town of Tornillo, Texas, is the world's largest residential recording studio complex. There are five studios designed by Vincent Van Haaff on a pecan orchard, which borders the Rio Grande and Mexico. Located east of ...

by arranging the musical instruments. After songwriters Daniel Ledinsky and

Erik Hassle Kaj Erik Persson Hassle (born 26 August 1988) is a Swedish pop singer and songwriter. His career started in 2008 with his first single, " Hurtful", which eventually reached No. 11 in Sweden and peaked at No. 2 in Denmark. His most successful sin ...

created the melody, the rest of TV on the Radio added their contributions to complete the song.

Reception

Critics both praised and panned the music style in "Happy Idiot". Slate Magazine likened the song's new wave style to a combination of

The Police The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. Within a few months of their first gig, the line-up settled as Sting (lead vocals, bass guitar, primary songwriter), Andy Summers (guitar) and Stewart Copeland (drums, percussi ...

and

Joy Division Joy Division were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Salford in 1976. The group consisted of vocalist, guitarist and lyricist Ian Curtis, guitarist and keyboardist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris (musici ...

. However, Beat Magazine opined that the usage of

hi-hat A hi-hat (hihat, high-hat, etc.) is a combination of two cymbals and a pedal, all mounted on a metal stand. It is a part of the standard drum kit used by drummers in many styles of music including rock music, rock, popular music, pop, jazz, an ...

s did not add anything to "Happy Idiot", and called the song "nothing more, nothing less, nothing revelatory", while Spin Magazine called the song "a typically straining post-punk exercise".

Music video

On October 3, 2014, TV on the Radio released a music video for "Happy Idiot" referencing

Speed Racer ''Speed Racer'', also known as , is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Tatsuo Yoshida. It was originally serialized in print in Shueisha's 1966 ''Shōnen Book''. It was released in form by Sun Wide Comics and later re-re ...

. In the music video directed by Danny Jelinek,

Paul Reubens Paul Reubens (; ; August 27, 1952 – July 30, 2023) was an American actor and comedian, widely known for creating and portraying the character Pee-wee Herman. Born in Peekskill, New York and raised in both Oneonta, New York and Sarasota, Flo ...

plays a racecar driver that is hallucinating about a girl played by

Karen Gillan Karen Sheila Gillan (; born 28 November 1987) is a Scottish actress and filmmaker. She gained recognition for her work in British film and television, particularly for playing Amy Pond, a primary companion to the Eleventh Doctor in the scien ...

. In a statement by Tunde Adebimpe, Adebimpe said that he came up with the idea for the music video and approached

Funny or Die Funny or Die, Inc. is a comedy video website and production company owned by Henry R. Muñoz III that was founded by Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Mark Kvamme, and Chris Henchy in 2007. The website contained exclusive material from a regular staf ...

, who accepted the idea. He also highlighted that Paul Reubens was a big influence on him, and that he was excited to work with Karen Gillan.

Charts

References

External links

{{authority control 2014 singles TV on the Radio songs 2014 songs Songs written by Erik Hassle Harvest Records singles