Happy Rhodes is an American singer, songwriter, instrumentalist and electronic musician with a four-octave vocal range.
“That I am one and many is at the heart of my dis-ease
Yet I am one and many”
"One And Many"
Find Me (2007)
"Hold Me" - Live performance at the Tin Angel (10 May 1996) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcXOiiyHE_c
Building the Colossus (1994)
"Here And Hereafter" - Live performance, Santa Cruz, CA (9 June 2001) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFlk0MJez_g
Find Me (2007)
“Oh, even the leaves laugh
As you spin and tumble through
We explode in color
All for your honor”
"Ra Is A Busy God"
Many Worlds Are Born Tonight (1998)
Message at the Happy Rhodes fan Guestbook http://www.e-guestbooks.com/cgi-bin/e-guestbooks/guestbook.cgi?action=view&user=Equipoise
“I am skilled now, at casting iron
To make a hardened bed for my heavy world”
"One And Many"
Find Me (2007)
"The First To Cry" - Live performance New Haven, CT (4 April 2003) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjxKnOLRFiA
Rhodes Volume I (1986)
"Words Weren't Made For Cowards"
Warpaint (1991)
On her lifelong use of the name "Happy", in "The Happy Rhodes Interview" in Homeground #48 (Summer 1993) http://web.archive.org/web/20091023165015/http://geocities.com/SoHo/Studios/3450/homeground.html
Context: The first time my brothers saw me, when I was a day or two old and still in the hospital, my brother Mark could not pronounce the name "Kimberley," and I was an especially happy baby, so he decided it would be easier to call me "Happy." From that moment on, my family members never used the name Kimberley. I was forced, however, to use my given name while attending school. As soon as I turned sixteen, my name was legally changed to Happy Tyler Rhodes. As far as I'm concerned, it's the ony name I've ever had. When people ask me if it's my real name, I always say "yes."
"Words Weren't Made For Cowards"
Warpaint (1991)
“As far as I'm concerned, it's the ony name I've ever had.”
On her lifelong use of the name "Happy", in "The Happy Rhodes Interview" in Homeground #48 (Summer 1993) http://web.archive.org/web/20091023165015/http://geocities.com/SoHo/Studios/3450/homeground.html
Context: The first time my brothers saw me, when I was a day or two old and still in the hospital, my brother Mark could not pronounce the name "Kimberley," and I was an especially happy baby, so he decided it would be easier to call me "Happy." From that moment on, my family members never used the name Kimberley. I was forced, however, to use my given name while attending school. As soon as I turned sixteen, my name was legally changed to Happy Tyler Rhodes. As far as I'm concerned, it's the ony name I've ever had. When people ask me if it's my real name, I always say "yes."
“Many worlds are born tonight
Because the needy is everyone.”
"Many Worlds Are Born Tonight"
Many Worlds Are Born Tonight (1998)
Context: Turn the lights down for a while
And have a rock with the solitude
Many worlds are born tonight
Because the needy is everyone.
“He is broken, far from free
Words were spoken, 'tween him and me”
"Temporary And Eternal" - Live performance, later used on the compilation album The Keep (16 May 1995) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiIqnvFAoHs
Equipoise (1993)
Context: He is broken, far from free
Words were spoken, 'tween him and me:
"I had friends, yes, I was admired
I'm so old now, feel so tired."
Well he walks to the gate and he looks behind
at life in rewind
And wishes he had known these things
while still alive.
"If Wishes Were Horses, How Beggars Would Ride" - Live performance (29 June 1999) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyG_g73R0wY
Many Worlds Are Born Tonight (1998)
Context: I wish I could promise I'll
Be there when you dream
I wish that when you spoke to me
I'd know what you mean But you can't bring me comfort
By filling up my eyes
They don't stay dry
Hard as I try
Can't figure why
Made I this choice
"All Things (Mia ia io)" - Live performance at The Tin Angel, Philadelphia, PA (15 March 1997) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eACEYTQkoLA
Warpaint (1991)
Context: I dreamed I was an animal
In a human world;
Now when I hear big sounds
I cry like a little girl. I'm talking about connections
Between here and there;
All things exist at once
Seems more than we can bear.
“And wishes he had known these things
while still alive.”
"Temporary And Eternal" - Live performance, later used on the compilation album The Keep (16 May 1995) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiIqnvFAoHs
Equipoise (1993)
Context: He is broken, far from free
Words were spoken, 'tween him and me:
"I had friends, yes, I was admired
I'm so old now, feel so tired."
Well he walks to the gate and he looks behind
at life in rewind
And wishes he had known these things
while still alive.
“If you feel anything
Be brave
Come forth
Let it show.”
"Words Weren't Made For Cowards"
Warpaint (1991)
Context: Do I have to dig? Do I have to prod?
Reach into your chest
And pull your feelings out?
Are you dancing dead?
Or maybe walking toast?
If you feel anything
Be brave
Come forth
Let it show.
Tell me what d'you think of life?
Tell me do you think at all?
“My past is warpaint.
The past is warpaint.”
"Warpaint"
Warpaint (1991)
Context: As I walk through fire
I am shielded from the flame
Although the guilty parties
Take no blame.
Don't try to tell me there's no
Reason for any moment in time;
Every memory of mine
Those years are lines of
Color on my face.
My past is warpaint.
The past is warpaint.
“With your face comes laughter
And with your touch
And with your touch comes joy.”
"Ra Is A Busy God"
Many Worlds Are Born Tonight (1998)
Context: Even the leaves laugh
'cause they have what I have
Reach from the best tree
So he can see me
And with your face
With your face comes laughter
And with your touch
And with your touch comes joy.
"The Happy Rhodes Interview" in Homeground #48 (Summer 1993)
Context: I'm thrilled that people can get something out of my music. I have to attribute that to integrity and honesty. I've found that people aren't really as different as they sometimes seem. We all have joy and tragedy in our lives. So it only follows that if I write something from my heart and stay true to myself, others will easily identify.
“When the rain came down, I was older than the earth.”
"When The Rain Came Down" (bonus track on 1992 CD) - Live performance at The Tin Angel, Philadelphia, PA (9 May 1996) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zzcMmfGBjY - Visually enhanced fan video of same performance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vz8S31vlw8Q <!-- at some points this sounds more like: I am Peace, in love, in harmony… -->
Ecto (1987)
Context: When the rain came down, I was older than the earth.
I could die right now, and plan another birth
Anytime I choose.
I am in peace, in love, in harmony,
when the rain comes
"When The Rain Came Down" <!-- at some points this sounds more like "I am standing in green" -->
Ecto (1987)
Context: When the rain came down, I was standing in the green
My soul was touched by every tree that my eyes could see
I am in peace, in love, in harmony
when the rain comes
down When the rain came down — melded with my tears
When the rain came down — flow away the fears
When the rain came down — bigger than the sea
When the rain came down — then came me.
"Words Weren't Made For Cowards" - album version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dn3LOFVH4Ks · World Cafe version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojKOGra4faE
Warpaint (1991)
“I am in peace, in love, in harmony,
when the rain comes”
"When The Rain Came Down" (bonus track on 1992 CD) - Live performance at The Tin Angel, Philadelphia, PA (9 May 1996) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zzcMmfGBjY - Visually enhanced fan video of same performance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vz8S31vlw8Q <!-- at some points this sounds more like: I am Peace, in love, in harmony… -->
Ecto (1987)
Context: When the rain came down, I was older than the earth.
I could die right now, and plan another birth
Anytime I choose.
I am in peace, in love, in harmony,
when the rain comes
"Chosen One" - Live performance at The Tin Angel, Philadelphia PA (29 January 2005) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xt4PTtcVh5s
Find Me (2007)
“Here we are reaching out for aliens
Looking for our salvation.
Pity our emptiness
Save our souls.”
"Save Our Souls" - Live performance at The Tin Angel, Philadelphia, PA (15 March 1997) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPJ2HRgtquo
Equipoise (1993)
Context: We are the number one offender
Of specieism and yet
Here we are reaching out for aliens
Looking for our salvation.
Pity our emptiness
Save our souls.
Going to fly
"Temporary And Eternal"
Equipoise (1993)
"Ra Is A Busy God" - Live performance at New Haven, CT (4 April 2003) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmbHQ0rwCBQ
Many Worlds Are Born Tonight (1998)
"Many Worlds Are Born Tonight" - Live performance at The Tin Angel (24 July 1999) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGdnjC48aJg
Many Worlds Are Born Tonight (1998)
"Chosen One"
Find Me (2007)
"All Things (Mia ia io)"
Warpaint (1991)
"If Wishes Were Horses, How Beggars Would Ride" - Live performance (29 June 1999) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyG_g73R0wY
Many Worlds Are Born Tonight (1998)
"All Things (Mia ia io)" - Live performance at The Tin Angel, Philadelphia, PA (15 March 1997) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eACEYTQkoLA
Warpaint (1991)
