Sardonic And Sincere: Ed Roman “Happiness”

Ed Roman returns to the forefront of music with a brand new single, “Happiness” (October 1st release). Ed has always been a champion of his own eclectic blend of pop and folk influences, and this comes through with the new single, quite well.

“Happiness” is a song that is written to directly betray its title. While the song is written in major chords that are usually associated with positivity and joy, the lyrics are steeped in irony and dripping with sarcasm as Ed tells people that the path to true happiness is for everyone to “cry.”

It’s all expertly done of course. Ed cleverly bolsters “Happiness” with some truly sweet and cheerful melodies, which are necessary for the song to achieve its intended effect. It also has the fortunate side effect of making the single a very pleasant song to listen to.

Acoustic guitars make up the bulk of the song’s melody, at least until the synths kick in to give the song an extra boost of sweetness. There’s also a very consistent rhythm that keeps things upbeat, which works to the benefit of the single.

Ed’s delivery is equal parts sincere and sardonic, as he tells everybody to cry. While it may seem like it’s poking fun at the idea of obtaining happiness through song, there’s also a bit of truth in there. Crying may be something we associate with being sad or upset, but it’s also an outlet to release negative feelings, and that’s what ultimately leads to people feeling better.

Musically however, Ed’s raspy vocals fit surprisingly well. While “Happiness” has much more pop-like sensibilities, Ed’s folksier delivery keeps the song grounded. On top of that, Ed is also just a talented singer, with his words and emotions coming through clearly to the listener.

Overall, “Happiness” is an excellent song that fits very well with the ideas and themes on display while still sounding like ear candy. Ed Roman delivers once again on his unique sound, and we can’t wait to see what else he has in store for the future.

-Jason Airy