Complete List Of Happy Mondays Songs From A to Z

Feature Photo: Stig Nygaard, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Happy Mondays came out of the working-class streets of Salford, England, in the early 1980s and went on to become one of the defining bands of the Manchester music scene. Formed in 1980, the group was led by charismatic frontman Shaun Ryder, with his brother Paul Ryder on bass, Mark Day on guitar, Paul Davis on keyboards, and Gary Whelan on drums. Dancer and percussionist Bez became an essential part of the group’s identity, known for his eccentric energy and stage presence. Happy Mondays began performing at local clubs, where their combination of funk, rock, and the emerging dance sound quickly caught attention. They blended the rhythms of club culture with the grit of punk and the swagger of Northern English life, creating something that felt both new and rooted in their own environment.

Their big break came when they signed to Factory Records, the same influential label that housed Joy Division and New Order. Factory co-founder Tony Wilson was immediately drawn to the band’s originality and saw them as the next evolution of Manchester’s sound. In 1985, Happy Mondays released their debut EP Forty Five EP, which captured their raw potential and set the stage for what was to come. Their first full-length album, Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out), was released in 1987 and produced by John Cale of The Velvet Underground. The album’s title alone reflected the chaotic creativity that defined the band. It offered a mix of surreal lyrics, dance grooves, and working-class realism, marking the beginning of their rise as a cult favorite.

It was their second album, Bummed (1988), that pushed Happy Mondays into the national spotlight. Produced by Martin Hannett, the record combined hypnotic rhythms, psychedelic textures, and Shaun Ryder’s distinctive, streetwise vocals. Songs like “Wrote for Luck” and “Lazyitis” became club anthems, capturing the hedonistic spirit of late-1980s Manchester. Around this time, the city’s club scene was exploding with the rise of acid house, and Happy Mondays became one of the key bridges between rock and dance music. Their live shows were unpredictable, wild, and filled with the energy of a band that thrived on chaos. They embodied the culture that would soon be known as “Madchester,” a scene that blurred the lines between genres, lifestyles, and attitudes.

Their commercial and artistic peak came with the release of Pills ’n’ Thrills and Bellyaches in 1990. Produced by Paul Oakenfold and Steve Osborne, the album perfectly captured the euphoric energy of the era. The record reached number four on the UK Albums Chart and went platinum, featuring hit singles such as “Step On” and “Kinky Afro.” “Step On,” a cover of John Kongos’s “He’s Gonna Step on You Again,” became their biggest hit, reaching number five on the UK Singles Chart and turning the band into household names. The combination of Oakenfold’s dance production, Ryder’s cryptic yet anthemic lyrics, and Bez’s free-spirited antics made the album an instant classic. Pills ’n’ Thrills and Bellyaches remains a defining document of British music at the dawn of the 1990s.

However, the band’s wild lifestyle and the pressures of fame began to take their toll. In 1992, Happy Mondays released Yes Please!, recorded in Barbados with producers Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth of Talking Heads. The sessions were notoriously chaotic, and the album’s recording costs contributed to the financial collapse of Factory Records. The record failed to match the success of its predecessor, and tensions within the band led to their breakup later that year. Despite their disbandment, the influence of Happy Mondays could be felt everywhere in British music, from the Britpop explosion to later dance-rock acts who built on their fusion of rhythm and attitude.

Shaun Ryder went on to form Black Grape with Bez and guitarist Kermit Leveridge, achieving renewed success in the mid-1990s with hits like “Reverend Black Grape” and “In the Name of the Father.” Meanwhile, Paul Ryder continued working in music, and Bez became a beloved television personality and cultural figure in the UK. The original lineup reunited several times over the years, including major tours and festival appearances that drew enthusiastic crowds. Their chemistry, humor, and raw energy never faded, reminding audiences why their music had connected so deeply in the first place.

Over their career, Happy Mondays released five studio albums, several compilations, and a long list of singles that continue to define a pivotal moment in British music. Their influence extends far beyond their original era, credited with helping to shape modern indie and dance culture. They received widespread recognition for their contributions to music, including the Ivor Novello Inspiration Award, honoring their innovation and cultural impact. Their songs still resonate in clubs and on radio playlists, standing as a testament to a time when music, nightlife, and rebellion collided in thrilling fashion.

Outside of their recording success, the members of Happy Mondays have remained active in creative pursuits and charity work. Shaun Ryder has appeared in documentaries and television programs reflecting on his experiences in the industry, while Bez has used his fame to support environmental causes and community projects. Their story is one of survival, reinvention, and authenticity. Through triumphs, excess, and reinventions, Happy Mondays never lost their sense of humor or their deep connection to the people who grew up with their music.

Complete List Of Happy Mondays Songs From A to Z

0161’ers (Northern Soul Weekender) – Uncle Dysfunktional – 2007
24 Hour Party People – Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out) – 1987
Angel – Yes Please! – 1992
Angels and Whores – Uncle Dysfunktional – 2007
Anti Warhole (On the Dancefloor) – Uncle Dysfunktional – 2007
Bob’s Yer Uncle – Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches – 1990
Brain Dead – Bummed – 1988
Bring a Friend – Bummed – 1988
Clap Your Hands – Hallelujah – 1989
Cob 20 – Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out) – 1987
Country Song – Bummed – 1988
Cowboy Dave – Yes Please! – 1992
Cuntry Disco – Uncle Dysfunktional – 2007
Cut ‘Em Loose Bruce – Yes Please! – 1992
Dennis and Lois – Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches – 1990
Deviantz – Uncle Dysfunktional – 2007
Do It Better – Bummed – 1988
Donovan – Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches – 1990
Dr Dick – Uncle Dysfunktional – 2007
Dustman – Yes Please! – 1992
Dysfunktional Uncle – Uncle Dysfunktional – 2007
‘Enery – Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out) – 1987
Fat Lady Wrestlers – Bummed – 1988
God’s Cop – Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches – 1990
Grandbag’s Funeral – Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches – 1990
Hallelujah (Club Mix) – Hallelujah – 1989
Hallelujah (MacColl Mix) – Hallelujah – 1989
Harmony – Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches – 1990
Holiday – Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches – 1990
Holy Ghost – Hallelujah – 1989
In the Blood – Uncle Dysfunktional – 2007
Jellybean – Uncle Dysfunktional – 2007
Kinky Afro – Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches – 1990
Kuff Dam – Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out) – 1987
Lazy Itis – Bummed – 1988
Little Matchstick Owen – Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out) – 1987
Loose Fit – Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches – 1990
Love Child – Yes Please! – 1992
Mad Cyril – Bummed – 1988
Monkey in the Family – Yes Please! – 1992
Moving in With – Bummed – 1988
Oasis – Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out) – 1987
Olive Oil – Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out) – 1987
Performance – Bummed – 1988
Rats with Wings – Uncle Dysfunktional – 2007
Rave On – Hallelujah – 1989
Rave On (Club Mix) – Hallelujah – 1989
Rush Rush – Uncle Dysfunktional – 2007
Russell – Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out) – 1987
Somebody Else’s Weather – Uncle Dysfunktional – 2007
Step On – Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches – 1990
Stinkin’ Thinkin’ – Yes Please! – 1992
Sunshine and Love – Yes Please! – 1992
Tart Tart – Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out) – 1987
Theme from Netto – Yes Please! – 1992
Total Ringo – Yes Please! – 1992
W.F.L. (Think About The Future Mix) – Hallelujah – 1989
Weekend S – Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out) – 1987
Wrote for Luck – Bummed – 1988

Albums

Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out) (1987): 10 songs

Bummed (1988): 10 songs

Hallelujah (1989): 7 songs

Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches (1990): 10 songs

Yes Please! (1992): 10 songs

Uncle Dysfunktional (2007): 12 songs

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