Like over enthusiastic waiters at TGI Friday's and hard to watch reality TV, clapping is part of the American fabric. From school yard games of patty cake to the thunderous applause you received as a member of your grade school's Annie production, it's near impossible to grow up without an appreciation for nature's simplest percussion instrument.
According to Craig Hurst, a music professor at the University of Wisconsin, hand clapping has "persevered because in addition to our voice, our hands are our most readily available instrument. We all come with two hands."
As it turns out, musicians love clapping as much as the rest of us. Which explains why so many wonderful songs feature the hand-on-hand sound. The Beatles, Outkast, and Billy Idol have disparate tones and melodies, yet each band has clapped their way to a hit single. And they're not the only ones.
Wilco - "nothing'severgonnastandinmyway"Despite the jarring (and hard to read) song title, the sixth track off Wilco's 1991 album
Summerteeth offers delicious melodies and plenty of clapping. There's also "aahh-aaahhs," piano, something that sounds like a doorbell, and sweet, sweet harmonies. Summer might be over. But this song will keep you warm all year.
Queen - "We Will Rock You" It's hard to find a Queen song that
doesn't involve hand clapping. Why else do sports arenas love playing the band's music so much? That said, the entire opening beat to "We Will Rock You" is comprised of claps. Which is we picked this classic from the bunch.
Outkast - "Hey Ya!" This funky single off Andre 3000's
The Love Below demolished the charts when it was released in 2003. Popularizing lines like "shake it like a Polaroid picture," the track had an amazingly catchy back beat that just so happened to be complimented by hand clapping.
Billy Idol - "Dancing with Myself"Arguably the most popular song released by the punk rocker, "Dancing with Myself" kicks into high gear from the first note, or should we say, clap. Next time you're feeling sleepy, crank this track and you'll wake right up. Also,
Gonzo once sang a cover, which means it's pretty much the best song ever.
The Clash - "Rock the Casbah"This dance friendly single isn't just the highest charting single ever released by the British punk band, it's also the most claptastic. Turns out the public really likes references to Indian music, sheiks, and bitchin' piano solos.
Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros - "40 Day Dream" This uplifting single off the band's debut album
Up From Below begins and ends with a a flurry of rapid claps. The group's rolling melodies and mellifluous sound ushered in a new wave of soulful bands like the Lumineers and Of Monsters and Men.
The Beatles - "I Want to Hold Your Hand"In 1963, John Lennon and Paul McCartney wanted nothing more than a No. 1 single in the United States, and they got their first with "I Want to Hold Your Hand," one of the most infectious, feel good pop songs ever written. That's something to clap about.
Beck - "Go It Alone" As one of the most experimental artists of his generation, Beck has toyed with various instruments, chord progressions, and sounds. But in "Go It Alone," he keeps things simple, sticking to a smooth bass line courtesy of
Jack White, and some heavy hand clapping.
Kishi Bashi - "Bright Whites"
This dreamy and whimsical song doesn't have nearly as much YouTube love as the others on our list. But it's just as dependent on hand clapping. If heaven has a resident DJ, you can bet he's got this free spirited track queued up.
The Cars - "Let's Go"It takes some patience to properly enjoy the clapping in this 1979 pop classic, as the percussion doesn't come in for a good minute and half. But considering the song's entire hook is dependent on the hand-on-hand sound, it's definitely worth the wait.
The Go-Go's - "Our Lips Are Sealed"Another pop gem, "Our Lips Are Sealed" doesn't feature clapping all the way through. The percussion picks up around the 1:50 mark, carrying the 1981 single down the finish line like a freshly crowned prom queen high on endorphins.
George Michael - "Faith" We could list a thousand reasons why this version of "Faith" is more palatable than the over produced, profanity laced
Limp Bizkit cover, but in the context of this article, we only need one: Hand clapping.
John Cougar / Mellencamp - "Jack & Diane"Performing as John Cougar at the time of its release in 1982, Mellencamp originally clapped along with the song in order to keep a steady beat. After listening to the recording, he liked the sound so much that he ultimately kept the hand made percussion.
The Wonders - "That Thing You Do"Plenty of bands have tried to emulate the sound of the '60s over the years. Few have pulled it off as well as The Wonders, the fictional band from 1996's 'That Thing You Do'. Written by Fountains of Wayne bassist Adam Schlesinger, the song relies heavily on its three clap rhythm.
Simon & Garfunkel - "Cecilia"Most think this 1970 single is about making love to a girl with a Scandinavian name. Some think its a commentary on the struggles of writing a hit pop song, since St. Cecilia was the patron saint of music. We just love the clapping.
Plastic Ono Band - "Give Peace a Chance"John Lennon's first solo single, released in 1969, quickly became a symbol of the American anti-war movement. Why? Because of its lyrical power, not the clapping. But that doesn't mean we can't appreciate the rock legend's hand-on-hand talent, as well.
The Rembrandts - "I'll Be There For You" If you lived through the '90s, chances are you know all the words to the Friends theme song. This doesn't necessarily mean you'd sing along every time you heard the track played at a high school dance. But we imagine you at least joined in for the frantic clapping parts.
Did we miss anything? Sound off in the comments section below.
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