Ahhh, hand claps... the orchestrated beating-together of the upper body's most prized appendages, producing a sound that is universally understood as a sign of approval and joviality. There may be 100 different gestures that equate with America's upraised middle finger, but hand clapping always signifies good times. In a music scene where angst and apathy are the order of the day, inserting hand claps, whether sampled or "live", is a subtle way to say "Hey listener, you're not a dork if you want to clap along!" Thus enamored of applause, we offer twelve songs that will heighten your appreciation for the sound of two hands clapping...
Weezer's "Photograph" "Photograph" is one of the only palatable songs on the unfortunate Green Album, and it's also the only one to include hand claps... does anyone else see the correlation here?
Coalesce's "I'm Giving Up On This One" Okay, technically this is a cover of a Get Up Kids song, but the metallic masterminds of Coalesce gave the tune a brutal once-over like only they can. This bridge is the Bataan Death March of all hand clap segments -- bow down and weep in its thunderous presence.
The Cure's "Close To Me" Sad, sad Robert Smith may be a bit jollier than his mascara lets on. "Close To Me" sits beside "Friday I'm In Love" atop the relatively short list of happy Cure songs, and it's probably the most endearing, thanks in large part to some killer clapping.
John Mellencamp's "Hurts So Good" Mellencamp's apple pie and baseball fanbase is probably more prone to spontaneous bouts of clapping than a bunch of sulky indie rockers, but he gives them a little studio prompt on this song, just in case. After seeing the rampant clapping in the video, who wouldn't join in?
Fugazi's "Public Witness Syndrome" If you're apprehensive regarding the place of hand-clapping in rock songs, let this zinger from In on the Killtaker ease all anxieties once and for all. If Fugazi does it, it has to be cool, right?
Superdrag's "Cynicality" Superdrag is rock and roll through and through, from their mop tops to their matching suits to their penchant for cheap cigarettes. But their pop sensibilities always get the best of them, making the clapperiffic bridge to this song a middle ground between unsmiling, militant beat-keeping and grandiose pop garnish.
MewithoutYou's "The Ghost" These histrionic art-punkers may be the closest thing we have to Ink and Dagger these days, but if the lighthearted hand claps in this song say anything, it's that these fellas stay far away from that wacky vampire stuff.
The Promise Ring's "A Broken Tenor" What better way to back up your "We're not freakin' emo!" rhetoric than with some good natured slapping together of the hands? After all, it's hard to clap and cry at the same time.
The Verve's "On Your Own" Witness the healing power of hand-claps: as the chorus kicks in with its motivational lyrics, the rhythmic contribution of a flock of flapping hands soothes the soul.
Counting Crows' "Hangin' Around" Adam Duritz and company play lots of those radio festivals where the vast majority of the crowd attends to hear a hit single and consume lots of beer, so they need something more than just great songs to reel in the mildly intoxicated passers-by. The hand claps in this little number are just what the doctor ordered.
Hey Mercedes's "Our Weekend Starts On Wednesday" Anyone working the nine to five would tell you that a weekend starting on Wednesday is more than ample cause for applause.
Hopesfall's "Waitress" As flagbearers of the increasingly sensitive hardcore scene, Hopesfall feel that kids need something better to do than beat the daylights out of each other in the pit. The hand-clap breakdown in "Waitress" provides a safe alternative to punching your fellow concertgoer's lights out or attempting that ridiculous form of gymnastics known as "hardcore dancing".
-- Phillip Buchan
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