Happy Little Workers

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Happy Little Workers
Artist Grizzco Industries
Game Splatoon 2
Heard in
Splatoon 2
Salmon Run (Grizzco building)
Featured in Squid Beatz 2 (Splatoon 2) - track 31
Splatune 2 - disc 1, track 32
BPM 126
Length 1:48
Sample

Happy Little Workers - 24/7 Mix
Artist Grizzco
Game Splatoon 3
Heard in
Splatoon 3
Salmon Run Next Wave (Grizzco lobby)
Featured in Jukebox (Splatoon 3)
Splatune 3 - disc 1, track 21
Nintendo Music - link as of launch
BPM 126
Sample

Happy Little Workers - 24/7 Deep Mix
Artist Grizzco feat. Deep Cut
Vocals Anna Sato
Laura Yokozawa
Shiver (in-game)
Frye (in-game)
Big Man (in-game)
Game Splatoon 3
Heard in
Splatoon 3
Salmon Run (Grizzco building, during a Big Run on the Grand Splatlands Bowl only)
Featured in Jukebox (Splatoon 3)
Ordertune - disc 2, track 28
BPM 126

Happy Little Workers is a song performed by Grizzco Industries.

Description

Happy Little Workers has a very unorthodox production and is very similar to the other Splatoon 2 Grizzco song, Ever Further. It features a lot of abstract sound effects and heavily edited vocals, all combined with various pipes and drum beats. The intro contains percussion accompanied by Mr. Grizz's laughter, then the pipe instrumentation begins. What seem to be heavily edited Inkling vocals sing an unusual syncopated melody, then transition into the verse where they repeat the same melody, this time accompanied by percussion and a higher-pitch pipe instrument. After the verse Mr. Grizz's laughter is repeated as a lower-pitch instrument plays throughout a second verse, after which the song loops. Happy Little Workers plays in the Grizzco building in Inkopolis Square, where the player chooses which mode to enter. It can also be heard in Squid Beatz 2, with a maximum score of 91 and 166 in Normal and Hard modes, respectively.

Remixes and covers

Happy Little Workers - 24/7 Mix

In Splatoon 3, a remix of Happy Little Workers is used in place of the original. While the instrumentation and melody are the same, the initial vocals are replaced with different heavily distorted and slightly off-pitch vocals. The song eventually transitions into the original vocals accompanied with new elements. The intro starts with percussion accompanied by Mr. Grizz's laughter, which differs from that heard in the Splatoon 2 version of the song. The pipe instrumentation begins, but is now accompanied by dissonant harmonies, and its measure is much longer, creating the effect of "stalling" before resuming the regular flow of the song. New distorted, off-pitch vocals with a new mumble-like melody accompany the intro. The vocals that follow the syncopated melody from the original song return following the intro, now accompanied by many different vocal and instrumental harmonies, making it sound even more chaotic. Distinct prolonged vocals similar to Shiver's style of singing are heard throughout the song. This version lacks the verse where the "main" vocals self-harmonized, skipping straight to the verse without vocals, during which the lower-pitch instrument returns from the original, albeit somewhat distorted. After the instrument's melody, other prolonged vocals are heard. Each instance of Mr. Grizz's laughter is intact.

In the Nintendo Music app, this song is referred to as Happy Little Workers (24/7 Mix).

Happy Little Workers - 24/7 Deep Mix

During the Big Run on the Grand Splatlands Bowl, an upbeat remix of Happy Little Workers - 24/7 Mix performed by Deep Cut plays inside Grizzco. It replaces Bait & Click (Mutation), which plays in Grizzco during other Big Runs. The instrumentation is very similar to Anarchy Poisons and Soak & Stomp. It features a mix of Japanese, Indian, and Brazilian styles, as with many other songs performed by Deep Cut.

Bear with Me

Main article: Bear with Me

The main melody of Bear with Me is derived from that of Happy Little Workers, another song associated with Mr. Grizz.

Other versions

Happy Little Workers (Inkopolis Square)

In Inkopolis Square, whilst near the Grizzco building, a version with higher bass and echo is heard.

Salmon Run opening

A version of Happy Little Workers plays in the opening for Salmon Run. The song uses the main melody for the original track, played on a piano-like instrument with a heavy echo.

Salmon Run Next Wave opening

A version of Happy Little Workers plays in the opening for Salmon Run Next Wave. It is the Splatoon 3 version with a radio-like filter, implying that it is playing on the helicopter where the opening takes place from.

Mammalian Memo

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Mammalian Memo is a somber piece with frequent interpolations of Happy Little Workers that gets more distorted as the track progresses.

Countdown to Hairmageddon

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Countdown to Hairmageddon is a cheerful, upbeat version of Happy Little Workers that contrasts the mood of the preceding and following scenes.

Etymology

Happy Little Workers

Happy Little Workers refers to the diligent Salmon Run workers. The track's title use of "happy" is likely sarcastic or intentionally misleading, as the dangerous nature of Salmon Run shifts and subsequent difficult gameplay are intentionally hidden from prospective employees. It is also part of the heading of the very first section of Grizzco's Employee Handbook ("To All My Happy Little Workers").

Happy Little Workers - 24/7 Mix

24/7 Mix refers to Splatoon 3's Salmon Run Next Wave mode being continuously available, unlike its predecessor.

Happy Little Workers - 24/7 Deep Mix

24/7 Deep Mix consists of "24/7 Mix" and Deep Cut.

Names in other languages

The name of the songs are the same as English in all languages except for Japanese.

Happy Little Workers
Language Name Meaning
Japan Japanese カガヤクンデス・マーチ
Kagayakun-desu Māchi [note 1]
"You'll Be Shining" March
Happy Little Workers - 24/7 Mix
Language Name Meaning
Japan Japanese カガヤクンデス・マーチ24h
Kagayakun-desu Māchi 24h
"You'll be Shining" March 24 Hours
Happy Little Workers - 24/7 Deep Mix
Language Name Meaning
Japan Japanese カガヤクンどす・マーチ24h
Kagayakun-dosu Māchi 24h
"You'll be Shining" March 24 Hours [note 2]

Translation notes

  1. A pun on "death march".
  2. The usage of the copula どす (dosu) rather than デス (desu) is typical of the Kansai dialect, referencing Shiver's prominent usage of the dialect in Japanese.