Dan + Shay Share Hopeful Messages With "Happy New Year" Track

Dan + Shay can pretty much write about any topic and the song will catch my attention. One that particularly stopped me in my tracks when I heard it for the first time was "Happy New Year", the last song on It's Officially Christmas: The Double Album that the duo released on October 18, 2024. 

To me, everything about the song is perfection from the poignant lyrics to Shay Mooney's gorgeous vocals and Dan Smyers' exquisite harmonies, and the beautiful production, which consists of the piano, a string section, and drums to drive the song all the way home.

Recently when I looked at the songwriters on the album and found out that Smyers wrote this track on his own, I was even more impressed with his immense talent than I already am. I want to include many of the full lyrics from the track because they are so well written and paint vibrant pictures and stories by the producer and harmonist of the duo.

The hopeful track starts off with Mooney's voice accompanied by the piano. He sings about how the past year included "rock bottom" moments as well as "mountain top highs", but they made it through the 12 month period. However, Smyers writes that the memories of the "trophies and scars" are erased from their minds. 

To me, it feels like the first verse above may have been written about when the duo were on a high after The (Arena Tour) and all of the other successes they had. Then many of those things were erased from their minds when they did not speak to one another four months. This is how I interpret the verse when I listen to it.

In the pre-chorus, which is also Mooney's voice accompanied by the piano, Smyers writes about some of the things he did in the past year, with lyrics like, "I did some things that I wanna take back/Isn't that just the way that it goes" and continues with, "Said goodbye to a friend and we cried til we laughed/ At a bar in the town we call home."

The chorus starts with the piano and string section accompanying Mooney's soaring lead vocals and you can hear Smyers' harmonies if you listen very close when they sing, "Happy New Year everyone/May it be filled with peace and love/We'll say goodbye to the old and hello to the new/I'm just so grateful for you." He continues to sing the chorus, "Happy New Year Happy New Year/May it be filled up with good health and cheer." They finish it with, "May it be blessed All of the best/And may we all have a happy new year."

During verse two, Smyers writes and the duo sings about the things he wants to do in the new year, including "I'll take time to call up my mom/Just so she knows that I love her" and "Give new adventures to all of my dogs/Lord knows they ain't getting younger."

At the start of the second pre-chorus, Smyers writes and the duo sings about being easier on himself and taking the time to be more grateful for himself and his family.

"I'm gonna try to give myself grace/For the things that I cannot control." and "I'm gonna try to thank God each day for the life and the hands that I hold."

I can relate to this entire song. However, the third verse really speaks to me and I can connect to it with my life experiences in the last few years.

"Here's to the lessons we learn as we go/The beauty that comes from the broken/So raise up a glass and join me in a toast/To living with hearts wide open."

When I heard this song for the first time and even when I listen to it today, it gives me chills and makes me emotional. While it is a Christmas and New Years tune, I will listen to it all year long because the lyrics teach us about many life things that are mentioned above. "Happy New Year" was definitely the perfect way to end the 21-song project.

Below is the official audio video of "Happy New Year" courtesy of Dan + Shay's YouTube channel. Enjoy!

                                            Official audio video courtesy of Dan + Shay's YouTube Channel