Pursuit of Happiness

## Single by Kid Cudi featuring MGMT and Ratatat

"**Pursuit of Happiness**" is a song by Kid Cudi, released on September 15, 2009, as the third single from his debut studio album, *Man on the Moon: The End of Day* (2009).

He shared in an interview, "When I'm singing about driving drunk on "Pursuit of Happiness" on MOTM, you may remember that it was a nightmare. It was meant to be scary, the craziness, the fact that this person chooses to look for happiness in substances; and that's scary, that's a terrible combination, that's a terrible way to go about things."

## Credits and personnel

* Erik Madrid, Christian Plata – assistant mixer
* Evan Mast – writer, recording engineer
* Manny Marroquin – mixer
* Mike Stroud – writer
* Ratatat – producer
* Ryan West – recording engineer
* Scott Mescudi – vocals, writer

## Music videos

The first music video (known as the Josh Hartnett version) was directed by Brody Baker and edited by Joseph Krings. It shows Kid Cudi at a party with cameo appearances from his friends. Baker shared to *Complex* of how they all met: "Josh is a friend and a business partner. We're building some stuff together, and Cudi and him know each other and they were talking. Cudi wanted to do a video and he was talking, and Josh suggested me to direct, and so I met with Cudi, and we basically went from there." The videoshoot only took one day and was set to premiere over VEVO, but got leaked the night before. He recalled, "the leaked version spread like wildfire. It wasn't a finished version, so it was unfortunate. Whoever leaked it put the album track and not the video edit of the song, so it doesn't even sync. We're trying to get those versions down and get the official video on everybody's site."

A second music video was issued, directed by Megaforce and produced by Jules Dieng. It depicts Cudi falling and rising in a dream-like state in his living room. Ratatat were featured in this version. The video was later removed from the internet, suggesting that Cudi did not like this version, though fans demanded for it to be republished.

## Lyrics

**Lyrics**
[Intro: Kid Cudi]

Mmmm, ay-oh

Hey...

Ratatat, yeah!

Na-na-na-nah

Na-na-na-nah

[Verse 1: Kid Cudi]

Crush a bit, little bit, roll it up, take a hit

Feelin' lit, feelin' right, 2 AM, summer night

I don't care, hand on the wheel

Driving drunk, I'm doing my thing

Rolling the Midwest side and out

Living my life, getting out dreams

People told me slow my roll, I'm screaming out "Fuck that"

I'ma do just what I want, looking ahead, no turning back

If I fall, if I die, know I lived it to the fullest

If I fall, if I die, know I lived and missed some bullets

[Chorus: Andrew VanWyngarden, Kid Cudi]

I'm on the pursuit of happiness, and I know

Everything that shine ain't always gonna be gold, hey

I'll be fine once I get it

I'll be good

I'm on the pursuit of happiness and I know

Everything that shine ain't always gonna be gold, hey

I'll be fine once I get it

I'll be good

[Verse 2: Kid Cudi]

Tell me what you know about dreamin', dreamin'?

You don't really know about nothin', nothin'

Tell me what you know about the night terrors every night

5 AM, cold sweats, waking up to the sky

Tell me what you know about dreams, dreams?

Tell me what you know about night terrors? Nothing

You don't really care about the trials of tomorrow

Rather lay awake in the bed full of sorrow

[Chorus: Andrew VanWyngarden, Kid Cudi]

I'm on the pursuit of happiness, and I know

Everything that shine ain't always gonna be gold, hey

I'll be fine once I get it

I'll be good

I'm on the pursuit of happiness, and I know

Everything that shine ain't always gonna be gold, hey

I'll be fine once I get it

I'll be good

[Bridge: Kid Cudi]

I'm on the pursuit of happiness

I know everything that shine ain't always gold

I'll be fine once I get it

I'll be good

[Guitar Solo: Mike Stroud]

[Chorus: Andrew VanWyngarden & Kid Cudi]

I'm on the pursuit of happiness, and I know

Everything that shine ain't always gonna be gold, hey

I'll be fine once I get it

I'll be good

I'm on the pursuit of happiness, and I know

Everything that shine ain't always gonna be gold, hey

I'll be fine once I get it

I'll be good

[Outro: Kid Cudi]

Pursuit of happiness, yeah

I gon' get it, I'll be good

Oh...

Oh man, oh, ugh...

Room's spinning, room's spinning...

Pat, Zuli...

Oh fuck

Oh my God, why'd I drink so much and smoke so much? Oh

Oh, fuck

## References

1. ↑ "KiD CuDi Speaks On Sound of MOTM 3; Says It Will Be The Final Installment". *HipHop n More*. November 10, 2013.
2. ↑ "Interview: Director Brody Baker Talks Kid Cudi's "Pursuit of Happiness" Video". *Complex*. December 10, 2009.
3. ↑ Indovina, Lauren (March 17, 2010). "Megaforce for Kid Cudi: "Pursuit of Happiness"". *Motionographer*.

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