Now mister joe henry was a happy little man
Who became a legend in our town
Most everybody owes a lot of the smiles
To the happy sounds that he puts down

He had one guitar and four other guys
Who kept time with their clappin’ hands
We call him mister joe henry’s happy hand clappin’
Open air rhythm band

Oh you can find ‘em every evening when the sun went down
At the corner of fourth and main
It didn’t take much of that hand clappin’ rhythm
To start the sun a-shinning again

I can’t help but feel this part of the world
Is supposed to do the good lord’s plan
Because of mister joe henry’s happy hand clappin’
Open air rhythm band

We’d all gather around and call out the names
Of our favorite songs of the day
But it didn’t much matter to mister joe henry
They all came out the same ol’ way

Even melancholy baby had to put on a smile
In the presence of this happy man
Yes that was mister joe henry’s happy hand clappin’
Open air rhythm band