The Pursuit of Happiness - Hard To Laugh

What this video is

Released in 1988 as the third single from Love Junk, 'Hard To Laugh' arrived at the peak of MuchMusic's cultural authority as the gatekeeper of Canadian rock identity. The Pursuit of Happiness occupied a rare cross-section of DIY punk ethos and major-label polish, having been signed to Chrysalis after grassroots MuchMusic success with 'I'm an Adult Now'. The Love Junk era represented a pivotal moment for CanCon…

Why it matters

A canonical example of late-80s Canadian power pop: 'Hard To Laugh' distills the Cheap Trick/Alice Cooper-influenced guitar rock that Moe Berg championed into a tightly constructed, irony-laced single. Produced by Todd Rundgren, the track demonstrates the alignment of DIY Canadian rock with…