The Happy Dictator

The Happy Dictator
Song Credits
Author(s)	Gorillaz
Featured Artist(s)	Sparks
Producer(s)	Gorillaz • Remi Kabaka Jr. • James Ford • Samuel Egglenton
Artwork	Jamie Hewlett
Overview
Type	Single
Album	The Mountain
Phase	8
Released	11 September 2025
Recorded	2023-2025
Format	CD • Vinyl • Streaming
Genre	Synth-pop • art pop
Length	4:44
Language	English
Track Listing
← Previous	The Moon Cave
Next →	The Hardest Thing
Singles Chronology
← Previous	Tormenta
Next →	The Manifesto

“

I am the one to save your soul, AMEN!

„

The Happy Dictator (also stylized in Devanagari^W as खुशदिल तानाशाह, xuśdilī tānāśāh, 'happy dictator' in Hindi) is the lead single and third track from Gorillaz' ninth studio album, The Mountain. The song features American art pop duo Sparks.

Background

The collaboration was first hinted at on 18 May 2025 when Sparks posted a photo of themselves with Damon Albarn at Studio 13 on Instagram. The song was later reportedly given a sneak preview at the House of Kong exhibition, where visitors had to hand over a parcel to the 'guard' in the Lost Property room, who would then play it to give a preview of the upcoming album. The Happy Dictator was performed live alongside the rest of the album at the Copper Box Arena on 3 September.

On 4 September, presenter Jack Saunders^W announced that they would play the new single on BBC Radio 1 at 6 pm UK time on 11 September. Just a few hours before the song's premiere, a sneak preview was made available on Groove Bones Selecta Juke Box on the Kong Studios website. As soon as the song was played on the radio, it was made available on streaming services with a visualiser.

Recording

Speaking about the song on Radio 1, Damon Albarn said it was inspired by a trip he took with his daughter, Missy, to Turkmenistan, where he learned of the late dictator Saparmurat Niyazov^W's (who renamed himself Türkmenbaşy, meaning "Head of [all] Turkmen") decree that citizens should think only happy thoughts and ban all negative news.

“	There’s a degree of satire, but it’s one of those things that you can sort of imagine people singing back at you and it being quite a joyful experience even though the origins of it are quite sinister and dark.	„
	~ Damon Albarn

Lyrics

[Intro: Russell Mael]
I am the one to give you life again
I am the one to save your soul, Amen

[Verse 1: 2-D & Russell Mael]
As the shadows, they are forming, come and join me centre stage (Oh, what a happy land we live in)
If you are empty and abstracted and your broken heart is full of rage (Oh, what a happy land, oh, yeah)
In a world of fiction, I am a velvet glove (Oh, what a happy land we live in)
I am your soul, your resurrection, I am the love (Oh, what a happy land, oh, yeah)
So look out to the west now, see where the devil lies (Oh, what a happy land we live in)
It's pharmakon is with you and your empire it is paralysed (Oh, what a happy land, oh, yeah)
I'll propagate eternity and seal it with my kiss (Oh, what a happy land we live in)
So look into the coffin and let me grant your wish (Oh, what a happy land, oh, yeah)

[Chorus: 2-D & Russell Mael]
No more bad news
So you can sleep well at night
And the palace of your mind will be bright

[Verse 2: 2-D & Russell Mael]
Everything is slowing down yet everything is faster (Oh, what a happy land we live in)
While everyone is consuming I'll save you from yourself (Oh, what a happy land, oh, yeah)
Upon this world of fiction my love I will bestow (Oh, what a happy land we live in)
And as we march into the future happiness will grow (Oh, what a happy land, oh, yeah)

[Chorus: 2-D & Russell Mael]
No more bad news
So you can sleep well at night
And the palace of your mind will be bright

[Verse 3: Russell Mael]
Everything is slowing down yet faster (Will be bright)
Consuming us, I'll save you from yourself (Will be bright)
My love bestowed upon this world of fiction (Will be bright)
March to the future happiness grows (Will be bright)
Are you not better off than ever? (Will be bright)
Are you not better off right now? (Will be bright)
When have you felt this way, I ask you (Will be bright)
When have you felt better off than right now? (Will be bright)

[Bridge: Russell Mael]
I am the one to give you life again
I am the one to save your soul, amen

[Chorus: 2-D & Russell Mael]
No more bad news……… (Mountains and rainbows, palaces of love)
So you can sleep well at night and the palace of your mind will be bright (Mountains and rainbows)
So you can sleep well at night and the palace of your mind will be bright (Palaces of love)

[Outro: 2-D]
So you can sleep well at night and the palace of your mind will be bright (So you can sleep well at night)
And the palace of your mind will be bright (So you can sleep well at night)
And the palace of your mind will be bright (So you can sleep well at night)
And the palace of your mind will be bright (So you can sleep well at night)
And the palace of your mind will be bright

Personnel

• Damon Albarn — lead vocals, songwriter, production
• Sparks
  • Russell Mael — lead vocals, songwriter
  • Ronald Mael — songwriter
• Remi Kabaka Jr. — production
• James Ford — production
• Ajay Prasanna — bansuri
• Viraj Acharya — percussion
• The Mountain Choir — backing vocals
  • Vijayaa Shanker — choral director
  • Vaishnavi Shanker
  • Raja Lakshimi Sanjay
  • Rahul Pandey
  • Pulkit Rajvanshi
  • Ritika Sahni
  • Sanskar Vaidya
  • Pari Thakur
  • Vamsee Kotaru
• Marta Salogni — mixing
• Heba Kadry — mastering

Visualiser

Gorillaz - The Happy Dictator ft. Sparks (Official Visualiser)

Official Visualiser

Gallery

Promotional Artwork

Visualiser

Trivia

• Murdoc's outfit and pose with the globe at the start of the visualiser is based on a similar scene from Charlie Chaplin^W's cult 1940 film The Great Dictator^W.
• For a split second at around the 3:55 mark in the video, a penis (presumed to be Murdoc's) is shown.