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Posted: 05.22.2003
Can't you come out to play
I haven't done song lists in awhile. You can find the past ones under "songs for any occasion" over in the sidebar. It's no secret this year has been tough for both of us, so I'm wondering what songs you listen to when life is falling apart around you? Either because you're down and mellow and want to stay there for awhile -- or because the music is uplifting and just the thing you need to kick what's going on to the curb.

My contribution is "Empty Garden" by Elton John and Bernie Taupin. I was in my early 20s before I realized the song was penned as a tribute to John Lennon. Suddenly it just clicked and made sense why I identified with it so much. You can almost hear Elton working through his pain as the song progresses. It starts off slow and somber, but by the end the beat picks up to where I almost feel invincible listening to it. And right now, I'm starting to feel myself again. It's the first time I can say that in months...

So there you go. That's mine. Now it's your turn.



Hey boy take a look at me...let me dirty up your mind...



You can find a lot of my other choices here from February to date.

¤ ¤ credit: robyn | 05.22.03 at 01:40 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

Alanis Morrisette's That I Would Be Good really gets to me. I have a sob fest whenever I hear it.

¤ ¤ credit: Carla | 05.22.03 at 01:44 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

Oh, great song, Carla -- thanks!

¤ ¤ credit: robyn | 05.22.03 at 01:58 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

Steely Dan "Deacon Blues"

Simply Haunting.

¤ ¤ credit: John | 05.22.03 at 02:01 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

When I want to feel motivated or uplifted or I'm "starting over" in life, I like Boston's Don't Look Back and Van Hagar's Right Now.

When I need to remind myself that status and success and material things aren't really what's important in life, I listen to Toad the Wet Sprocket's Throw It All Away.

And when I feel like life's just kicking my ass, I really like the words to Simon and Garfunkel's American Tune:

Many's the time I've been mistaken
And many times confused
Yes, and often felt forsaken
And certainly misused

Oh, but I'm alright, I'm alright
I'm just weary to my bones
Still, you don't expect to be
Bright and bon vivant
So far a-way from home, so far away from home

I don't know a soul who's not been battered
I don't have a friend who feels at ease
I don't know a dream that's not been shattered
or driven to its knees

Oh, but it's alright, it's alright
for we lived so well so long
Still, when I think of the
road we're traveling on
I wonder what's gone wrong
I can't help it, I wonder what's gone wrong

And I dreamed I was dying
I dreamed that my soul rose unexpectedly
And looking back down at me
Smiled reassuringly
And I dreamed I was flying
And high up above my eyes could clearly see
The Statue of Liberty
Sailing away to sea
And I dreamed I was flying

We come on the ship they call the Mayflower
We come on the ship that sailed the moon
We come in the a-ge's most uncertain hours
and sing an American tune

Oh, and it's alright, it's alright, it's alright
You can't be forever blessed
Still, tomorrow's going to be another working day
And I'm trying to get some rest
That's all I'm trying to get some rest

¤ ¤ credit: dave | 05.22.03 at 02:33 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

For pick-me-ups, Dar Williams:
"You're Aging Well" - great
"What Do You Hear in These Sounds" - funny
"Mortal City" - haunting but, in the end, quietly uplifting

If I'm in an angry, cynical kind of "the world is falling apart around me" mood, I might play the entire Black Celebration album by Depeche Mode.

¤ ¤ credit: sunshine | 05.22.03 at 02:41 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

Dar Williams:
"You're Aging Well" (particularly helpful during the years before I turned 30)
"What Do You Hear in These Sounds" (funny - great for people who have experienced therapy)
"Mortal City" (haunting but, in the end, quietly uplifting)

And if I'm just in a fucked up, cynical "life is falling apart" mood, I sometimes play Depeche Mode's Black Celebration (the entire album, not just the title song).

¤ ¤ credit: sunshine | 05.22.03 at 02:50 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

Oops! I swear, when I refreshed, my first post didn't show up. I thought I had to recreate it from scratch. Oops.

¤ ¤ credit: sunshine | 05.22.03 at 02:51 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

It was just so good you had to say it twice! ;-)

¤ ¤ credit: robyn | 05.22.03 at 02:54 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

I actually refuse to listen to songs that make me sad. I don't know why, songs have this amazing abiility to really get me down.

If I hear a sad song, I turn it off. Don't care what mood I'm in....it will make me start crying.

¤ ¤ credit: beardog | 05.22.03 at 03:06 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

Right now my sad song is River by Joni Mitchell, and my pick me up song is Galway Girl by Steve Earle.

¤ ¤ credit: Ermilla | 05.22.03 at 03:11 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

For some reason "Hey Jude" had always a healing effect on me. Even today as I was sitting in the dentist's chair nervously waiting for work to be done, "Hey Jude" came on the radio, and suddenly I started to relax and calm down. Then my head was filled with the memory of this past October when I saw Paul McCartney in concert singing this song. Don't remember a thing the dentist had said until I heard "all done."

¤ ¤ credit: guitarman9 | 05.22.03 at 03:16 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

Gone 'til November by Wyclef. Is a very special and sad song for me, but for some reason also makes me smile in memory of the person that it reminds me of.

¤ ¤ credit: kimmie | 05.22.03 at 03:42 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

"Jungle Love" by Steve Miller Band

¤ ¤ credit: Jeff | 05.22.03 at 04:17 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

I like "It's Alright" by Big Head Todd and the Monsters.

How can you not feel better listening to Todd Park Mohr sing, "It's alright if you just wanna go home, I understand, I understand, I understand..."

¤ ¤ credit: Laura | 05.22.03 at 04:17 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

I *LOVE* Empty Garden....lyrics below...

What happened here
As the New York sunset disappeared
I found an empty garden among the flagstones there
Who lived here
He must have been a gardener that cared a lot
Who weeded out the tears and grew a good crop
And now it all looks strange
It's funny how one insect can damage so much grain

And what's it for
This little empty garden by the brownstone door
And in the cracks along the sidewalk nothing grows no more
Who lived here
He must have been a gardener that cared a lot
Who weeded out the tears and grew a good crop
And we are so amazed we're crippled and we're dazed
A gardener like that one no one can replace

And I've been knocking but no one answers
And I've been knocking most all the day
Oh and I've been calling oh hey hey Johnny
Can't you come out to play

And through their tears
Some say he farmed his best in younger years
But he'd have said that roots grow stronger if only he could hear
Who lived there
He must have been a gardener that cared a lot
Who weeded out the tears and grew a good crop
Now we pray for rain, and with every drop that falls
We hear, we hear your name

Johnny can't you come out to play in your empty garden

¤ ¤ credit: Pete B | 05.22.03 at 04:35 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

Here are a couple of songs that pop into my head right now:

Linkin Park - By Myself and
Metallica - Fade to Black.
The Beatles - Yesterday and Fleetwood Mac - Landslide.

I'll stop there cause I could fill this up. ;)

¤ ¤ credit: nastybastard | 05.22.03 at 05:58 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

"How Long Can A Man Be Strong" - Jeff Healey Band
"Give To Live" - Sammy Hagar
"I'm Alright" - Kenny Loggins

¤ ¤ credit: Shane | 05.22.03 at 06:24 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

I also forgot this one:

"In My Life" by The Beatles

¤ ¤ credit: John | 05.22.03 at 06:55 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

Another good one I haven't mentioned is the Annie Lennox version of "Don't Let It Bring You Down".

¤ ¤ credit: robyn | 05.22.03 at 06:58 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

If I want to continue wallowing in self pity I like "Anodyne" by Uncle Tupelo. If I want a lift, I can't listen to "Settled Down Like Rain" by The Jayhawks without smiling.

Cheers,
-R.

¤ ¤ credit: Rick | 05.22.03 at 07:39 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

The best song to get me feeling good and happy is "The Middle" by Jimmy Eat World. Here is my post on this song and lyrics.
But when I am down and I want to be like that for a while then any sad song will do. There is one really old song which always makes me Cry- it is "Tell Laura I Love Her" by Ray Peterson 1960. I am such a dork.

¤ ¤ credit: LisaC | 05.22.03 at 07:46 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

My feel good is by The Call. It is 'Let the Day Begin'.

¤ ¤ credit: Hunter | 05.22.03 at 09:11 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

For pure, happy, can't stand still, gotta get up and MOOOOOOOVE, there's a song from the video game "Jet Grind Radio", called Upset Attack, by Deavid(sp?) Seoul. Download it or send me an email and I'll hep you to it. And then just try to be sad. Also, Begin the Begin by REM and "Sixty Minute Man" by the Mills Brothers (I think...) Anyway, they're songs sure to set your undies afire! Or is that just me? Ooops! Maybe I wasn't supposed to say anything....

¤ ¤ credit: kj | 05.22.03 at 10:54 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

Two songs that get me moving and smiling at any time: "Everybody Got Their Something" by Nikka Costa and "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" by Stevie Wonder.
Two songs that let me be nothing but mellow, contemplative and down: "Do What You Have To Do" by Sarah McLachlan and "Time" (Tom Waits cover) by Tori Amos.

¤ ¤ credit: Annastazia | 05.22.03 at 11:11 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

Then one that comes to mind here is another Elton John song..."I'm Still Standing". I'll play this whenever some asshole tries to screw me over somehow, and all is better with the world!

¤ ¤ credit: christine m. | 05.22.03 at 11:16 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

hm... uplifting, huh. the only song that comes to mind at the moment is Eric Clapton's "Change the World"...

¤ ¤ credit: mikey | 05.22.03 at 11:49 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

Mozart always, always makes me feel better. Whenever I'm stressed out or on the verge of a panic attack that'll bring me back down to reality.

¤ ¤ credit: Sunidesus | 05.23.03 at 04:17 AM | link--this ¤ ¤




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