To say that this has been a hard week is like saying the Titanic sank in a little bit of water…a bit of an understatement. To cope, I’ve found myself turning to music more than I normally do, and it got me thinking, what songs do I listen to that help me make it through a rough week.
After much thought, and bouncing around a lot of different songs, I think I’ve found it, my Top 10 Songs for Dealing with A Rough Week:
10. Childish Gambino: Bonfire – Overly offensive, driving base beat, and Glover’s play-on-words rap style make this the song to start with, it helps work out any anger I have bottled up at the time.
9. Counting Crows: Mr. Jones – I don’t know why, but this song always makes me feel better. Especially singing along to it at full volume in the car. Yep, always makes me feel better.
8. Semisonic: Closing Time – “You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.” Why this line makes me feel good? Could be all those very late nights in collage, could be that I just like the way it sounds, or it could be just thinking about being at work and being kicked out would sometimes be helpful!
7. Anna Kendrick: Cups – “I got my ticket for the long way round, two bottles of whisky for the way…” Well I do love whisky…And the thought of just getting away makes me feel a little refreshed. And that beat, I’m a sucker for beats.
6. Bruno Mars: The Lazy Song – Do I really need an explanation?
5. Silversun Pickups: Common Reactor – Between the beat, lyrics like “Let’s break the window panes and separate the walls from all the nails…” and the smooth distortion, it just combines to be one of my favorite songs and it feels uplifting when I’m down. Doubt anyone has ever called this song “uplifting” before…
4. Nine Inch Nails: Survivalism – With a pair of headphones on, the out of phase electronic melody makes you feel slightly disoriented, the way the rhythm marches you forward, and the grinding chorus all combine to make me love this song, especially when I’m stressed, I’ve found it just works the tension right out. Screaming the lyrics can help too.
3. Smash Mouth: Walkin’ on the Sun – Growing up a geek in a time that it wasn’t cool to be a geek and then finding a poppy song all the preppy kids liked but didn’t realize it was making fun of them; the good feelings from this song go all the way back to my high school years!
2. The Smashing Pumpkins: 1979 – Billy Corgan’s glassy vocals, a near orchestral melody, a the most rock steady beat Jimmy Chamberlin ever put down, it just mellows me out.
1. Nirvana: The Man Who Sold The World – Nirvana covering Bowie in a semi-acoustic set, while this entire live album is peace and relaxation on vinyl (or disc or Mp3), this song in particular just sets me at ease.
And some honorable mentions (things that may fall into the play list as well):
- Skrillex: Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites
- Skrillex: Avicii ‘Levels’ Remix
- Imagine Dragons: Demons
- Fun.: We are Young
- John Legend: All of Me
- Michael Buble: A Foggy Day in London Town
Thanks for reading, and until next time: “Rosebud.”