Monday, April 26, 2010

Feel Good, Feel Bad, Feel Something


The other day, I was in a terrible mood. I didn't want to get out of bed. I didn't want to go to work. I didn't even want to listen to music on the way to work. I scrolled through my iPod, and tried to find a song that would put me in a better mood. But instead, I found a song that made me feel worse. Which in the end, made me feel better.
Have you ever done that? Purposely put on a song that you know will make you cry or make you more angry than before? I absolutely love that feeling. I don't enjoy making myself feel like shit or anything, it's more ... catharsis. These songs help me get out those pent-up feelings that I have without taking them out on anyone else. You know you do it.
On this particular day, I came across an EP that I had downloaded months before by a woman named Samantha Crain. I turned it on as sort of a background sound on the way to work. But then, Beloved, We Have Expired came on. There is a part in the middle of the song where the lyrics are ... "I want to be held again, To be close or dead, Sung to sleep again, That would be the greatest thing". Gut-wrenching! I had tears in my eyes! Before I knew it, I was full on crying! (Note: This is not a pity party... I'm just expressing how I love songs that move me this much) By the time I got to work, I felt great. I had gotten this negative feeling out of the way without taking it out on someone.
I have a list of songs that I listen to when I'm feeling shitty. I guess I could call it my shit-list. But I mean that in the best way possible. These songs, literally, move me to tears and eventually leave me feeling refreshed. Here's a short version of it:
1. Don't Be Scared - Andrew Bird
2. Biggest Lie - Elliott Smith
3. Saddest Vacant Lot In All The World - Grandaddy
4. We Crawl - The Polyphonic Spree
5. Rest Of My Life - Rilo Kiley
6. Ladies and Gentlemen, We Are Floating In Space - Spiritualized
Now, let's not focus on songs that make us sad/cry. Here's my list for songs that can, usually, no matter what make me feel amazing:
1. Glad Girls - Guided By Voices
2. The New Style - Beastie Boys
3. O My Soul - Big Star
4. The Party's Crashing Us - Of Montreal
5. Money In The Afterlife - Saturday Looks Good To Me
6. I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone - Sleater-Kinney

So, what's your list? Songs that make you feel good, feel bad or feel something... anything. I really want to know.

4 comments:

  1. that is a really super fantastic list of songs.

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  2. "Lightning is Striking Again" - Lou Christi
    "Cha-cha-cha" - Sam Cooke
    "Party in the USA" - Miley Cyrus.

    Ok that last one was a joke...kinda.

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  3. Why, thank you, Clay Baker. What's your list?

    And Christine, you know that last one ISN'T A JOKE!

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  4. That last one is so not a joke wife! That song gets me fired up for the day! Nothing makes me cry it out like "Nothing Compares to You."

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