SMILF: Mood Altering Music
There are a lot of things that can change my mood or take me back to a specific memory or place in my life. For example, the smell of Jessica McClintock perfume will always remind me of my grandmother. Or, as another example, let’s say on the way to work I spill an entire bottle of juice all over my pants, have to go home and change, then forget my cell phone and am late to work (not that it’s happened or anything ever…) - that can totally change my mood. But I think for me since I’m such a music freak, that is the one thing that gets me more than anything. It’s amazing to me how I can hear just the opening notes to a certain song and I’m instantly transformed back to childhood or back to high school or back to spending time with a loved one. I heard a song today that made me think about this. It’s crazy how if a certain song comes on I will just stop what I’m doing and listen to it - really LISTEN to it and just let me my mind go.
Here are some songs that do this to me - some are bad memories, some are good, some make me wistful and some make me want to bounce off the walls but here we go:
One Touch by Phil Collins
First Day of My Life by Bright Eyes
At Last by Etta James
Never Ever by All Saints
Tainted Love by Soft Cell
The Chair by George Strait
Holiday Inn by Chingy
Gives You Hell by All American Rejects
Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd
Hard to Handle by Black Crowes
1,2,3,4 by Plain White T’s
These are just a few songs that really give me that feeling inside when I hear them - the feeling that I am somewhere else if only just for a minute. What are yours??
Ohmygawd I was just working on a post about music…but in a different context. I was thinking more along the lines of music that gets me through those days.
My favorite childhood memory songs : Rhiannon by Fleetwood Mac, Free Fallin’ by Tom Petty, anything by Neil Young. We grew up on a sailboat and I can taste the salt and feel the wind when I hear these songs. Love it!
Eyes Wide Open - What an awesome memory!!
I like Neil Young as well - reminds me of my dad.
I just went and bought a new album at lunch, Kings of Leon and I am loving it. I am a freak about music as well. Songs remind me of all sorts of things and when I get a new CD I have to memorize every word until I know them all by heart.
Songs that bring back memories:
Dont stop Believing - Journey
In the air tonight- Phil Collins
I Be Strokin - Clarence Carter - My dad would play this all the time growing up and we would dance to it in the living room, so wrong.
Hotel California - Eagles
Thriller - Michael Jackson
Anything Tiffany or Debbie Gibson
Lazy Eye - Silversun Pickups
Smells like Team Spirit - Nirvana
Semi-charmed life Third Eye Blind
Last Resort - Papa Roach
Slide - Goo goo dolls
Just the way you look tonight - Frank Sinatra
Jesse’s girl - Rick Springfield
I believe in a thing called love - The darkness
I could go on forever, love music
Life of a Stepmama - I am also loving Kings of Leon right now!!! Oh man, Last Resort?! Haven’t heard that in forever! I could on forever too…music is such a huge part of my life
Thanks for sharing - now I must go download some of these!
Ditto, music is the one thing that can change my mood, make me feel better or just help me cry. I love it!!
So glad you like Kings of Leon - Do you listen to Muse? What about the Ting Tings?
The BF and I are going to see Coldplay next week, very excited about that.
I didn’t even touch on all the Dave I listened to throughout college…..
Life - LOVE the Tings Tings as well!
Was dying to go to Bonaroo this year…
I am the same way! Music transform me instantly to another place.
What a great list. Ok, I would add:
Old Apartment by BNL.
Burn by Ray Lamontagne (have you heard this? The lyrics are haunting).
Just No Getting Over You by Colin Haye (former lead singer for Men at Work)
Lovers Prayer by Otis Redding
Jealous Again by Black Crowes (bc I love love love to sing this one)
Me and Bobby McGee (my all time fave song to sing in public. EVER.)
There are so many more but the sake of not going overboard…haha. Great question!
JennyMac - LOVE LOVE Ray Lamontagne. I discovered him not long ago and I’m so into him.
Two of my big mood movers- and I mean this in the sense that no matter how much I hear them or when I hear them- they always have the same take on me.
1. Kids by MGMT- This song and I have history
2. ANYTHING by Keane- I especially have a love for Perfect Symmetry.
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