ALOTT5MA FRIDAY PLAYLIST: We haven't done one of these in a while, but a reader made the request via Twitter: "On ALOTT5MA Music Friday, could I request a list of Positive Songs, in honor of the new year?"
If you're going for literal - there's always "Positive" from Legally Blonde
But my actual suggestion is "Moves" by The New Pornographers. (My first thought was a song that makes me feel happy just listening to it, not necessary positive lyrics. And I could have listed tons and tons, but tried to keep it to just one.)
I'm not sure exactly what we mean by positive, but one song that always makes me smile is Kermit Ruffins' version of Skokiaan (which will ring bells for people who watch(ed) Treme): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoIk3ZT91KU
With your mention of Kermit I was reminded of the Happy Song from the recent movie. The recording by the NY Times of Kermit and Bret McKenzie (from Flight of the Conchords!) was delightful. Life's a leg of lamb! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDnTo2S2BrA
McFadden & Whitehead - Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes - Better Days OK Go - This Too Shall Pass (as much for the video as anything else)
Irony division: Bob Dylan - Positively Fourth Street
Bill Withers - Lovely Day Stevie Wonder - Sir Duke (nothing specific in the lyrics - just makes me outrageously happy) Stevie - Uptight (Everything's Alright)
Not all these songs have "positive" in the title but they all have positive messages and are just delightful.
If I Had $1,000,000 - Barenaked Ladies Jump in the Line - Harry Belafonte Flowers in the Window - Travis Build Me Up Buttercup - The Foundations I'm Gonna Make You Love Me - The Jayhawks Sugar Hill - Dolly Parton Wonderful Day - O.A.R. You Gotta Be - Des'ree Sydney (I'll Come Running) - Brett Dennen Eleanor Put Your Boots On - Franz Ferdinand
I love that Brett Dennen song. Aside from it just being catchy and upbeat, we heard it a lot on our beach trip this spring and my memories make it that much better. Aw. Thanks, Maret.
I'm more partial to their "Two Thousand Places" if only because it makes it's tons of fun to belt "YOU'VE GOTTA BE GOOD! YOU'VE GOTTA BE STRONG, YOU'VE GOTTA BE TWO THOUSAND PLACES AT ONCE! in your car.
I heard it for the first time after subscribing to Linda Holmes Spotify playlist she created when she crowsourced twitter for joy last year. Awesome playlist, awesome song -- probably my favorite song discovery of last year.
Overture (Candide_ - Leonard Bernstein Window in the Sky - U2 Beautiful Day - U2 This Little Light of Mine - Bruce Springsteen Brown-Eyed Handsome Man - Nina Simone Twisting by the Pool - Dire Straits Old Macdonald - Ella Fitzgerald Bambale - Audra McDonald New York, New York - Leonard Bernstein Beat Out Dat Rhythym on a Drum - Mandy Patinkin Be Our Guest - Alan Menken
Perhaps it's the post-holiday blues exacerbated by a post-holiday cold, but I had some trouble coming up with positive songs today. The ones that came to mind were songs that really belong to friends of mine.
Many years ago, a friend whose daughter was going through tough times away at college spent a week searching record stores so she could send her a copy of Nina Simone's version of "Ooh Child (Things Are Gonna Get Easier)." I actually like the original by the Five Stairsteps a little bit better because of the mix of male and female voices, but the positivity's the same.
I also knew someone at college who used to like to cheer himself up by playing James Taylor's "Shower the People." It's a beautiful song, but to me James Taylor always has a streak of melancholy that makes even his happiest songs seem tinged with a sense of how fragile and fleeting happiness can be.
I gave a friend a copy of Kate and Anna McGarrigle's eponymous album for a birthday present several years ago. She and her children were all taken with their cover of Loudain Wainwright's "The Swimming Song," which is both very positive and an excellent teaching tool for explaining what an extended metaphor is.
As for me, today, I'll chose one in Adam C's irony division, The Pogues' "Sunnyside of the Street", and I'll spare some time today to listen to some of the excellent choices here to lift me out of this mood.
I just looked at my "Hop In Your Step" playlist and would add (again more for the way these songs sound, rather than any meaning in the lyrics): Catch My Disease - Ben Lee Vivrant Thing - Q Tip Kids at the Back - Washington Social Club Dropped - Phantom Planet MMMBop - Hanson Now We Can See - The Thermals
Ac-Cent-Chu-Ate the Positive: Kelly Hogan with Jon Rauhouse. (Sure, it's technically listed in the other direction, but c'mon. It's Kelly.) Red Red Robin: Rosie Flores Beautiful World: Eliza Gilkyson Smile: Lily Allen (well, it is cheerful)
Co-sign several above, including U2's Beautiful Day and 10,000 Maniacs' These Are Days
A few artists whose music tends to make me happy and energized: Billy Bragg with Wilco The Bird and the Bee Cake New Pornographers
"Good Day" Luce "New Shoes" Paulo Nutini (I think) "All Will Be Well" Gabe Dixon Band. I heard this one on an episode of Parks and Recreation and have been listeing to it a lot since. Really nice song.
So many good songs listed already...I'll add a few
Dance Dance Dance - Steve Miller Band Listen to the Radio - Nancy Griffith Shake it Out - Florence + the Machine (dumping the negative from your life, and embracing life and hope "It's hard to dance with a devil on your back, so shake him off, whoa") Your Life is Now - John Mellancamp One Big Love - Patty Griffin
one more...the music for the Kevin Kling/Steve Kramer play Of Mirth and Mischief (free download!). The entire play (which you can stream elsewhere on the MPR site) is generally positive. For the songs I'll call attention to At the Hospital -- which basically seduces a young boy into believing that a hospital isn't scary and might even be fun; and Nighty Night to Brother, which has to be about the most upbeat way to end a day.
Happy Song, Otis Redding. That's all you need.
ReplyDelete"Stay Positive", The Hold Steady
ReplyDelete"I Got A Man," Positive K
ReplyDeleteI love this suggestion so, so, so much.
ReplyDelete"High Hopes!"
ReplyDeleteEye of the Tiger
ReplyDelete"Solsbury Hill" Peter Gabriel
ReplyDeleteFor the teeny-bopper chick in me (in all of us, really), I offer "Stronger" by Britney and "Fighter" by Christina.
hmm, only song I have with "positive" in the name is Mojo Nixon's Positively Bodies Parking Lot.
ReplyDelete"Better Things" by the Kinks. Or the cover version by Fountains of Wayne.
ReplyDeleteIf you're going for literal - there's always "Positive" from Legally Blonde
ReplyDeleteBut my actual suggestion is "Moves" by The New Pornographers. (My first thought was a song that makes me feel happy just listening to it, not necessary positive lyrics. And I could have listed tons and tons, but tried to keep it to just one.)
If you don't know Mojo Nixon then your store could use some fixin'!
ReplyDelete"It's All Right" by the Impressions
ReplyDeleteNina Simone's version of "Feeling Good."
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure exactly what we mean by positive, but one song that always makes me smile is Kermit Ruffins' version of Skokiaan (which will ring bells for people who watch(ed) Treme): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoIk3ZT91KU
ReplyDelete"Wavin' Flag" by K'naan
ReplyDeleteJohn Hiatt - Before I Go
ReplyDeleteCat Stevens - Peace Train
Foo Fighters - Learn to Fly
Also, Nina Simone's version of "Here Comes the Sun" always makes me feel hopeful and Toshi Reagon's "Happy and Satisfied" is another good one.
ReplyDelete"The Day Brings" by Brad always puts me in a good mood.
ReplyDelete"So gather around/And see what the day brings/And see what makes you laugh/And see what makes you sing"
I sang along to "Before I Go" in the car a LOT the year my husband was overseas. Bearfoot does a lovely cover of it.
ReplyDelete"Love Is All Around" aka "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" theme song. I particularly enjoy Joan Jett's rockin' cover.
ReplyDeleteHappy Feet - esp. the Kermit the Frog interpretation
Vacation - The Go-Go's
You Make Me Fee Like Dancing, Good Vibrations, Walking on Sunshine
ReplyDeleteWith your mention of Kermit I was reminded of the Happy Song from the recent movie. The recording by the NY Times of Kermit and Bret McKenzie (from Flight of the Conchords!) was delightful.
ReplyDeleteLife's a leg of lamb!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDnTo2S2BrA
And despite myself, I find my spirits soaring for The Polyphonic Spree's "Light & Day"
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/v/64W0dQDQ1Pc" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="170" height="140
The late Harry Kalas would approve.
ReplyDeleteOr the cover version by Dar Williams!
ReplyDeleteI'm not quite sure what we're looking for, but I think Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now" has to count.
McFadden & Whitehead - Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now
ReplyDeleteSouthside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes - Better Days
OK Go - This Too Shall Pass (as much for the video as anything else)
Irony division: Bob Dylan - Positively Fourth Street
I Feel Lucky - Mary Chapin Carpenter
ReplyDeleteAnd on the supercheesy front - "I'm Alright" by Kenny Loggins aka the gopher song from Caddyshack
Ron Pope - Good Day
ReplyDeleteKelly Willis, "Reason to Believe" (not a cover of the Rod Stewart song)
ReplyDeleteLucinda Williams "Real Love" (not a cover of the Mary J. Blige song, although I'd be interested to hear a mashup)
Another cheesy suggestion is ELO's "Mr. Blue Skies."
ReplyDeleteIf there's an irony division, then I nominate the obvious: R.E.M.'s "Shiny Happy People"
ReplyDeleteBill Withers - Lovely Day
ReplyDeleteStevie Wonder - Sir Duke (nothing specific in the lyrics - just makes me outrageously happy)
Stevie - Uptight (Everything's Alright)
Oddly enough, like the Polysphonic Spree song, featured on the Eternal Sunshine soundtrack.
ReplyDeleteSecond for Joan Jett's cover of LIAA.
ReplyDeleteWhat popped into my head was Paul Simon's "Late in the Evening." I can't listen to that song and NOT be a in a good mood.
ReplyDelete10,000 Maniacs, "These Are Days"
ReplyDeleteAnd just because I've had it on repeat for weeks now: Florence & the Machine, "Shake It Out"
Not all these songs have "positive" in the title but they all have positive messages and are just delightful.
ReplyDeleteIf I Had $1,000,000 - Barenaked Ladies
Jump in the Line - Harry Belafonte
Flowers in the Window - Travis
Build Me Up Buttercup - The Foundations
I'm Gonna Make You Love Me - The Jayhawks
Sugar Hill - Dolly Parton
Wonderful Day - O.A.R.
You Gotta Be - Des'ree
Sydney (I'll Come Running) - Brett Dennen
Eleanor Put Your Boots On - Franz Ferdinand
I Feel Good - James Brown
ReplyDeleteKate - Ben Folds Five
Gimme Some Lovin' - Spencer Davis Group
Springsteen division:
ReplyDeleteLand of Hope and Dreams
Janey, Don't You Lose Heart
I love that Brett Dennen song. Aside from it just being catchy and upbeat, we heard it a lot on our beach trip this spring and my memories make it that much better. Aw. Thanks, Maret.
ReplyDeletesniff
I'm more partial to their "Two Thousand Places" if only because it makes it's tons of fun to belt "YOU'VE GOTTA BE GOOD! YOU'VE GOTTA BE STRONG, YOU'VE GOTTA BE TWO THOUSAND PLACES AT ONCE! in your car.
ReplyDeleteI love love love Solsbury Hill.
ReplyDeleteGuest was me.
ReplyDelete"Island in the Sun" by Weezer always makes me happy.
ReplyDelete"Lovely Day" by Bill Withers, too.
Two Nice Girls' Sweet Jane (with Affection).
ReplyDelete<object>
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Michael Franti's "Say Hey (I love you)" and "Sound of Sunshine" always lift my spirits.
ReplyDeleteI heard it for the first time after subscribing to Linda Holmes Spotify playlist she created when she crowsourced twitter for joy last year. Awesome playlist, awesome song -- probably my favorite song discovery of last year.
ReplyDeleteBlasts of pure joy, for me?
ReplyDeleteOverture (Candide_ - Leonard Bernstein
Window in the Sky - U2
Beautiful Day - U2
This Little Light of Mine - Bruce Springsteen
Brown-Eyed Handsome Man - Nina Simone
Twisting by the Pool - Dire Straits
Old Macdonald - Ella Fitzgerald
Bambale - Audra McDonald
New York, New York - Leonard Bernstein
Beat Out Dat Rhythym on a Drum - Mandy Patinkin
Be Our Guest - Alan Menken
Perhaps it's the post-holiday blues exacerbated by a post-holiday cold, but I had some trouble coming up with positive songs today. The ones that came to mind were songs that really belong to friends of mine.
ReplyDeleteMany years ago, a friend whose daughter was going through tough times away at college spent a week searching record stores so she could send her a copy of Nina Simone's version of "Ooh Child (Things Are Gonna Get Easier)." I actually like the original by the Five Stairsteps a little bit better because of the mix of male and female voices, but the positivity's the same.
I also knew someone at college who used to like to cheer himself up by playing James Taylor's "Shower the People." It's a beautiful song, but to me James Taylor always has a streak of melancholy that makes even his happiest songs seem tinged with a sense of how fragile and fleeting happiness can be.
I gave a friend a copy of Kate and Anna McGarrigle's eponymous album for a birthday present several years ago. She and her children were all taken with their cover of Loudain Wainwright's "The Swimming Song," which is both very positive and an excellent teaching tool for explaining what an extended metaphor is.
As for me, today, I'll chose one in Adam C's irony division, The Pogues' "Sunnyside of the Street", and I'll spare some time today to listen to some of the excellent choices here to lift me out of this mood.
Whoops! Guest is me.
ReplyDeleteI just looked at my "Hop In Your Step" playlist and would add (again more for the way these songs sound, rather than any meaning in the lyrics):
ReplyDeleteCatch My Disease - Ben Lee
Vivrant Thing - Q Tip
Kids at the Back - Washington Social Club
Dropped - Phantom Planet
MMMBop - Hanson
Now We Can See - The Thermals
"Centerfield," John Fogerty
ReplyDelete"Can You Picture That," Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem
"Jessica," The Allman Borthers Band
Mojo made our favorite Christmas CD, "Horny Holidays."
ReplyDeleteI never hear Walking on Sunshine without thinking of Barry's Monday morning mix tape. Always makes me laugh.
ReplyDeletehow about "I got life?"
ReplyDeleteJohn Lennon's "Oh Yoko" is a great love song.
ReplyDelete"Walk Unafraid", R.E.M., and "Top of the World", Carpenters and/or Shonen Knife
ReplyDeleteAc-Cent-Chu-Ate the Positive: Kelly Hogan with Jon Rauhouse. (Sure, it's technically listed in the other direction, but c'mon. It's Kelly.)
ReplyDeleteRed Red Robin: Rosie Flores
Beautiful World: Eliza Gilkyson
Smile: Lily Allen (well, it is cheerful)
Co-sign several above, including U2's Beautiful Day and 10,000 Maniacs' These Are Days
A few artists whose music tends to make me happy and energized:
Billy Bragg with Wilco
The Bird and the Bee
Cake
New Pornographers
"Catch My Disease" is now burned into my brain as the theme song to "Too Beautiful to Live" - the podcast from Luke Burbank.
ReplyDeleteJens Lekman, "Sipping On The Sweet Water"
ReplyDeleteThe Weepies--oh, irony!--"Happiness". "It's a mean town/but I don't care/try and steal this/can't steal happiness."
ReplyDelete"Good Day" Luce
ReplyDelete"New Shoes" Paulo Nutini (I think)
"All Will Be Well" Gabe Dixon Band. I heard this one on an episode of Parks and Recreation and have been listeing to it a lot since. Really nice song.
59th Street Bridge Song (Feeling Groovy)
ReplyDeleteThe Popular Thing - Jukebox the Ghost
ReplyDeleteAt the Hop - Devendra Banhart
Love Will Come Through - Travis
So many good songs listed already...I'll add a few
ReplyDeleteDance Dance Dance - Steve Miller Band
Listen to the Radio - Nancy Griffith
Shake it Out - Florence + the Machine
(dumping the negative from your life, and embracing life and hope "It's hard to dance with a devil on your back, so shake him off, whoa")
Your Life is Now - John Mellancamp
One Big Love - Patty Griffin
Dire Straits - Walk of Life
ReplyDeleteFaith Hill - This Kiss
Mary Chapin Carpenter - I Feel Lucky
Henry Mancini - Baby Elephant Walk
Oh, One Big Love is such a favorite of mine. Good call!
ReplyDeleteJust about anything from Michael Franti works for me. "Hey Hey Hey" is high on my happy list.
ReplyDeleteone more...the music for the Kevin Kling/Steve Kramer play Of Mirth and Mischief (free download!). The entire play (which you can stream elsewhere on the MPR site) is generally positive. For the songs I'll call attention to At the Hospital -- which basically seduces a young boy into believing that a hospital isn't scary and might even be fun; and Nighty Night to Brother, which has to be about the most upbeat way to end a day.
ReplyDeleteand also "You Gotta Be" by Des'ree (speaking of stronger).
ReplyDeleteI actually really liked Crystal Bowersox's version of "I'm Alright".
ReplyDeleteI only know that song from the Scrubs episode is was used in. Yes, quite joyous.
ReplyDeleteVery much looking forward to making a playlist of these songs - thanks all!!
ReplyDelete"Girls in their Summer Clothes" - Springsteen
ReplyDelete