Your Feel Good Songs

Posted on March 19, 2010 by MAL

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THE COMPLETE FEEL GOOD SONG LIST – According to You!

(And, in no particular order. See bottom of page for full explanation about this list, or click here.)

Eric B. Rakim “Paid in Full”

Glee – “Don’t Stop Believing”

Owl City – “Fireflies”

Boston – “More Than a Feeling”

Gramophonedzie – “Why Don’t You”

Gloria Gaynor – “I Will Survive”

Three Dog Night – “Shambala”

Pointer Sisters – “Jump”

Lady GaGa – “Just Dance”

Robbie Williams – “Rock DJ”

Sugarland – “Who Says You Can’t Go Home”

The Verve – “Bittersweet Symphony”

ABBA – “Dancing Queen”

R. Kelly – “Ignition Remix”

Estelle and Kanye West – “American Boy”

M.I.A. – “Paper Planes”

Cheryl Cole – “Fight for this Love”

Oasis – “Supersonic”

KD Lang – “Miss Chatelaine”

Iggy Pop – “The Passenger”

Katrina and the Waves – “Walking on Sunshine”

Tina Turner – “The Best”

The Clash – “Train in Vain”

Elvis – “Lawdy Miss Clawdy”

La Colegiala – “Rodolfo y su Tipica”

Toots and the Maytals – “Reggae Got Soul”

George Michael – “Faith”

Bruce Springstein – “Dancing in the Dark”

(BACK STORY: Back at the end of January, I posted a blog about “Feel Good Songs”, and asked for your input. I said that I would post a compilation list of everyone’s answers once I received them. It’s been nearly two months, but better late than never. Thank you for everyone who added an answer.

Funny how so many are oldies – perhaps those are the ones that make us feel the best – like comfort food, this is comfort pop.

Anyone else, feel free to add a comment to what your feel good song is.

Right now, I’m feeling Justin Bieber. I got Bieber Fever!!! (Not really. But I did see him last night on Alan Carr’s Chatty Man and I can see what the pre-teens see in him. He’s definitely no Jordan Knight though…)

(Please let me know if any of the links don’t work in your country. I did my best to find ones that would.)

It’s My Feel Good Song

Posted on January 27, 2010 by MAL

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I am writing one of the final chapters of my novel, and I keep thinking of the song by Soul II Soul, Back to Life, Back to Reality. It’s been stuck in my head for literally three days now, and it’s one of those songs I haven’t heard in so long, but gives me a grin whenever I think of it.

It’s probably the same reason people are loving the Journey Song Don’t Stop Believing that has become popular again due to the television show Glee ) (INSERT – I have been told that the previous link doesn’t work in the states, so try this one! At least you’ll get the song, just without the video.) ….reminds us of simpler times. Reminds us when we had no doubts that our future would hold bright and amazing prospects. I might admit to still feeling that my future holds those things…so it’s no wonder I’m a sap who gets really into Don’t Stop Believing when it comes on. Like literally, if no one is watching (as in today at the office), I’ll start mouthing the lyrics really emotionally. Sometimes, my fists will clench, and I might even do a fist pump in the air. The hair might twirl around. My hips may just swing in my chair. And, if I’m at home and it comes on… and I’m alone (not to mention when Jocko’s sitting right next to me) – yeah, I could just jump on my feet and do the boogie woogie full-on. Jimminy Christmas! as Sisqo would say. (If you want to do the same, I highly recommend clicking on the link above. You won’t be sorry.) Kind of like this, but without the dance club:

But the moment I hear someone coming, regardless of whether or not they walk in, my face goes red and my heart beats a bit quicker. Because, as much as I don’t mind admitting it to the entire world on my blog – catching me in action is a whole nother kettle of fish.

But come on, you know you want to shake that booty! It’s good for the soul. Enjoy the music video.

(Side note: It’s also no surprise that Owl City’s Fireflies song is so popular right now either. People want to feel good right now. The recession, Haiti, political mess, the war…at least we have the MUSIC to keep us smiling! So, what’s your favorite feel good song? I’ll tag Mid-Atlantic English, Eileen O’Shea, 3-Bedroom Bungalow, and Lahloo Tea. And, anyone else, feel free to answer in the comments! Let’s get a good list going, and I’ll post it once we have at least twenty…yeah?!)

Soul II Soul : Back to life (However do you want me)
by tartenpion333

Music Heals

Posted on October 23, 2009 by MAL

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In preparing for this road trip, I made a couple of CD’s for the car. (Sorry, Courtney for taking so long to getting your CD’s to you!).

Also, in order to get my mind off the BBC’s Question Time from last night which I just watched online. There was a strange and rather shocking appearance of the British National Party’s leader sitting next to Bonnie Greer, an African American playwright (thank God for her views).

Yes, he was a bit bullied, but as, I believe, he should have been. Denying the holocaust? Saying that “Adolf Hitler went a bit too far.” – a bit?! Claiming the KKK were a non-violent coalition. Saying that Britain should remain mostly white and christian. What’s most worrying is how his party was voted for by a million people at the European elections, and how he now has a seat in Parliament.

Oh, Lord! How I could go on.

I couldn’t stop welling up when watching him – like I did the first time I ever experienced racism firsthand, and heard the N-word told to me from a passing man in a pick-up truck after I threw out the window a pack of my mother’s cigarettes because I was afraid she would die from smoking them. ‘You know better than to litter,’ he said seemingly good-naturedly as he pulled up besides us at the red light, ‘You don’t want to act like a N*&$@, now do you?’. My mother protected me, and yelled at the man “Don’t you dare speak words like that in front of my daughter. You should be ashamed,” and rolled up the window shielding me from the cruel world outside it. That seemingly quiet Baltimore suburb.

Except that time, my innocence took over and the tears didn’t stop for days.

It makes me so sick. Racism. Men like him smirking through the fear of it all. What would he make of me? An immigrant in his country, mixed with Cuban traces – muddying the white water. But by looking at me, he wouldn’t know…he might even take me as one of his own on first glance…until he realized the deceit I represent. White skin, blonde hair. Tainted. Last name of Lopez. Shocking!

What an ass. But this is what I fear the most about BBC’s decision to let him talk – “A huge swath of British people will remember some of the things I said and say to themselves they’ve never heard anyone on Question Time say that before,” Nick Griffin said. “Millions of people will think, ‘That man speaks what I feel.’ ”

I fear he’s right. But I must believe that good and love will win out.

So, that’s why I have to concentrate on music – to pick me up from this mean man. I don’t hate him. I just feel sorry for him. Some of those faces in the audience…they hated him. What good does that do us? To hate back.

So here is what I think is the best British music out there right now for me in my opinion noone else’s (some of it is very tongue and cheek and why I like it – no excuses, just saying!).

This is not a complete list, but in case you are interested in America, here are some gems…

British Pop

Pencil Full of Lead, by Paolo Nutini (LOVE, LOVE, LOVE – Jessica, you must find this CD)
Valerie, by The Zutons
Stone Cold Sober, by Paloma Faith (I love her so much, I put two of her on here.)
New York, by Paloma Faith
Rabbit Heart, by Florence and the Machine
We Are Golden, by Mika (yes, maybe a bit cheesy, but I love it)
22, by Lily Allen
Chelsea Dagger, by The Fratellis
Mama Do, by Pixie Lott
Shine, by Take That (not a huge Take That fan, but tolerate this song)