Music Recommendations for the Isolated Part 1: Feel Good Songs
With the outbreak of COVID-19, the smart thing to do is isolate yourself from others and stop the spread of the virus to the best of our ability. This can easily make your home feel like a prison (and the studies about prolonged isolation aren’t good) so to make things easier, let’s take your mind off of things. Each day this week I’ll present to you some music recommendations that should take you from one day to the next and hopefully introduce you to some great songs that you didn’t know about.
To kick things off, we’re tackling “Feel Good Songs”. Since I was in middle school and got iTunes on my home computer, I’ve been meticulously making playlists to change my mood or reinforce my current state of mind. I’ve found it to be quite effective so I thought I’d share this first.
I’m known to overthink everything and I believe that compulsion started with cultivating playlists. For example, I used to have my Feel Good Songs broken up into 6 playlists for targeting specific moods, but too many people mentioned that was crazy so I broke them up to 2 and waited a couple of years for my OCD to calm down and now I’m okay with just the two. If I were to classify how a song makes either of my feel-good playlists it would be solely on how they fit on my feel-good scale. On a 1-10 where 1 is anxiously waiting for death to take you and 10 is singing & dancing like a hundred spirits are fighting for control of your body, these songs will need to be in the 6-10 range.
The first playlist is called, “A Little Pick Me Up” and it is meant to take your mood to a 6-8 level on the happiness scale. This is used for when I’m feeling “blah” or “meh” and I’m contemplating wasting a day in front of Netflix. Putting on this playlist will change my mood and after singing along for a few songs, I’m usually pretty motivated to do something that day. This is great to put on when doing household chores, driving in the car, walking, etc. Just to get things started I’ll give a 20 songs sampler from my “A Little Pick Me Up” playlist. The first 10 will be before the year 2000, and the other 10 will be after the year 2000.
One quick note: These songs are only effective if you participate. Listen to them with an open mind and sing along while bobbing your head and/or tapping your foot. These won’t change your mood against your will; they’re meant as more of a jumpstart to feeling good.
CLICK HERE to listen to "A Little Pick Me Up" on Apple Music
CLICK HERE to listen to "A Little Pick Me Up" on Spotify
A Little Pick Me Up (Pre-2000):
Build Me Up Buttercup - The Foundations
Don’t Stop - Fleetwood Mac
Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy - Queen
Released in 1977, this song shows how great Freddie Mercury was at mixing ragtime with rock n’ roll and making something radio-worthy.
Mother and Child Reunion - Paul Simon
Rock Steady - The Whispers
Send Me on My Way - Rusted Root
Stop - Spice Girls
Sugar, Sugar - The Archies
The King of Wishful Thinking - Go West
Well-A-Wiggy - The Weather Girls
The Weather Girls are usually seen as “One-Hit Wonders” with their hit, “It’s Raining Men” but songs like “Well-A-Wiggy” and their cover of “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair” are just as memorable in my opinion.
A Little Pick Me Up (Post 2000):
Baby Come Home - Scissor Sisters
Bad Day - Daniel Powter
I remember watching the fifth season of American Idol and every time someone got voted off of the show, they’d play this song with a montage of that contestant’s journey. This is the song that made me start a playlist keeping track of feel-good songs.
Bring It All Back - S Club 7
Geek in the Pink - Jason Mraz
Released in 2005, this song encapsulates Mraz’s unique style of rap and singing. This is the kind of song that only Mraz could make and anytime there’s a cover of it, it always just sounds like an impression of the original that falls short.
Love at First Sight - Kylie Minogue
Say You’ll Be Mine - Steps
This is the kind of song that most people will skip before giving it a chance, but its catchy melody and fun music video makes this one of my favorite songs by Steps.
Secrets - Mary Lambert
Sugartown - The Fratellis
That Girl - The Noisettes
With a very 60’s vibe, this song from 2012 is one of the catchiest songs from the past decade. I can’t recommend this song (and this band) to people enough.
Title - Meghan Trainor
The next playlist is simply called, “Feel Good Songs” and it is meant to take you from a 6-8 to the 9-10 level of the happiness scale. This playlist is perfect for when I’m already feeling good and need something to boost me up and smush me against the ceiling of the happiness scale. This is great for late-night driving with the windows down, dancing along in your room/house, etc. and should be played loudly so it can properly permeate your cerebellum. Many of these should cause you to sing and dance against your will so please don’t be alarmed when you begin to move uncontrollably. You will ignore phone calls (and possibly get mad at the person calling because they interrupted your current song). There should be a cooldown time for when you are done with this playlist so please factor that added time into your schedule.
I’ll give a similar 20 song sampler to “A Little Pick Me Up”.
CLICK HERE to listen to Feel Good Songs on Apple Music
CLICK HERE to listen to Feel Good Songs on Spotify
Feel Good Songs (Pre-2000):
Boogie Down - Al Jarreau
Not enough people in my generation know about Al Jarreau. His entire discography is packed with great songs and this song from his 1983 album, Jarreau, is one of his best.
Get on the Floor - Michael Jackson
Groove is in The Groove - Dee-lite
How Will I Know - Whitney Houston
I’m Your Man - Wham!
Before George Michael went on to become a solo act he and Andrew Ridgeley were Wham! and they made bops for the early half of the 1980s. They have a lot of hits, but this one is one of their most underrated.
If I Had No Loot - Tony! Toni! Toné
Jump - The Pointer Sisters
Let’s Hear It for the Boy - Deniece Williams
Piece of the Action - Bucks Fizz
I like to think of Bucks Fizz as the “British ABBA” and after listening to a few of their songs, you can see why. They are comprised of two male and two female singers and the majority of their songs are songs that will be stuck in your head for days. Tread lightly, when I first learned about them, the library didn’t get those CDs back for two months. (The fines accrued were worth it.)
You Make My Dreams Come True - Hall & Oates
(BONUS) Super Freak - Rick James
One of the quintessential feel-good songs, Super Freak is one of those songs that I’ve heard countless times and I’ve never gotten tired of it. I can’t remain seated if this song comes on (and anyone who can is dead inside and this playlist is NOT for them).
Feel Good Songs (Post-2000):
Bad Love - Earl St. Clair
My best friend found this song and played it for me and within a couple of months I remember seeing its play count over 100. This song is the next evolution of funk and even after more than a year of listening to it, I’ll still put it on repeat when doing the dishes.
Classic - MKTO
Cut Me Loose - Sam Sparro
I don’t know why this song wasn’t the lead single from Sam Sparro’s 2008 self-titled debut album, but it’s easily my favorite of his catalog of songs. Its mix of electrofunk and synthpop will change my mood quicker than a meth-covered speedball.
Face on My Money - Walker Hayes
Get Loose - Rocstrong
Get My Name - Mark Ballas
Get Stupid - Aston Merrygold
This is probably the best shower song of the last 5 years and I first heard it on a commercial for the Samsung Galaxy S9. This song should require a prescription because of its potency, but until they put it behind the counter, I recommend mainlining this song regularly.
Id Engager - Of Montreal
Love You So - Bleu
Sax - Fleur East
(BONUS) Gimmie Some Mo’ - Volt
I first found this song 15+ years ago when iTunes used to make songs available to download for free from new and upcoming artists. To this day, I have not found anything else by this band. I can’t even find “Gimme Some Mo’” anywhere on the internet so this playlist might be the only way you can listen to it. If Volt ever reads this, please reach out to me because I have been looking for you since I was in 8th grade and you are my WHITE WHALE! I’d love to learn about the band and hear more songs.
I hope you guys check out the two playlists and if you have any recommendations, please comment below. I’m always looking for new songs to add so if there’s something I’ve missed, let me know!!!
