Taming the savage beast
You ever get in a massively bad mood? Like for no good reason you’re sobbing all the time and just can’t help but think everything sucks? That’s been me this week. While I’ll spare you the gory details, the one thing that’s kept me somewhat functioning and even-keeled is, wait for it it!, music.
So in that spirit, I’ve decided to list the songs that never fail to calm me down when I need it.
‘Hallelujah’ by Jeff Buckley: I always stop and take a deep breath whenever I hear this. It’s so soothing.
‘Olala’ by Sensation Junkies: I have no idea if these guys are still around but the line ‘I may not amount to much more than a smile and a memory’ always speaks to me whenever I feel shitty.
‘Friday I’m in Love’ by The Cure: Let’s face it, Robert Smith can make any psuedo-emo kid smile. This song is also the perfect kind of sweet. You feel light when you hear it, but not bubbly.
‘Big Girls Don’t Cry (Personal) Remix’ by Fergie w/Sean Kingston: I know, I know. It’s Fergie. But I love her. A LOT. ‘But I’ve got to get a move on with my life’ makes me happy.
‘Stadium Arcadium’ by The Red Hot Chili Peppers: Musical Valium. First off, Anthony Kiedis can do no wrong. Also, there’s so much going on musically that you don’t have time to wallow, you just kind of hang on and let the song take you wherever it wants.
‘Boston’ by Augustana: Who hasn’t desperately needed a change of scenery? Plus, this song came out when I was in Colorado and it always made me feel better about how much I hated it there.
‘Move Along’ by The All-American Rejects: ‘When all you gotta keep is strong, move along, move along like I know you do, and even when your hope is gone, move along, move along just to make it through.’ Sigh. Who hasn’t been there? And Mr. Blue-Eyed Singer Dude? Come to Mama.
‘Tonight, Tonight’ by The Smashing Pumpkins: Obviously. We’ve discussed this.
‘Times Like These’ by The Foo Fighters: ‘It’s times like these you learn to live again, it’s times like these you give and give again.’ Preach it, Dave!
‘Of a Broken Heart’ by Zwan: Say what you will about Zwan, I loved it. And I really loved this song. In specific, ‘the heart of a child, is in your hands now, so let’s see you smile, because I’m not impressed, with your loneliness.’
‘Santa Monica’ by Everclear: I don’t think Art and company get enough credit. They are really a fucking great band. Oh, and I’ve seen them live. Yes, I do rock, just ask Sheena! But ‘We can live beside the ocean, leave the fire behind, swim out past the breakers, watch the world die’ is like a wonderful salve.
‘God Called in Sick Today’ by AFI: I love this. Big time. I don’t know what about it specifically makes me feel better, but it always does.
There are a million more that always make me feel better. It all depends on what I’m upset about. If I’m pissed off at work, Marilyn Manson and Korn make an appearance. If a crush has gone sour, mopey broken-heart music starts to show up in heavy rotation.
sheenabarnett said,
March 9, 2008 at 3:56 pm
i agree w/ you 200 percent about everclear. i’ve been thinking about them a lot lately, actually — those guys never got the respect they deserved. you know what my favorite everclear song is? “you make me feel like a whore.” probably because it perfectly described me and the last ex — especially the line, “you make me hate what i see when i see me.” effing dudes.
anyway, yeah, “move along” calms me down, too. although it is a little sad — i remember getting in my car after my LAST final at ole miss and i was going to pick up you so we could go eat at chili’s with everybody that one last time, and this came on, and i was like “ughh i guess i AM moving along!” lol such a girl. but then the next week in savannah that song played like a hundred times on the radio and i finally went and bought it at the target in savannah. so good/sad memories but it does calm me down.