What songs make you feel calm and/or serene and/or happy?

Parent Cafe
61

  1. Ripple/Grateful Dead (actually lots of the album American Beauty),

  2. A youngish band of former Williams acapella buddies who have a growing following in Americana/voice driven circles, Darlingside, have a great danceable pump up song, Blow the House Down, and another on their happy/serene side is Good For You.

  3. Emily’s Reel on Appalachian Journey with Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Mark O’Connor, etc. I defy anyone to stay grumpy after listening to this!

62

When I was in school, my go to songs for inspiration were Elton John’s Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding (ok, I;m odd), Abba’s Dancing Queen (young and sweet and I WAS only 17 when it came out!), Lover’s Concerto by the Toys (based on a Brahms piece) and almost anything by the Beach Boys, which is why it is so sad what Brian Wilson has devolved into, plus I loved Frankie Valle and the 4 Seasons (Jersey Boys).

Now, I still love those songs, but I also go to the Aida soundtrack (an Elton John venture), early Bruce Springsteen (The river and earlier), Celine Dion and, dare I say it, some Britney Spears. Those always get me out of my funk.

Anything, cover or original, by my daughter.

63

Springsteen by Eric Church. Stay- by anyone!

64

I grew up loving ABBA, Ace of Base, and Spice Girls.

65

100% Cat Steven’s “Morning Has Broken” and the transition from Jackson Browne’s “Load Out” into “Stay”

66

James Taylor’s Shed a Little Light. I don’t think any song more reflects what we need in these times than this one.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QCEPbpSXT-4

67

Most songs from musicals, especially Rogers & Hammerstein and Rogers & Hart make me happy–transport me to simpler times.

68

In the happy/sad camp … I have been binge watching Mad Men, a series I did t get to the first time it was around, and enjoying the music on there - they did a great job of deep cuts and not just “expected” 60s music. In any case, I’m on season 6. The last episode closes on a particularly poignant scene (main character revealing to his children his big secret, that he grew up in a whorehouse, for those who have seen it). The song “Both Sides Now” (Judy Collins) played over it. It hit me like a ton of bricks and seriously, I cried listening to it. But a little cathartic good cry!