Posted on 08/01/2006 12:20:52 PM PDT by pissant
For whatever the reasons, some songs have an innate ability to alter ones mood from the moment the first chords are strummed (or blasted as the case may be).
Likely, they are tied to distant memories or romances, but it is the song istelf that holds sway. No matter how many times I've heard and enjoyed the Beatles' I Wanna Hold your Hand or the Stones' Honky Tonk Women, they do not set off a chemical reaction in my head to alter the landscape in front of me.
But other songs, especially if driving by yourself, with no distractions, can take you to another time and place and completely subdue all current thoughts and temperments and change your mood for the rest of the day.
So here are the top 7, as detemined by meticulous scientific research:
7. Time - Pink Floyd: Yes, all Floyd music has an ethereal quality to it, but Time is downright depressing. Brings back memories of listening to it when you were stoned or depressed. Can literally ruin your day.
6. Maggie May - Rod Stewart: Brings back those memories of being in love with a girl who decided to treat you like poop, but you just could not get over her.
5. La Grange - ZZ Top. No matter what the stress of the day, hearing this classic Top blare out from the radio makes you need to find the nearest biker or cowboy bar and tip back a few cold Buds....even if it's 9:00 AM.
4. Dust and Diesel - Bruce Cockburn. If this does not make you feel like you should be driving on a dirt road in the Australian outback or in rural Texas, nothing will.
3. The End - Doors. Along with Pink Floyd, no one can cause you to listen to depressing suicidal music like Jim Morrison. As much as you try, you cannot turn the station and subject yourself and your day to this psychosis.
2. Tuesday Afternoon - Moody Blues. Not sure how they came up with their name, but boy did these guys live up to it. Lilting melodies with haunting lyrics. Another downer of course. Turns a sunny summer day into a hazy mess.
1. Tnagled Up in Blue - Bob Dylan. has the same effect as Maggie May, just multiplied by a factor of 10. Lost love and the yearning to get it back. The good news is that it is a great song as well.
Van Halen- Jump
The list, offhand -
Peter Noone/Herman's Hermits (I'm Into) Something Good and This Door Swings Both Ways
Peter & Gordon Nobody I Know
(Always favorites, but have been singing these a lot this week since seeing both groups in concert last Sunday)
Beatles Fixing a Hole (I read the Hobbit while first listening to Sgt Pepper as a kid - it still feels like the soundtrack to the book, to me) and Penny Lane
Al Yankovic & his band - Frank's 2000" TV
Kevin Spacey's version of Bobby Darin's Beyond the Sea
Lots....
MacArthur Park -- the WAYLON JENNINGS version, that was popular on our honeymoon, way back when we were still smoking marijuana -- the chorus always surprised us, and we'd laugh out loud. "Our Song"
59th Bridge Song -- Simon and Garfunkle
I'm Pressing On -- Dylan
Angry American -- Toby Keith
Yeah, I prefer Lou's version on Rock and Roll animal, but Mott the H. version is a nice twist, IMO. ;-)
Can't say I've come across the Cowboy Junkies. Will check it out!
(Keep up the good posts!)
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