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Perfect Playlist - Let's Get Emotional!

Fraser McAlpine | 17:58 UK time, Friday, 18 April 2008

Lord Kitchener - Your ChartBlog Needs YouSo, it's time we took this new comments system out for a spin, don'tchathink? How's about creating one of our Perfect Playlists?

Last time around we did bands for Paramore fans, and before that it was bands for Elliot Minor fans. This time, we're going to go for a broader range of material.

What I want from you this time is a song which makes you happy. It doesn't have to be a hit song, or an obscure song, it just has to be a song which you put on and can't stop playing and re-playing, because it does stuff to you each and every time it is on. The sort of song which can make a bad day better, and a good day amazing...

Here's my one. It's the Ting Tings again. I had a bit of moment when I first heard this song on Jools Holland a while back, and that feeling has never left. Happy songs usually wear off quite quickly, don't you find? But this one hasn't, And now they've made a proper video for it so they can release it as a single...well...it's only made things better!

For my money, this is a tonic in song form, and should be made available on the National Health. It would save the country a fortune in anti-depressant medication.

But what other songs should the government also look into making available on prescription? What's YOUR aural Prozac?

Time to register (if you haven't already) and get commenting, please!

Comments

  • Comment number 1.

    My favourite-feel-good songs are most definately "Paris" by Patrick Wolf and "Sunday" by Slow Club.
    Paris because it'sjust a "hey world! This is me and I rock and theres nout you can do about it!" and Slow Club becuase of it's sugary sweet meh-itll-all-be-better-tomorrow feel.
    Super ace when you feel blue.

  • Comment number 2.

    Well, the songs that make me happy are usually the ones that I'm ashamed to like...

    eg Britney Spears - Cold As Fire

    Or one of the more upbeat Busted songs like Crashed the Wedding

    McFly are always good to make you feel upbeat

    Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly. - Waiting for the Monster To Drown, or even Find The Time.

    Gwen Stefani - What You Waiting For?

    Jack Johnson - Better Together

    Lil Chris - Getting Enough

    Natasha Bedingfield is great for a sing-along kinda song

    Robyn - Konichiwa Bs

    Vampire Weekend - A Punk

    or Westlife (See what I mean about shameful??) - When You're Looking Like That



    I like these playlist things :D





  • Comment number 3.

    Firstly Fraser I have to agree with you about The Ting Tings song, since you introduced me to it on here it's been a permanent fixture in my daily playlists.

    Apart from that I have to say that a bit of good old country music never fails to put a smile on my face (the up-beat positive kind as opposed to the "my girlfriend left me and took my dog" kind). Carrie Underwood is a fine example, with such songs as "Crazy Dreams" and "The More Boys I Meet".

    Also "Perfect Day" by Hoku...plainly obvious why if you listen to it.

  • Comment number 4.

    Lately, 'Yours Truly' by As In Rebekkamaria has been doing it for me; it's a very playful bit of slightly offbeat scandinavian electropop:

    (video more than slightly rubbish but song very good)

    Further back in time, 'Juicy' by Notorious BIG has always been a pretty feel-good song for me:

    (WARNING: contains rude words, I couldn't find a censored version)

  • Comment number 5.

    I have a thing for 'Crawled Out of The Sea' by Laura Marling at the moment.

    Listening to it, I always imagine it being the finalé of a play, wherein an octopus falls in love with a human or something.
    The entire cast are present onstage, all singing along, rocking side to side. The octopus gets the girl. Pure cheese.

    *sigh*

    Or y'know, I could go all regular and say Alphabeat is keeping me jovial - to the max.

  • Comment number 6.

    Okay.. I do not understand why my comment isn't posting here. What?

  • Comment number 7.

    So that one posts but the other still doesn't. Uncool! Someone tell me why!!

  • Comment number 8.

    I can't see the comment you're trying to put in, but if it's one with a weblink in it, it's possible the blog software thinks it's spam. Try posting without the link. We can go find any song you mention in any case.

  • Comment number 9.

    Even without links it won't post! IT JUST HATES ME! WHYYYY!! :'(

  • Comment number 10.

    Wow...I have no idea. Can you paraphrase your comment? Clearly SOME of your comments are getting through!

  • Comment number 11.

    The Ting Tings are good aren't they?

    Agree about Patrick Wolf, I would choose The Stars though or Land's End.

    The album version of No Cars Go by Arcade Fire always makes me happy. And makes me cry - which isn't exclusive I guess.

    Or Tonight We Fly by the Divine Comedy, to go back a bit. Or Michael Nyman's Water Dances. (I know, this is a pop music blog, but, you know, you asked.)

    Or the Guillemots Trains to Brazil.

    John.



  • Comment number 12.

    Oh good call on Guillemots! Mine would be 'Made-Up Love Song #43', which was the last great Top of the Pops performance, for my money...

  • Comment number 13.

    Okay trying it one piece at a time..

    The prettiest, dreamiest, dewdrops at sunrise song I've heard in a long time.
    Kelly Sweet - Raincoat

  • Comment number 14.

    Oldies..
    The Foundations - Build me up Buttercup
    Katrina and the Waves - Walking on Sunshine
    Bobby Mc Ferrin - Don't Worry, Be Happy
    The Archies - Sugar Sugar
    And though I'm perfectly aware this is a cover
    Simple Plan - Happy Together

  • Comment number 15.

    Heh.. I don't think it likes and signs =/

    A totally random song which reminds me of a totally mad range of other bands. But it's very awesome all the same.
    Bryan Scary and the Shredding Tears - Imitation of the Sky


    And then some other stuff..
    A Fine Frenzy - Rangers.. the chorus = :) lol

    Dragonforce - Through the Fire and Flames

    Atreyu - When Two are One

  • Comment number 16.

    That is hilarious. Gah.

    Y'know.. after all that.. the 'happy' song that best fits my mood is..


  • Comment number 17.

    The Shins - Australia
    Panic at the disco - mad as rabbits
    flipcycle - latne
    Spiral beach - what kind of beast am I
    Finch, perfection through silence

    if you have the time id check spiral beaches myspace out
    they are going to be huge
    canadian band, they've got the whole slightly odd thing going on,bit like los campenos

  • Comment number 18.

    It has to be... Ghosts by Laura Marling

    Every time I listen to that song I just think WOW!, can life get any better than this?!

    Also, Five Years Time by Noah and the Whale.

    Any song with handclaps and a ukelele does it for me.

    Another few:

    Emmy the Great's cover of Where is my Mind?
    The Bears are Coming by Late of the Pier.
    1234 by Feist (Complete with Handclaps AND a banjo!)

  • Comment number 19.

    Oh heaps of songs make me happy, mostly songs that remind me of eras of my life. let's see....

    Bittersweet Symphony - The Verve (Always makes my day!)

    The Blues Are Still Blue - Belle and Sebastian

    Time to Pretend - MGMT

    That's Not My Name - Ting Tings

    Grace Kelly - Mika

    Fidelity - Regina Spektor

    Goodnight Goodnight - Hot Hot Heat

    How I Feel - Kelly Clarkson

    Caravan Girl - Goldfrapp

    The Underdog - Spoon

    and probably more

  • Comment number 20.

    Oldies first off:-

    Millionaire's Waltz - Queen (from Day at the Races, their best album in IMHO)

    Freddie Mercury's version of The Great Pretender

    Gonna Build A Mountain - Matt Monro

    Going Back - Dusty Springfield

    Smoke Gets In Your Eyes - The Platters

    More modern fare:-

    I love anything that The Killers do, but I especially love Read My Mind and Leave The Bourbon On The Shelf

    Sam Hall from Johnny Cash's last album, quite possibly the strangest, funniest country song ever

    The World Is Outside - Ghosts

    Rose - The Feeling

    Anything at all by Muse, but especially Hysteria

    End of the Century - Blur

    Questions in a World of Blue - Julee Cruise (from Twin Peaks)

    Half Man, Half Machine - Goldie Lookin Chain



  • Comment number 21.

    Forgot to add Hallellujah by Jeff Buckley, it has to be the loveliest, most haunting song ever, total perfection.

    Won't add anymore or I won't get any work done!

  • Comment number 22.

    Oh that's a doozy!

    I might save that one for another playlist though.

    Like "Songs Which Make Me Melt"

  • Comment number 23.

    The Beatles: I Want To Hold Your Hand

    Another Guillemots one: Annie Let's Not Wait

    The Beach Boys: God Only Knows

    Take That: Shine

    Sometimes happy songs make me sad, though - it depends don'it?

  • Comment number 24.

    That's why I said "a song which makes you happy". It's all subjective.

    Personally, I think 'Dancing Queen' by ABBA is among the most heartbreaking songs ever. And despite it being a party staple, I don't believe I'm wrong.

  • Comment number 25.

    'Clenching the fists of Dissent' - Machine Head

    I can listen to that song at any time and it gives me an uplifting sense of 'nothing matters, so why get upset?' Which makes me smile

    'Killing In The Name' - Rage Against the Machine

    Same reason as above

    'Snake Eater' - Cynthia Harrell

    Epic vocals and it makes me want to sing it as loud as possible

    'Right Now' - KoRn

    Makes me happy to know that I'm not the only one with problems

    'Hurt' - Nine Inch Nails

    Same reason as above

    'Turn Soonest To The Sea' - Protest The Hero

    The loud sing-a-long at the end fits pefectly with the guitars and it's a very happy message.


    Not the most obvious list, but it's all down to personal taste. Loud, aggressive music makes me happy. Is that weird?

  • Comment number 26.

    Yes, that's true - and the songs that are supposed to be 'happy' songs on the surface often don't have that effect on the listener.

    The songs in my list do tend to make me happy, or at least 'music-happy' - that is, I enjoy them in that way. I suppose it's not a cut and dried thing because music and people aren't machines! (I will now go and bury my head in a dictionary!)

  • Comment number 27.

    Yes. *runs away*

    Nah, that's exactly the point, innit?

    Although I'm a bit scared to ask for a playlist of songs which make you angry or want to smash things ;-)

  • Comment number 28.

    Well, that challenge for me is quite an easy one, my answer would be anything by Kate Nash(!)

    It is all about perspective though. Both my older brother and I are fans of Sigur Ros, he thinks that the track 'Glosoli' is depressing, whereas for me it's completely the opposite, it's the only song that gee's me up when off for a run at 6 in the morning.

  • Comment number 29.

    Surfer Babe by McFly is a random song that whenever I hear it makes me happy. If I'm in a bad mood and I don't want to be cheered up, I don't listen to it. It should've been a single. Transylvania does it to me too.

    Also most bouncy Westlife songs, like When You're Looking Like That and Hit You With The Real Thing and Change Your Mind.

    And one last one is Smile by Lily Allen just because it's always the opposite of what I think it should be.

  • Comment number 30.

    Fraser, how do u think Dancing Queen is one of the most heartbreaking songs ever?
    xx

  • Comment number 31.

    Cos it is. There's just something amazingly sad about the chorus. It's that "feel the beat of the tambouriiiiine oh yeah!" moment. Nothing else quite captures what it feels like to dance and cry at the same time, to my mind.

    Not that I've done a lot of cry-dancing, but that's what the imagination is for!

  • Comment number 32.

    ahh rite ok. i only find it sad coz im gona be 18 next month, so i wont be "young and sweet, only 17" anymore, the dancin queen title can no longer be mine! x

  • Comment number 33.

    Would it make you feel any better to know that I wasn't eligable for the title even when I WAS 17? Not sweet enough, apparently...

  • Comment number 34.

    I love for making me happy, or making me emotional:

    Cobrastyle - robyn

    hallejuhah - jeff buckley or played live by Brandi carlile

    how these days grow long - brandi carlile

    facisnation - alphabeat

    this is how we do it - montell jordan

    i wish - skee loo

    better man - james morrison

    backstreet boys - larger than life

    a few tracks by Sigur ros - remind me of my trips to iceland and how i wish i could go back

    blondie - atomic

    superman - black lace - LOL

    take that - do what you like, reach out

    the list goes on......and on and on an ariston.

  • Comment number 35.

    aww, but u were a good dancer, rite?

  • Comment number 36.

    The Begining Stages of the Polyphonic Spree- the whole album is great, but if pushed for one track I think Soldier Girl does it for me.

    Also, Don Henley's Boys Of Summer and The Pogues/Kirsty Macoll Fairytale Of New York.

  • Comment number 37.

    I Have To Say ANYTHINGT by the backstreet boys makes me happy. But that's because i nearly kill myself laughing at the thought that someone somewhere decided it was gonna be a hit AND THEN IT WAS!!!

    A Lifetime By Better Than Ezra is just adorably but kinda shocking cos the first chorus is just like "and here's what happened"

    Biffy Clyro Make Me Happy---remembering sets. And Machines has that beautiful bittersweet feeling just cos it makes me realise that someone can write something so truly lovely.

    And can i just pint out Blink 182 and Bowling For Soup ALWAYS make me happy. You can't get much better than "singers who are mad at their cats"

    I'm Done!

  • Comment number 38.

    KT tunstall - other side of the world

    James Morrison - you give me something


  • Comment number 39.

    My favourite feel-good songs.

    Summer of Love - the b-52's
    The present - Bloc Party.
    Cosmic Girl - Jamiroquai
    Smile like you mean it - the killers
    Say it right - nelly furtado
    Hallelujah - Paramore
    Dance Dance - fall out boy

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