Sunday, May 19, 2013

Eleven Ecstatically Happy Songs

To celebrate the return of my favorite childhood confectionery - hot cinnamon tic tacs - there follows a list of all-purpose, ebullient tunes. This should recompense for a previous entry suiting quite the opposite set of moods. Enjoy!
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"Sweet Jane," by The Velvet Underground
I'd call this classic, but then again, I call everything by The Velvet Underground classic.


"All Around You (Intro)," by The Brian Jonestown Massacre
The warm, friendly bit of psychedelic trippiness that kicks-off The Satanic Majesties' Second Request.


"Punk Rock Girl," by The Dead Milkmen
I can't listen to this one without grinning widely. Everything about this is hilarious. Three cheers for the Philadelphian accent!


"Certain People I Know," by Morrissey
Miserablist my arsenal: a song for those days when you can take just about anything with a grain of salt... or sand.


"The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy)," by Simon and Garfunkel
I listened to this frequently when I first returned to dear old Glasgow. Continuing my education in the city I loved most meant the constant need to stifle spontaneous smiling. "What the fuck is he so happy about?"


"Can't Hardly Wait," by The Replacements

Nervous anticipation, when, after far too long, we finally know for certain that it's all going to turn out wonderfully.


"Change," by The Lightning Seeds
"Oh, you fool, you've got me started..."


"I Kissed a Girl," by Jill Sobule
A convincing little love song for the list.


"The Big Sky," by Kate Bush
"That cloud... that cloud... looks like Ireland!" I likewise tend to spot geopolitical entities in the sky.


"Waiting for the Great Leap Forward," by Billy Bragg

Takes you down before taking you way, way up. This is for all of you dispirited lefties out there: if no one out there understands, start your own revolution and cut out the middle-man!


"Tom Hark," by Elias and his Zig Zag Jive Flutes

Pennywhistle playfulness from South Africa, 1956. Stewart Lee must be a fan.

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