C90: i found a reason to keep living

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yo! i'm looking to make a tape for a friend (non-ilx) who seems convinced that his life isn't worth living anymore. (he's getting professional help now and all, and is improving.) anyhow, i'm making him a tape, and here's where you can help: i'm looking for the sorts of songs that make you psyched to be alive. so here's the thread to list some musical reasons why life is worthwhile.

― geeta (geeta), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 12:18 (twenty-three years ago)

something cheery, yes?

lemonheads - confetti
the orb - little fluffy clouds
teenage fanclub - alcoholiday
pixies - tony's theme
yo la tengo - sugarcube
boards of canada - aquarius

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 12:22 (twenty-three years ago)

nice title!

― Mary (Mary), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 12:23 (twenty-three years ago)

"dirty deeds" by AC/DC, any bo diddley song(s), "what a way to die" by suzi soul & the pleasure seekers

― unknown or illegal user (doorag), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 13:19 (twenty-three years ago)

kilian all those would make me wanna do myself in except maybe the orb one

― unknown or illegal user (doorag), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 13:51 (twenty-three years ago)

Sorry "unknown.." Kilian has hit the nail on the head with sugarcube and the lemonheads track.
I would add:
fuzzy sweater by the incredible leroy moses
Reality Check by Schneider TM

― kevin brady (groeuvre), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 13:59 (twenty-three years ago)

"Open every window" by the Posies is worth hunting down if you can find it, it kicks ass in a nice way and is a cute bit of positive thinking in music.

― Rob M (Rob M), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 14:54 (twenty-three years ago)

new breed by pussy galore makes me want to sick my heart up in a maintanence of life manner

― schnell schnell, Tuesday, 11 March 2003 15:08 (twenty-three years ago)

Bird Stealing Bread - Iron and Wine.

― Chris V. (Chris V), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 15:14 (twenty-three years ago)

Boards Of Canada's 'Aquarius' made me really depressed when i first heard it - i really wouldnt recommend putting it on that tape if your mate is as clearly odd as i am

anyway, i suggest:

Lemon Jelly - Rambling Man
Mos Def - Umi Says (Zero 7 mix)
The Beatles - Penny Lane
Primal Scream - Shoot Speed Kill Light
Aquasky - Kauna
Doves - There Goes The Fear or M62 Song
The Avalanches - Summer Crane
Madonna - Holiday
Flaming Lips - Do You Realise
Towa Tei - Technova
Roni Size Reprazent - Share The Fall
The Strokes - Hard To Explain (or indeed 'A Stroke Of Genieus')

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 15:22 (twenty-three years ago)

Velvet Underground-What Goes On
''-Beginning To See The Light (the VU's S/T album is very life-affirming)
Merry Go Round-Live
The Who-See Me Feel Me
Queen-Keep Yourself Alive
Let me think of some more...

― Charles McCain, Tuesday, 11 March 2003 15:38 (twenty-three years ago)

i'm set free-velvet underground

― robin (robin), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 16:19 (twenty-three years ago)

A few dozen Jonathan Richman songs
White Hassle - "Life Is Still Sweet"
Kinks - "Everybody's Gonna Be Happy"
anything with gratuitous handclaps
Talib Kweli - "Get By"
Jerry Lee Lewis - "Who's Gonna Play This Old Piano"

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 16:49 (twenty-three years ago)

the descendents - pep talk

mmm... maybe not... that song helped me out a lot over the years (and still does!)

― gygax! (gygax!), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 16:55 (twenty-three years ago)

This would be my CD of musical joy!

1. Masters of the Hemisphere - the New Commotion
2. Cheap Trick - Surrender
3. Anthrax - Caught in a Mosh
4. Journey - Don't Stop Beleivin'
5. Ramones - Oh Oh I Love Her So
6. Beach Boys - Help Me Rhonda
7. Four Tops - Reach Out
8. Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell
9. Guns N Roses - Paradise City
10. AC/DC - You Shook Me All Night Longh
11. Alice Cooper - Muscle of Love
12. Poison - Let it Play
13. Bon Jovi - Saturday Night
14. Philistines Jr - the Country Song
15. James Kochalka Superstar - Presdient Kochalka
16. the Happiest Guys in the World - Christmas Hockey News

― jel -- (jel), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 17:36 (twenty-three years ago)

good call on 'Paradise City' jel!

Hall & Oates 'I can't Go For That' makes me a happy camper...other American feelgood hits from the 70s also seem to work for me e.g. ELO 'Mr Blue Sky', Fleetwood Mac's 'Dont Stop' etc.

Van Halen 'Jump' comes to mind - but a lot of these songs could just as easily have him throwing the tape out of the window in a rage depending on his state of mind!

i would go for a few songs that remind of childhood though

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 17:46 (twenty-three years ago)

Not my favorite songs, but very uplifting:

Beautiful-Carol King

("You've got to get up every morning With a smile in your face
And show the world all the love in your heart
The people gonna treat you better
You're gonna find, yes you will
That you're beatiful as you feel")

and

"I want to live in a wigwam" Cat Stevens

("I'm glad I'm alive, am I, I'm glad I'm alive am I")

― J. Berry Brown, Tuesday, 11 March 2003 18:30 (twenty-three years ago)

blur - country house
oasis - supersonic

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 18:33 (twenty-three years ago)

Spirit of the West - Home for a Rest
And provided your friend is Canadian close it with
Rheostatics - You Are Very Star

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 18:48 (twenty-three years ago)

beach boys-don't worry baby,good vibrations

― robin (robin), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 18:51 (twenty-three years ago)

how about songs that optimistically address love in the future, like Bjork "I Miss You" or Lois "Shy Town" or Chris Kowanko "Nobody's Fool."

Todd Rundgren's "I Saw The Light" is the happiest song ever.

― zaxxon25 (zaxxon25), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 19:05 (twenty-three years ago)

barry manilow - can't smile without you

(i'm serious)

― michael wells (michael w.), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 20:24 (twenty-three years ago)

For life affirming "straight story" type vibes, I second Jel with anything by philistines JR.

― panico (panico), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 22:59 (twenty-three years ago)

Donovan--"I Love My Shirt"

― Marcel Post (Marcel Post), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 23:05 (twenty-three years ago)

michael jackson - "off the wall"
modern lovers - "dignified and old"

your friend MUST hear the avalanches album if he hasn't already.

― xnelio (xnelio), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 23:06 (twenty-three years ago)

(cannot but second "Do You Realise", "Penny Lane", and Four Tops' "Reach Out")

and then there's
Four Tet - "Glue of the World" and "Twenty Three"
Jane Siberry - "In the Blue Light"
Anthony Moore- "Judy Get Down"
REM - "Find the River" and "Why Not Smile"
Natacha Atlas - "Ezzay"

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 23:24 (twenty-three years ago)

the crown - gary byrd
don't you worry bout a thing - stevie wonder
happy birthday - altered images
american rock - denim
anything by shoobie taylor
almost anything by teenage fanclub
kiss me on the bus - replacements
another man - barbara mason
shack up - acr version
fairuz's christmas album

― gaz (gaz), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 23:41 (twenty-three years ago)

I've made a few CDs like this, and these songs always pop up:

Suede - Wonderful, Sometimes
Frente - Bizzarre Love Triangle
Manic Street Preachers - Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head
Salad w/Terry Hall - Dream A Little Dream Of Me
Blur - Entertain Me (The Live It! Remix)
Beck - Tropicalia

― Alexis (Alexis), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 00:20 (twenty-three years ago)

The Kinks - "Better Things"

― Chris Barrus (xibalba), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 00:47 (twenty-three years ago)

i think jel is the only person on this thread i would trust w/ my happiness in the balance.

― duane, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 00:52 (twenty-three years ago)

ok & chris barrus too

― duane, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 00:52 (twenty-three years ago)

& xnelio

― duane, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 00:57 (twenty-three years ago)

The happiest song ever is by the Hackberry Ramblers, and it's called "I'll Be There".

But really I'm not sure that hyper-peppy songs are the way to go when you need to be convinced that life is worth living. Something that slowly brings a smile to your face or something about the small things that really do make life worth living.

So either the Mountain Goats' "Fresh Berries For You" or that thong song.

― Chris P (Chris P), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Oooh! Also, "Yes, I'm Your Angel" by Yoko Ono makes everyone I know smile.. just don't tell them who the singer is until it's done.

― Alexis (Alexis), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 01:06 (twenty-three years ago)

field mice 'if you need someone'

― keith (keithmcl), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 03:18 (twenty-three years ago)

four weeks pass...

cannibal corpse

― JP Albin (John Paul Albin), Thursday, 10 April 2003 07:12 (twenty-three years ago)

David Bowie, The Laughing Gnome

― sergio fortuño, Thursday, 17 April 2003 16:08 (twenty-three years ago)

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