I’m trying to put together a playlist for my friend to listen to as he goes threw chemo. He and I have always bonded on our taste in classic rock,from The Dead and Joni Mitchell to The Who and The Stones.
Three weeks back I was with him when he found out he had pancreatic cancer and a 1% shot at survival (at 47 years old). Since then we’ve spent a lot of his chemo time closing our eyes and listening to great music. The problem is that in the music collection he amassed over the years and then added to iTunes is filled with songs that sour his mood as they are depressing in nature. As he has such a vast collection I figured rather than filter out the sad stuff I’d make a play list of the good stuff.
Here is where your help comes in. I started tonight to do it by artist, and have begun with Joni Mitchell though I’d like to give it some variety.
Here is where my Joni list is.
Chelsea morning
California
big yellow taxi?
Raised on Robbery
Help Me
Free Man in Paris
X–4th of July
Slowdive–When The Sun Hits
Compared To What–Les McCann
Starfish And Coffee–Prince
The Wanderer–Dion
Dance The Night Away–Van Halen
Plaster Caster–KISS
The Stroke–Billy Squier
The Seeker–The Who
Camarillo Brillo–Frank Zappa
Good Morning Aztlan–Los Lobos
Fat Bottomed Girls–Queen
Burnin’ For You–Blue Oyster Cult
Blue Sky by the Allman Brothers. And you can interpret their instrumentals how you like, but I think some of them would fit in. In Memory of Elizabeth Reed has a mournful quality, but Jessica is downright joyful and others like Mountain Jam and Les Brers in A Minor and High Falls are jammy and upbeat.
Great band. I’d add Little Japan, Cumbia Raza, 27 Spanishes, Get to This, La Playa, Peace, and The Valley.
I’m very sorry to hear about your friend, I hope this helps in some tiny way.
I’d like to recommend the second side of Abbey Road:
Here Comes the Sun
Because
Medley (You Never Give Me Your Money, Sun King, Mean Mr. Mustard, Polythene Pam She Came In Through the Bathroom Window, Golden Slumbers, Carry That Weight, The End)
Queen - Bicycle Race
Elton John - Crocodile Rock (Maybe?)
David Bowie - Fame (Maybe?)
The Monkees - Daydream Believer
Simon and Garfunkel - Feelin Groovy
The Moody Blues - Ride My Seesaw
Heart - Barracuda
Led Zeppelin - Immigrant Song
The Pretenders - Back On The Chain Gang (Maybe?)
The Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop
The Rolling Stones - Start Me Up
AC/DC - Dirty Deeds
Quiet Riot - Cum On Feel The Noize
Van Halen - Jump (Maybe, unless there is something by them he likes better.)
Jeff Beck - His cover of Manic Depression from the album Stone Free: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix (As well as any others you know he loves.)
Three Dog Night - Joy To The World
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Proud Mary
Iggy Pop and the Stooges - The Passenger
Billy Idol - Dancin With Myself (Maybe?)
Sly and the Family Stone - Dance To The Music
The Police - Who Can It Be Now? (Maybe?)
Santana - Oye Como Va, Black Magic Woman
In the Summertime - Mungo Jerry
Devil with a Blue Dress on - Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels
Penny Lane - The Beatles
Going up the Country - Canned Heat
I Feel the Earth Move - Carole King
One Fine Day - The Chiffons
Judy in Disguise - John Fred and His Playboy Band
Mony Mony - Tommy James and the Shondells
Joy to the World - Three Dog Night
Down on the Corner - Creedence Clearwater Revival
I Can See Clearly Now - Johnny Nash
Crocodile Rock - Elton John
Frankenstein - Edgar Winter Group
Sorry these aren’t classic rock, but they are some of the happiest/most comforting songs I have (I have used them on CDs for other people to try to help them through tough spots):
Hmmm…I suspect this pushes your envelope too far past the early 70’s stuff you’ve cited, but just about anything from Triumph will tend to be up-beat (rather Triumphant, if you ask me).
Fight the Good Fight
Hold On
Magic Power
etcetera
–G!
Rock and Roll Machine!
Faster than you ever seen!
. --Gil Moore (Triumph)
. Rock and Roll Machine
. Rock and Roll Machine
I have no idea what they are saying but those chicks are happy. It’s like listening to sugar.
(and I was going to post smile smile smile, I recommend watching the show. It’s like 22mins of happiness applied directly to the eyeballs)