# I need upbeat music **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 15, 2008, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-upbeat-music/453012 "2008-06-15T15:17:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bites_when_provoked/32/18073_2.png) [@Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bites_When_Provoked)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-upbeat-music/453012/1 "2008-06-15T15:17:41Z")
Work is seriously, seriously kicking my butt right now. I love both my jobs, but I’m exhausted, and I really need all the help I can get. Starting the day with bouncy music in my car wouldn’t hurt. I haven’t bought any new albums for … oh, heck, years… so I’m overdue to improve my music collections! I’ve been told the iTunes store may be a better way to go than buying CDs; what’s the general opinion on that? Can you convert their format into playable car cds? Anyway, what I most importantly need: Something boppy. The sort of thing you want to sing along to - something a little different. The lyrics don’t really need to be as positive as the music, but they need to not be actively _negative_. As an example, I just got introduced to Mika’s “Grace Kelly” and loved it. That’s on my list. Another example would be ‘Accidentally Kelly Street’. An example of ‘too negative’ would be Pink’s “'cuz I can”. “That’s not a negative song!”, you’ll be saying, but being so tired and susceptible to negatives, I don’t want to surround myself with lyrics like ‘I’m so, so sick’ and ‘I talk shit’…frankly, my sub-conscious has no sense of humour at this point, and tends to take that stuff to heart. Yes, I know she doesn’t mean ‘sick’ in terms of illness - but regardless, I figure the less negative affirmations I accidentally make, the better. (It’s fine when I’m rested, but when I’m skirting the edge of exhaustion, not so great.) I know that’s kind of lame and weird, but hopefully it’ll give an idea of what fits on the ‘not altogether optimistic but acceptable’ list and what would push a song over into ‘unacceptably negative’. Basically anything with an “I” statement followed by a negative is right out. Give me bouncy. Give me something upbeat, vibrant… even a little crazy is fine. It doesn’t have to be new music - the last time I was really in touch with what was on the radio was in the mid 80’s…and even then, I’m in Australia, so a lot of overseas stuff didn’t come here! Share the joy. 😃 YouTube links would be especially appreciated! ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-upbeat-music/453012/2 "2008-06-15T15:34:42Z")
**Supergrass** , Alright: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o\_e4PxtQ-Fw](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_e4PxtQ-Fw) **Polyphonic Spree** , Light and Day: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQAvflPexng](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQAvflPexng) **Super Furry Animals** , Rings Around the World: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebgueajiwt4](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebgueajiwt4) ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-upbeat-music/453012/3 "2008-06-15T16:17:23Z")
Oooh, I just made two mix CDs for a friend that are filled with happy songs (she’s getting over a painful break up and I wanted CHEERFUl UPBEAT UPTEMPO happy songs!). Summer Mix (the title had to include the word: summer, sun, or hot): Here Comes Summer - The Yum Yums Hot Hot Hot - Buster Poindexter Sunshine Girl - Britt Nicole I am the Summertime - Bachelor Number One Soak Up the Sun - Sheryl Crow Summertime - Bon Jovi Steal My Sunshine - Len Summer Girl - Jessica Andrews Island in the Sun - Weezer Summer Sunshine - The Corrs Walkin on Sunshine - Katrina and the Waves Summer Breeze - Jason Mraz Rain in the Summertime - The Alarm Summerfeeling - Pandera Sun Comes Up - John Legend Summertime - The Click Five Pocketful of Sunshine - Natasha Bedingfield Summer Girls - LFO Hot - Avril Lavigne Summertime Guys - Nikki Cleary Sunny Afternoon (instrumental) - Kapono Beamer (my friend is Hawaiian) Happy Day Mix (starts in the morning with pancakes, ends at night in moonlight - happy all day!): Good Day - Luce Banana Pancakes - Jack Johnson Rainbow - G. Love Lovely Day - Bill Withers Sunshine and Summertime - Faith Hill Hey Love - Threeleggeddog Put Your Records On - Corinne Bailey Rae Bring the Funk - Ben Harper Sunny Hours - Long Beach Dub All Stars Accidently in Love - Counting Crows Queen B - Rich Price Up Up Up - Rose Falcon Beautiful Day - U2 Home - Marc Broussard Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride - Jump5 Perfect Day - Hoku Golden - Jill Scott Ain’t Nothing Wrong with That - Robert Randolph and the Family Band Lovely Day - Donovan Frankenreiter On Top of the World - Boys Like Girls Dancing in the Moonlight - King Harvest I’m always looking for happy music - I can’t wait to see what other people recommend! ---
**Author:** ![ErinPuff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dbc845/32.png) [@ErinPuff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ErinPuff)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-upbeat-music/453012/4 "2008-06-15T16:18:26Z")
Camera Obscura, [“If Looks Could Kill”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztIWgEO0vRc) Venus Hum, [“Montana”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ffv3AIKIqZw) Eisley, [“Marsh King’s Daughter”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziQ0SsiQ8kY) ---
**Author:** ![Lucky\_13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucky_13/32/13209_2.png) [@Lucky\_13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucky_13)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-upbeat-music/453012/5 "2008-06-15T16:26:47Z")
Can I add a few from my iPod? “You Gotta Be” - Dionne Farris “We Are Your Friends” - Justice vs. Simian “Something Good” - Utah Saints “Bright as Yellow” - Innocence Mission “Spiritual High (State of Independence Pt. 2)” - Moodswings ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-upbeat-music/453012/6 "2008-06-15T16:29:44Z")
Third Wave ska. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-upbeat-music/453012/7 "2008-06-15T16:56:10Z")
Stop everything. You must – absolutely must – track down and fall deeply in love with the absolute master of funk, George Clinton/Parliament/Funkadelic/Pfunk/Pfunk Allstars (lots of names for various combinations of the groove). Whether they’re straying close to heavy metal (Maggot Brain, perhaps) or cutting the most sampled tracks in history (Atomic Dog, perhaps), they are by far, hands down the most prolific, talented, wacky, upbeat, dynamic, improvisational, connectional, and funky band out there. Another fun thing about them is that some of their best work is free—in most venues they allow taping of their shows. Get on the Mothership… you’ll never look back I have no sound at the moment, so I can’t point to specific YouTube links, but check out tracks like: Give Up The Funk/Tear The Roof Off The Sucker Up For The Down Stroke Who Wants To Get Funked Up Bop Gun Flashlight Star Child/Mothership Connection Chocolate City Sentimental Journey Bounce 2 THis If you find anything from the 2004 Montreaux Jazz Fest, you’ll be in absolute heaven. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-upbeat-music/453012/8 "2008-06-15T17:56:25Z")
“Higher Ground” by either Stevie Wonder or Red Hot Chili Peppers “Born to be Alive” by Patrick Hernandez “The Cup of Life” by Ricky Martin “Get Down Tonight” by K.C. and the Sunshine Band (a lot of disco would fit your bill - upbeat, fun, no heavy topics) “It Feels So Good” by Sonique “Right Here, Right Now” by Jesus Jones “Sweat of Your Brow” by Jully Black “Take Me Out” by Franz Ferdinand “Talk to Me, Dance With Me” by Fallout Boy “Low” by Flo-Rida “Spice Up Your Life” by the Spice Girls “Umbrella” by Rihanna “When the Night Feels My Song” by Bedouin Soundclash To answer your iTunes question, you should be able to set your burn preferences in iTunes to Audio cd: go to your iTunes menu at the top left of your screen, open Preferences, go to the Advanced Tab, go to the Burning choice, and set Disc Format to Audio Cd. Songs purchased from the iTunes store should simply be burned as audio cd format now (ideally - let us know if it doesn’t work). ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-upbeat-music/453012/9 "2008-06-15T18:53:30Z")
“In the Mood”; Artie Shaw and his orchestra. ---
**Author:** ![Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bites_when_provoked/32/18073_2.png) [@Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bites_When_Provoked)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-upbeat-music/453012/10 "2008-06-15T23:53:44Z")
Excellent, thanks! I’ll try to work my way through the list after work tonight. 🙂 (Is youTube the best thing ever for testing music, or what?) Feel free to add more! ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-upbeat-music/453012/11 "2008-06-15T23:56:10Z")
Victoria Williams ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2008, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-upbeat-music/453012/12 "2008-06-16T00:08:48Z")
**Architecture in Helsinki** - [Hold Music](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khxFF8rcG-A) Also [Heart It Races](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FF58vtazzKM&feature=related) and [Do the Whirlwind](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXIzyquw-kc). > [@Bites When Provoked](#): > > I’m in Australia So is Architecture in Helsinki (despite the name), so they may be wildly popular over there for all I know, and I’m telling you about songs you’ve heard a million times, but it’s worth a shot! This is the kind of music that gets people staring at me while I’m driving because I’m singing and bopping around and probably not paying enough attention to the road. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2008, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-upbeat-music/453012/13 "2008-06-16T00:30:51Z")
“Up” by Shania Twain is a favorite Upbeat one of mine. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2008, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-upbeat-music/453012/14 "2008-06-16T00:31:11Z")
[QUOTE=sandra\_nz] **Supergrass** , Alright: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o\_e4PxtQ-Fw](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_e4PxtQ-Fw) **Polyphonic Spree** , Light and Day: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQAvflPexng](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQAvflPexng) **Super Furry Animals** , Rings Around the World: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebgueajiwt4](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebgueajiwt4) [/QUOTE] Ditto, ditto and ditto again. See also[LCD soundsystem](http://youtube.com/watch?v=DbaOFkC8tQE) if you are into the electro-dance beat. Also, my number one recommendation for all your musical ailments: [Vampire Weekend](http://youtube.com/watch?v=_XC2mqcMMGQ). Ignore the band’s name, it sucks, the music rocks. [The Futerheads](http://youtube.com/watch?v=j0GEUtTJsqg) are tons of fun. Punky, poppy, british and killer vocals. Killer Vocals. [New Pornographers](http://youtube.com/watch?v=XBAUQaj6EJo): another ignore the name band. They are one of my favorite upbeat singalong bands. [Art Brute](http://youtube.com/watch?v=AY4dQHsPdiI): different. Not for everyone, but funny as hell (it’s serious music, they just have a sense of humor) and lots of fun. I have more \*lots \* more since I am home with my music collection in front of me, this is just off the top of my head. What of the suggestions have you liked? ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2008, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-upbeat-music/453012/15 "2008-06-16T00:34:57Z")
Rodrigo y Gabriela. No words! Very bouncy! Skip their version of Stairway to Heaven, otherwise everything on their first album. ---
**Author:** ![Frustrated\_Wonderer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a4c791/32.png) [@Frustrated\_Wonderer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frustrated_Wonderer)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2008, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-upbeat-music/453012/16 "2008-06-16T15:54:29Z")
You should consider giving electronica a _try_. It is not as bad as some people say it is. Sure it may not be love at first “sight” but give it a small chance, and soon you’ll have \*too \* much up-beat music in you mp3 player or CD. I reccomend you go to [www.beatport.com](http://www.beatport.com) to listen at all the different electronic music, you can sample almost all the types in this site. **Caution** : you do have to pay to download the songs here. Unless you find one you really like, use this site as a “guide” to then download the same songs using other programs. I think it’s worth a shot. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2008, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-upbeat-music/453012/17 "2008-06-16T16:08:54Z")
A few random ones in my library: Gipsky Kings - Djobi Djoba Huey Lewis - Power of Love Jack Johnson - Staple It Together Jackson 5 - ABC Jason Mraz - The Remedy Kenny Loggins - Footloose Matthew Wilder - Break My Stride Mighty Mighty Bosstones - Rascal King OK Go - Do What You Want Smash Mouth - anything Tenchi Muyo - Yamerarenai It’s probably cheating to throw any J-Pop in there, but Yamerarenai is one of the most upbeat songs in existence. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![AlmondJoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@AlmondJoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlmondJoy)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2008, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-upbeat-music/453012/18 "2008-06-16T16:24:20Z")
Vampire Weekend- A- Punk Spoon- Don’t you evah RJD2- Since We Last Spoke Metro Station- Shake it anything by CSS ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2008, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-upbeat-music/453012/19 "2008-06-16T19:56:40Z")
More suggestions in [this previous thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=448913&highlight=upbeat+songs). ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2008, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-upbeat-music/453012/20 "2008-06-16T20:39:25Z")
[The La’s - There She Goes](http://youtube.com/watch?v=kBZ4j0Rz-F0&feature=related) [Ocean Colour Scene - The Day We Caught The Train](http://youtube.com/watch?v=Uf5gGwGVaTk) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-upbeat-music/453012.md?page=2)