I have been anticipating the arrival of this for sometime. And had been making a list of tunes for my first CD.
I have an inspirational kind of theme going but could use some suggestions.
I don’t mean inspirational in any religious sort of way, let me offer you some examples;
‘You got to get up every morning…’
‘Oh, how happy you have made me…’
‘For once in my life, I have…’
So what would you include?
Hmm. Not sure if this is “inspirational” so much as motivational, but I’ve always found “Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina and the Waves to be a happy, get-out-there kind of song.
I must have a sunshine thing because I was going to pick that, as well as “Good Day Sunshine” by the Beatles.
Things that boost my energy level… American Pie. Come On Eileen. We Didn’t Start the Fire (which I doubly love just because I can remember all the lyrics and it’s great fun to sing)…
A couple of the songs by The Turtles give me a lift: “Happy Together” and “Eleanor”.
A lot of the songs that cheer me up, or get me moving are old Mo-Town songs from the 60’s and 70’s like “I Second that Emotion” by Smokey Robinson or that song “Mr. Big Stuff” by someone whose name escapes me now.
I also like some 80’s songs–“I Melt With You” by Modern English. and “Head over Heels” by the Go-Go’s… Actually most of the stuff by the Go-Go’s is very cheery.
I don’t know why, but I just LOVE 70’s pop and late-60’s pop. Beach Baby (First Class), Sugar Sugar (The Archies) and many, many more. I go to vh1.com and listen to their “one hit wonders” and just groove alone to the songs that remind me of my carefree childhood.
Build Me Up Buttercup (The Foundations) used to be one of my faves, until it got hijacked for “There’s Something About Mary.” Bummer.
I Beg Your Pardon by Kon Kan is a good one. It was an 80’s one hit wonder kinda song, and the first line is “Here we go!” followed by very upbeat music. I love it. Also, Church of the Poison Mind by Culture Club has those great harmonica solos in it. I groove in my car like an idiot to that one.
“Una Paloma Blanca” - The George Baker Selection
“Top of the World” - The Carpenters
“Here Comes the Sun” - The Beatles
“Mr. Blue Sky” - The Electric Light Orchestra (duh!)
“Judy in Disguise (with glasses)” - John Fred and His Playboy Band
[quote]
For we couldn’t leave her there, you see, to crumble into scale.
She’d saved our lives so many times, living through the gale
And the laughing, drunken rats who left her to a sorry grave
They won’t be laughing in another day. . .
And you, to whom adversity has dealt the final blow
With smiling bastards lying to you everywhere you go
Turn to, and put out all your strength of arm and heart and brain
And like the Mary Ellen Carter, rise again.
Rise again, rise again - though your heart it be broken
And life about to end
No matter what you’ve lost, be it a home, a love, a friend.
Like the Mary Ellen Carter, rise again.
[quote]
It’s made up and it’s about a freaking BOAT! Yet…
And yeah, it’s more “folk” than “pop” but Stan Rogers was the God of Songwriting.