# Pop Songs that always give you a lift? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 26, 2004, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-always-give-you-a-lift/236598 "2004-03-26T17:31:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-always-give-you-a-lift/236598/1 "2004-03-26T17:31:38Z")
I just got a CD burner. 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? ---
**Author:** ![Monkeytoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Monkeytoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monkeytoes)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-always-give-you-a-lift/236598/2 "2004-03-26T18:08:48Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-always-give-you-a-lift/236598/3 "2004-03-26T18:14:30Z")
> [@Monkeytoes](#): > > 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)… That’s it for now. ---
**Author:** ![kung\_fu\_lola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f4b2a3/32.png) [@kung\_fu\_lola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kung_fu_lola)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-always-give-you-a-lift/236598/4 "2004-03-26T18:35:27Z")
Madonna’s _Ray Of Light_ is awesome. If you want something more retro, _Ramble On_ is a great bop-around-messing-up-your-hair song. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-always-give-you-a-lift/236598/5 "2004-03-26T18:51:47Z")
_Listen to the Music_ by the Doobie Bros. does it for me. ---
**Author:** ![Gail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Gail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gail)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-always-give-you-a-lift/236598/6 "2004-03-26T20:02:10Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![kath94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/67e7ee/32.png) [@kath94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kath94)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-always-give-you-a-lift/236598/7 "2004-03-26T20:56:54Z")
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](http://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. K. ---
**Author:** ![kung\_fu\_lola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f4b2a3/32.png) [@kung\_fu\_lola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kung_fu_lola)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-always-give-you-a-lift/236598/8 "2004-03-26T21:00:33Z")
Oh yeah, King Floyd’s _Groove Me Baby_ is a classic. ---
**Author:** ![HoldOnThere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e36b37/32.png) [@HoldOnThere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoldOnThere)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-always-give-you-a-lift/236598/9 "2004-03-26T21:03:30Z")
I recommend REO SpeedWagon ‘Roll with the Changes’. It’s got a great line in it ‘If you’re tired of the same old story, turn some pages.’ ---
**Author:** ![gossamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f07891/32.png) [@gossamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gossamer)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-always-give-you-a-lift/236598/10 "2004-03-26T21:09:58Z")
_China Grove_ from the Doobie Brothers always gets me going in the morning. _When Love Comes to Town_ from U2 also has much the same effect on me. ---
**Author:** ![Susie\_Derkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@Susie\_Derkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susie_Derkins)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-always-give-you-a-lift/236598/11 "2004-03-26T21:42:03Z")
_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. ---
**Author:** ![Priam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/77aa72/32.png) [@Priam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Priam)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-always-give-you-a-lift/236598/12 "2004-03-26T22:15:21Z")
For sheer pop jolt energy factor (certainly not for musical quality per se), I have to say _I Want You_ by Savage Garden works wonders for me. I also second _Come On Eileen_. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-always-give-you-a-lift/236598/13 "2004-03-26T22:15:22Z")
“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 ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-always-give-you-a-lift/236598/14 "2004-03-26T22:31:43Z")
Unsentimental me, inspired by a song? Feh! Then it came on. [The Mary Ellen Carter](http://www.chivalry.com/cantaria/lyrics/mary-ellen-carter.html) ifts me and chokes me up every time: [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. ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-always-give-you-a-lift/236598/15 "2004-03-26T22:36:24Z")
Mmmbop!! ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-always-give-you-a-lift/236598/16 "2004-03-26T22:38:07Z")
“Happy Birthday” by Altered Images. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-always-give-you-a-lift/236598/17 "2004-03-26T23:12:22Z")
My Sharona (The Knack) Tall Cool Woman in a Black Dress (Hollies) What’s Up (4 Non-Blondes) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-always-give-you-a-lift/236598/18 "2004-03-26T23:13:40Z")
How could I forget: Start Me Up, by the Stones ---
**Author:** ![Priam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/77aa72/32.png) [@Priam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Priam)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-always-give-you-a-lift/236598/19 "2004-03-26T23:18:28Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > How could I forget: > > Start Me Up, by the Stones Which, of course, reminds me of the wonderful cover done by The Folksmen ---
**Author:** ![Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9dc877/32.png) [@Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightwatch_Trailer)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-always-give-you-a-lift/236598/20 "2004-03-26T23:37:42Z")
U2’s “Beautiful Day” and “Wild Honey” make me happy. Also, Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi” (not the Counting Crows version) is just SO upbeat. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-always-give-you-a-lift/236598.md?page=2)