My seventeen year old granddaughter will be leaving home for the first time in a few months. Her mother would like to put together a CD of some songs that are positive and upbeat. The songs should be things that will lift her spirits when she’s down and keep her in contact with her own strength and new found freedom.
(Doesn’t she have just the coolest mom ever!)
The songs can be from any time period.
Please give the title, artist and, if you know, the CD that it is on.
Thanks!
My “leaving home” anthem was the Dixie Chicks’ “Wide Open Spaces,” on the album of the same name.
Room to Move - John Mayall
I’m Free - The Who
Urge for Going - Joni Mitchell
Movin’ Out - Billy Joel
“I’m Free” (from Tommy, the Who)
Sorry, koeeoaddi beat me to it.
Baby Girl the debut single of a great brand spanking new Country band out of Atlanta called Sugarland. It was released in Mid July, and is about to reach Top 40 country radio. In some cities and regions it has been number one for many weeks.
Currently available for download on walmart.com.
Creeping Up Slowly - Taxiride
“Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves” Annie Lennox and Aretha Franklin
“Now there was a time when they used to say, that behind every great man, there had to be a great woman. In these times of change, you know that that’s no longer true, we’re coming out of the kitchen, to say these words to you: Don’t you know that sisters are doing it for themselves! We’re standing on our own two feet and ringing our own bells.”
“Wild Women Do” Natalie Cole
Wild women do
And they don’t regret it
Wild women show
What they’re goin’ through
Wild women do
What you think they’ll never
What you only dream about
Wild women do.
Caveat: my own taste in music is eclectic, to say the least.
I Hope You Dance - Leann Womack
Forever Toung - Rod Stewart
You’ll Be In My Heart - Phil Collins
Don’t Look Back - Boston
Life Is A Highway - Tom Cochrane
You Are My Sunshine - John Prine
I Believe in Love - Barbra Streisand
I Can Go The Distance - Michael Bolton
Accentuate The Positive - Dr. John
I Gotta Be Me - Sammy Davis Jr.
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper
You Gotta Be - Des’ree
Time Of Your Life - Green Day
Er. Freudian slip, that.
It’s “Forever Young”.
:o 
“Glad Goodbye,” Marshall Crenshaw, #447
“Time to Move On,” Tom Petty, Wildflowers
“Garden of Earthly Delights,” XTC, Oranges & Lemons (technically written for a newborn, but good for anyone venturing out into the world)
What? Nobody’s suggesting the theme from The Mary Tyler Moore Show?
Jebediah, Leaving Home.
Title says it all, really.
Alanis Morisette “Hand In My Pocket”
Jagged Little Pill
“Mother, Mother” by Tracey Bonham.
Starts out soft and sweet, then goes into screaming and back to sweet then ends with…
I miss you, I love you.
The Beatles - She’s Leaving Home (a happy song, listen closely)
The Beatles - Good Day, Sunshine
Radiohead - Let Down
Radiohead - Exit Music (For A Film)
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers - Freefallin’
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers - American Girl
Bob Dylan - The Times They Are A Changin’
Paul Simon - Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Feet
Are you serious?
Ummm…
The Smiths- Sheila Take a Bow ?
From India. Aire’s Acoustic Soul CD, I’d suggest Strength, Courage and Wisdom; Video and I See God in You.
Carole King’s Beautiful, from Tapestry
And, The House at Pooh Corner by Loggins and Messina, because everyone needs to remember childhood once in a while, especially when they’re walking so close to adulthood.
Best of luck to your granddaughter!
I’m kinda hoping a few of these are jokes. She’s Leaving Home is not a happy song, it’s about a girl sneaking away from home! (Maybe the parents are happy they won’t have to feed her?) Time of Your Life… the real title is Good Riddance, I think that may be more of the real message. Movin’ Out is upbeat musically but I wouldn’t say it’s hopeful or anything. Let Down isn’t about leaving, it’s about being stuck someplace for good and feeling useless.
Gonna Move by Paul Pena. Susan Tedeschi’s cover is excellent and sung from a woman’s point of view, but it doesn’t make too much difference either way.