# What songs pick you up when you're feeling down? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 8, 2003, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-pick-you-up-when-youre-feeling-down/173849 "2003-05-08T05:19:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-pick-you-up-when-youre-feeling-down/173849/1 "2003-05-08T05:19:02Z")
I just got done listening to the Rolling Stones’ “Mixed Emotions,” and for the first time realized that this song has never failed to sheer me up, no matter what mood I was in. Sample lyric: \*This coming and going Is driving me nuts This to-ing and fro-ing Is hurting my guts So get off the fence It’s creasing your butt Life is a party Let’s get out and strut You’re not the only one With mixed emotions You’re not the only ship Adrift on this ocean You’re not the only one That’s feeling lonesome You’re not the only one With mixed emotions \* I think this song might actually be about a guy trying to get a gil to come back to him, but I somehow always find it reassuring. I’m not alone, nobody is. We’re all in this together. ---
**Author:** ![Daughter\_Of\_Arden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/258eb7/32.png) [@Daughter\_Of\_Arden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daughter_Of_Arden)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-pick-you-up-when-youre-feeling-down/173849/2 "2003-05-08T06:09:40Z")
Certain songs from Tool actually. If you don’t by chance know who they are there (I would say) Rock band. Their songs get really twisted at times though. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-pick-you-up-when-youre-feeling-down/173849/3 "2003-05-08T06:24:04Z")
“Rise”, by Public Image Limited. No matter what mood I’m in, that song works for me. Mostly the _feel_ of the song, ya know? “May the road rise with you…” ---
**Author:** ![brainfizz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/da6949/32.png) [@brainfizz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainfizz)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-pick-you-up-when-youre-feeling-down/173849/4 "2003-05-08T11:57:20Z")
**Zippity-doo-dah** [sp?] and **Walking on Sunshine** are two songs that I can’t listen to without smiling and singing along! ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-pick-you-up-when-youre-feeling-down/173849/5 "2003-05-08T12:27:04Z")
I think it’s called “You Gotta Be”. Anyway it’s by Desiree, and it says you gotta be tougher, stronger, wiser, etc. Not the type of music I usually listen to, but I always stop for this one when I run across it on the radio. ---
**Author:** ![Lizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-pick-you-up-when-youre-feeling-down/173849/6 "2003-05-08T17:14:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dung Beetle \* > \*\*I think it’s called “You Gotta Be”. Anyway it’s by Desiree, and it says you gotta be tougher, stronger, wiser, etc. Not the type of music I usually listen to, but I always stop for this one when I run across it on the radio. \*\* Yeah, I know of this song, and can see what you mean. ---
**Author:** ![belladonna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@belladonna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/belladonna)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-pick-you-up-when-youre-feeling-down/173849/7 "2003-05-08T17:25:25Z")
Violent Femmes _Blister in the Sun_. Works every time. ---
**Author:** ![sivispacem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b19c9b/32.png) [@sivispacem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sivispacem)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-pick-you-up-when-youre-feeling-down/173849/8 "2003-05-08T17:40:06Z")
Depends what exactly has gotten you down in the first place. For relationship issues: Okay Swirl 360 I Feel Fine Riddlin’ Kids Dammit Blink 182 Gone Ben Folds Jack & Diane John Mellencamp Just the blues: Elias Dispatch Semi-Charmed Life Third Eye Blind Einsten on the Beach Counting Crows Under the Table and Dreaming DMB Bittersweet Symphony The Verve ---
**Author:** ![Lizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-pick-you-up-when-youre-feeling-down/173849/9 "2003-05-08T17:57:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sivispacem \* > \*\*Depends what exactly has gotten you down in the first place. > . . . . > > Bittersweet Symphony The Verve \*\* Wait, you’re saying this song makes you feel _better_? ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-pick-you-up-when-youre-feeling-down/173849/10 "2003-05-08T18:20:37Z")
Polyphonic Spree Uplifting trance Happy hardcore Ode To Joy ---
**Author:** ![hoynt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@hoynt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hoynt)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-pick-you-up-when-youre-feeling-down/173849/11 "2003-05-08T18:43:24Z")
Suicide Solution - Ozzie Osbourn/Randy Rhodes ---
**Author:** ![hoynt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@hoynt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hoynt)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-pick-you-up-when-youre-feeling-down/173849/12 "2003-05-08T18:46:23Z")
I mean’t - I’m walking on Sunshine ---
**Author:** ![Liz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/liz/32/17737_2.png) [@Liz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liz)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-pick-you-up-when-youre-feeling-down/173849/13 "2003-05-08T18:50:55Z")
Desire - Ozzy Old LA Tonight - Ozzy Road To Nowhere - Ozzy I’m seeing a trend. Now for some non-Ozzy songs. Take Me Higher - Sonique Natural Woman - Aretha Franklin Anything at all by The Ramones. Especially “Sheena Is A Punk Rocker” and “I Wanna Be Sedated”. ---
**Author:** ![Violin\_D\_Ingrate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/898d66/32.png) [@Violin\_D\_Ingrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violin_D_Ingrate)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-pick-you-up-when-youre-feeling-down/173849/14 "2003-05-08T19:46:38Z")
Nina Simone’s “Feelin Good” and Patti LaBelle’s “New Attitude” always get me to refocus and think about happy things. I normally dislike Patti LaBelle’s songs, but that song just does it for me! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-pick-you-up-when-youre-feeling-down/173849/15 "2003-05-08T20:15:27Z")
Most anything by the Allman Brothers. Jessica is a very, VERY good pick-me-up. ---
**Author:** ![sivispacem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b19c9b/32.png) [@sivispacem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sivispacem)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-pick-you-up-when-youre-feeling-down/173849/16 "2003-05-08T20:17:18Z")
Yep, Bittersweet Symphony is one of my favorite songs oddly enough. The melody is very positive and uplifthing IMHO, and I see the lyrics, although they can be interpreted many ways, as being about staying true to yourself: “I’ll take you down the only road I’ve ever been down You know the one that takes you to the places where all the veins meet yeah” (take you to my heart, it’s the only real place) “I am here in my mold But I’m a million different people from one day to the next I can’t change my mold No, no, no, no, no” (everyone wears many hats, but you should resist changing your one real mold; who you really are) “I need to hear some sounds that recognize the pain in me, yeah I let the melody shine, let it cleanse my mind, I feel free now But the airways are clean and there’s nobody singing to me now” (sometimes life’s pressures are overwhelming, all the hats get too heavy, and you need to block it all out and remember your heart.) Sniff. I think I’ll go cuddle with some puppies now… ---
**Author:** ![mmjewett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mmjewett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmjewett)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-pick-you-up-when-youre-feeling-down/173849/17 "2003-05-09T01:43:21Z")
Hell…ANYTHING would help me right now…it’s been that kinda month! ☹ But a song in particular that can pump me up from being down is: Thing of Beauty by Hothouse Flowers ---
**Author:** ![Kyann22](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a4c791/32.png) [@Kyann22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyann22)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-pick-you-up-when-youre-feeling-down/173849/18 "2003-05-09T01:51:20Z")
At first I was afraid… I was petrified… 🙂 I Will Survive! 🙂 Nothing like a little disco to lighten up the mood and bring a smile. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-pick-you-up-when-youre-feeling-down/173849/19 "2003-05-09T02:00:14Z")
**Any** song by 311. They are absolutely the most relentlessly positive band that the music world has ever been gifted with. Here’s a sample lyric from _Jupiter_: \*sometimes the only thing that saves you think of bad things luck never gave you and although true love has just left you well at least you mother kept you … and so many things that have gone wrong at least you have ears to hear this song and if you reading in close caption there’s still bad things that could have happened long time since we’ve first came here and sometimes we fall on deaf ears one thing i’ve got to say before sales die stay positive and love your life\* ---
**Author:** ![Auntie\_Social](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d2c977/32.png) [@Auntie\_Social](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Auntie_Social)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-pick-you-up-when-youre-feeling-down/173849/20 "2003-05-09T02:02:38Z")
“Linus and Lucy,” aka the Charlie Brown song that they play at the Christmas pageant and all start dancing when they’re supposed to be rehearsing. That song is undeniable. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-pick-you-up-when-youre-feeling-down/173849.md?page=2)