If These Song Don’t Make You Smile, Check Your Pulse
I can see it now, the squinty-eyed look of consternation on your face. What's this talk show guy doing writing a story about music? It's a fair question. I mean, I make my living talking on the radio and not playing music. But that wasn't always the case, and music, all kinds of music has been a companion of mine for as long as I can remember. And music evokes different responses. China Grove by the Doobie Brothers? Gotta crank that up. (By the way I just saw some bad news for Doobie Brothers fans that you can read here). James Taylor's Fire and Rain? Time to mellow out. And, to this day there are songs that when they come on the radio, or on whatever I may be streaming at the time, that when I hear them I just have to stop and smile. This is by no means an authoritative list.
Dancing In The Moonlight by King Harvest
A few days ago I wrote about a pivotal summer in my life and how we danced a lot. This was the theme song that year...”everybody hear is outta sight, you can't dance and stay uptight...” yeah, you may have just heard me sigh.
Good Morning Starshine by Oliver
C'mon “gliddy glub gloopy, nibby nabby nooby?” How can you not smile?
Let's Hear It For The Boy by Deniece Williams
The song is fun enough by itself, but couple it with that iconic scene from Footloose? Yep, you're grinnin'.
Happy Feet by Tom Grant
Ok, this will be the weirdest one I sneak in. It's a what was called at the time a New Age instrumental song. And you need to give it a minute to get going, but once it does, your feet, and the rest of you will get happy.
Happy by Pharrell Williams
I mean, it's "Happy," and when the Minions get dancing, how can you not giggle and smile.
Joy To The World
I could make the argument here for the Christmas song, but since I already posted a story about that, let's stick with the Three Dog Night hit. “Jeremiah was a bullfrog?” Yep, you're already smiling and turning up the volume
What Makes You Beautiful by One Direction
I can hear the catcalls now. Boy band! Out of your era! Pop pablum! All kind of true, but kids on a beach having fun? Hard to not smile.
And if you just can't take “them dang kids” check out the version by The Piano Guys. It's pretty fun, too.
Here Comes The Sun by The Beatles.
“Little darlin' the smile's returning to their faces.” Yes, they are.
Now, I know there's a ton more we could add to this list, in fact three or four came to mind as I was writing this, but let me turn this over to you. I'd love comments so feel free to add some below. I sometimes miss the “disc jockey” part of my career. I'm not talking about sitting in a room with a computer with the songs playing, I'm talking about the days we slammed records on the turntables, hoped they wouldn't skip, and if we were feeling brave enough, would sneak in a song not on the station playlist. So, if I get enough suggestions, one morning we may stop talking and play the songs that make you happy.
But, if you aren't inclined to comment, then try this. Make your own list of happy songs, then put them on your music playing device (mp3 player, turntable, cd player, 8 track, whatever!) and play them. You deserve to be happy!