[/dropcap]Simple things like ice-cream or a puppy put a smile on peoples faces. Music can do this and more. Here are some songs that will put you in a good mood and have you dancing around your room.
Shine – Take That
This song was written by Gary Barlow for Robbie Williams, who was suffering from severe depression. The upbeat song opens with “You, you’re such a big star to me. You’re everything I wanna be. But you’re stuck in a hole and I want you to get out.” The song is encouraging to anyone who feels down and allows them to focus on the positives in life.
I Gotta Feeling – Black Eyed Peas
The summer anthem of 2009 holds the record as the most downloaded song on iTunes of all time. Will.i.am stated that “It’s dedicated to all the party people out there in the world that want to go out and party. Times are really hard for a lot of people and you want to give them escape and you want to make them feel good about life, especially at these low points.”
Feeling Good – Nina Simone
“It’s a new dawn, its new day, it’s a new life” The song includes vivid images of nature and animals, indicating a fresh start. The song has also been covered by The Pussycat Dolls, Michael Buble and George Michael.
Don’t Stop Believing – Journey
The power ballad is one of the most popular rock tracks in Ireland and continues to remain in the top ten most downloaded songs. It gets everyone singing and dancing around.
Unwritten – Natasha Beddingfield
“Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find/ Reaching for something in the distance/ So close you can all most taste it/ Release your inhibitions.” The Hills theme song is iconic, encouraging the listener to live life out loud.
Don’t Stop me now – Queen
Jacob Jolij, an experimental psychologist at the University of Groningen, says this song is the happiest song ever. He found a pattern in the song that causes a positive emotional response. “Tonight I’m going to have myself a real good time, I feel alive, and I’ll turn the world inside out”
All you need is Love – The Beatles
This was written by John Lennon when the Beatles were asked to provide a song with a message that could be easily understood by everyone. According to Brian Epstein, the band’s manager, “It was an inspired song and they really wanted to give the world a message. The nice thing about it is that it cannot be misinterpreted. It is a clear message saying that love is everything.”
Fight song – Rachel Platten
“This song was inspired by a lot of experiences that were hurting me and that were making me feel like maybe I didn’t have a chance in this industry. I wrote it because I needed to remind myself that I believed in myself.” The confidence-boosting anthem has helped many of her fans to keep going and not to give up.
Amy Donohoe
