Most of my life, I’ve been lucky enough to have relatively short commutes to work, or commutes that were through the countryside or easier roads to navigate. Since I’ve started at Ohio Dominican University, my commute is mostly interstates, 71, 270, and 670. I’ve never really liked driving, but I’m finding that these drives create a lot of anxiety in me. I’ve tried listening to books, different times coming and going, various routes to calm myself, but nothing works.
On a recent flight, I pulled out my phone and ear buds and started listening to some music, and I put on “Baba Hanuman” by Krishna Das. I’ve listened to this song many times in yoga classes, and I’ve always loved it. As I sat there listening, I found myself doing what I always seemed to do in yoga classes, I started moving my body. And smiling. Anytime I hear that song, I just feel so happy.
And that gave me an idea. I searched my music library, and found all of the songs that just make me happy to listen to. I created a new playlist, creatively titled “Drive to Work”. I actually like the title above much better, but that’s too long to make for a playlist. I only came up with 16 songs, but I wanted to ensure it only contained songs that made me happy to hear and hopefully keep me calm. In no specific order, here is my happy playlist:
“Baba Hanuman” by Krishna Das
As noted, this is what started me down this path. I’ve heard this song used many times in yoga classes, but probably the one I remember the most is when Abbe Straw would play it toward the end of our class. Even though we were supposed to be winding down, I was winding up. Anytime I hear this song, I can’t help but move and smile. There’s just something incredible about this song and what it does to me.
“That’s What Friends Are For” by Dionne Warwick and friends
This is a beautiful song performed many years ago for a charity event by Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight, Stevie Wonder and Elton John. It’s a great song with a great message, but it’s really special to me because I used it to create a music video about my Yoga Teacher Training and the wonderful young ladies I got to share that experience with. We spent nine days at a lodge in the north Georgia mountains learning how to become yoga teachers, and it was one of the most meaningful experiences of my entire life. I will never forget it, and this song will always be special to me because of that experience.
“Just the Way You Are” by Bruno Mars
This is another song where I created a music video, this time for Laurel and my 40th wedding anniversary. As much as she doesn’t believe me, this song captures how I feel about her, I just love her so much. I could include all of the lyrics, but just a few:
“When I see your face
There’s not a thing that I would change
Cause you’re amazing
Just the way you are”
“Shiny, Happy People” by REM
I became interested in this song recently when I heard that it was essentially meant to be a joke, not a serious effort, but the band was highly surprised by how popular it became. In fact, they refused to play it in concerts because they found the song to be embarrassing.
Having said that, I found the video of the song, and I would challenge anyone to watch the video without being happy. Honestly, I try to watch this video every morning because it puts me in a really good mood. How can you not be happy watching a bunch of people dancing, laughing and having fun?
“Everyday People” by Playing for Change
This song is originally by Sly and the Family Stone, and has some great meaning to it. Many wonderful lines about getting along with each other no matter our color, religion or where we come from. I love the song for its meaning, but a special bonus has been that Playing for Change has created a music video with many celebrities playing with children from around the world. Stars like Elizabeth Banks, Josh Groban, Jack Johnson, Paula Abdul and several others make an appearance. Plus, Trombone Shorty! What makes it even better is at one school there is this really, really awkward teacher dancing with the children in a shirt and tie, and Laurel always says that’s me, since I can’t dance to save my life.
“Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles
Another one where the backstory captured me before the song did. The story goes that George Harrison was getting more and more disenchanted with the business side of being a rock star with the Beatles. The one day he played hooky and went to Eric Clapton’s estate to just decompress. He spent his time walking around the gardens, playing his guitar, and came up with this song. “Here comes the sun, and I say, it’s alright”. Yes it is!
“Good Grace” by Hillsong United
I really enjoy Contemporary Christian music, but as I often say, there’s probably only about 20 really good Contemporary Christian songs. Most of them focus on our sinfulness, the grace of God, the love of Jesus, and most are relatively somber. This is one of the few that has a really powerful, positive message. The main line of the song says, “Fix your eyes on this one truth, God is madly in love with you!” Seriously, how can you feel badly if God is madly in love with you?
“Laugh, Laugh” by the Beau Brummelstones
OK, it’s really by the Beau Brummels, but I heard this one way back when I was a child and watched the Flintstones. I forgot all about it until recently, when Laurel re-introduced it to me. What makes it more fun is the song has some really biting lyrics about a young lady, who is apparently a bit too arrogant.
“Sugarhigh” by Coyote Shivers
This one is more because of the movie where I first heard this song, “Empire Records”. It’s definitely not the best movie ever made, but it’s really fun, and this song is the main part of the climax of the movie. I love this movie, even though it has one of my least favorite actors, Liv Tyler. Just a warning, the lyrics are really raunchy, maybe that’s part of what makes it so much fun.
“Beautiful Day” by U2
Really not much I can say about this one, other than “it’s a beautiful day, don’t let it get away”.
The Acorn Collection
Laurel and I watch a lot of shows on Acorn, which are set in England, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand for the most part. We enjoy the shows, and in many cases, there are some really nice songs that we discover. There are three that are incredibly upbeat:
· “Wintergreen” by The East Pointers from Under the Vines
· “Because I Love You” by The Masters Apprentices from SeaChange
· “Detectorists” by Johnny Flynn from Detectorists
We had never heard any of these songs before, but all three are quite good, and the ties to the shows give them an extra special meaning.
“Rainbow Connection” by Kermit the Frog
I’ve always been a huge fan of the Muppets, and I went to the Muppet Movie on the opening weekend as a teenager. Along with about a bazillion little kids…
I love to hear Kermit the Frog sing about “the lovers, the dreamers and me”.
“Escape (The Pina Colada Song)” by Rupert Holmes
Molly Morgan takes the blame for this one. We were in a yoga class the one day, and Molly had just returned from vacation. Not sure if that’s what prompted this to be on her playlist, but it had been years since I’ve heard this song, and it just really struck me that day. It’s really a silly song, but it’s just fun to listen to.
“Takin’ Care of Business” by Bachman Turner Overdrive
Another backstory, this takes me back to when I was young, and my brother Jim would take me to Pirate baseball games. We’d be driving through Pittsburgh, back then, I think, there was just AM radio, so you heard the same hits over and over again. I remember hearing BTO doing “Takin’ Care of Business” several times in an evening, and the experience of hanging out with my older brother and going to Pirates’ games was the height of my summer. The downside to this one is that it is true rock and roll, and when I hear it, I sometimes get up to 90 miles/hour on the interstate. Something to work on.
Sixteen fun songs, all of them make me happy when I listen to them. I wish I could report that it’s cured my anxiety while driving, but I have a ways to go. I’m trying, and I’m working on it. I’m still not sure “Takin’ Care of Business” is the best idea, but screw it, I just love to crank that one up and drive like it’s the 70’s again. In Laurel’s hand-me-down Buick Encore….
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