Sing a Happy Song!

Everyone should have a playlist called "Seriously, Laughter is the Best Medicine" or "For When You Just Have to Scream... Sing These Instead" or something to that effect.

These playlists should be filled with music that not only makes you happy, but makes you so happy that you just can't help but laugh out loud. Failing that, it should at least make you smile. Your playlist should be filled with songs that you know all the lyrics to, and preferably sound even better when turned up really loud.

These songs don't have to be "typical" songs like those you regularly hear on the radio. My ultimate "happy" song is I Swear by All-4-One. Random? Yes. I don't know why, but something about that song just makes me smile and want to start belting it out... even when I'm so angry I can't even think straight (yes, that does happen to me occasionally... hard to believe I know). There were several occasions last year when this song came up on my iPod while I was walking across campus and I literally had to restrain myself from doing a full on, eyes closed, crouching down, belting out rendition of "I Swear" in the middle of Brinser field... with people around. Crazy, I know. To illustrate how impressive that is, for those of you that don't know me, I never sing in public. Ever. Unless I am in a crowd large enough to drown out my voice... or under the influence of "liquid courage"... Also, I generally don't dance in public either, unless I'm on a stage and the dance is choreographed by someone other than me and I have been practicing for at least a couple days first... or I'm wearing my party pants :)

Fireflies by Owl City is another great addition to either of the aforementioned song lists. There is just something about this song that's captivating. I don't know what it is about this song but I listen to it and it just makes me happy. Yesterday it came on right as I was about to turn onto my road and I drove around the block twice just so that I could hear the entire song. I mean seriously, who couldn't love a playfully electronic song about fireflies?

Of course, to anyone who's never heard Chinese Children by Devendra Banhart, well you should. The sooner the better. This is a song that not only will make you smile after about the first 5 seconds, but it will make you start to giggle after about 20 seconds, laugh after about a minute, and then keep laughing for the duration of the 5 minute song. It is unquestionably one of the single weirdest songs I have ever heard in my entire life and it will forever be a solid member of my "Seriously, Laughter is the Best Medicine" playlist.

So the next time that you are just piping mad and hate the world and everyone in it, don't reach for your Remington 22-shot gun, don't reach for your car keys, don't reach out to the nearest window or mirror with a clenched fist, instead reach for your iPod (or equivalent) and save yourself from jail, a potential wreck or speeding ticket, or a lot of pain and either bad luck or a costly home improvement project, with your perfect laugh/smile inducing playlist.