Mood music- A review of a few of my favourite songs.

There are few things in life more beautiful and heart stopping than listening to the strains of your favourite songs. Music has the power to lift you up, elevate your mood and at the same time deliver a sucker punch to the gut robbing you of all air and leaving you emotionally on your knees and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Here are 9 of my favourites

Peter Cetera- The glory of love

In a matter of seconds I am transported to a magical time in my childhood where everything was so achingly sweet. I remember a time that I had stars in my eyes and a young girl’s dream that glowed and tightened in my chest. I would dream, fleshing out a fantasy, anticipating a time that I would meet the love of my life. Till today this piece of music has a way of lowering my defences, reducing the cynic in me to dust and elevating the soaring sense that everything is going to be okay. 

Sergio Mendes and the Black Eyed Peas- Mas que nada 

Fluidity, movement, a sense of the fact that your shoulders have dislocated and are moving of their own free will to the music. If any song sounds like joy, this is it! Translated literally the song title means ‘This is nothing’ or ‘Whatever’. If they were describing the type of involuntary action and ease of motion that your body breaks into when this song comes on, then these guys were right on the money! 

Shakespeare’s Sister- Stay   

The video concept may be old, but the epic fight between good and evil will always prevail and in no way is it more compelling and disturbing than in this video. The song captures me and holds me prisoner in its spell, if not for its somewhat hypnotic push and pull between two forces then for its powerful moments of building suspense, raising and dropping your emotions in the space of a heartbeat. 

Billy Ocean- When the going gets tough, the tough get going

An ultimate feel good song which makes me want to get out of my present day life and head back to the eighties and meet myself at the age of 9. I am reminded of the girl that I used to be, spontaneous, excited, easily moved to dancing and happiness. I am reminded that even if I feel like I’m older, wiser and worldly aware, that there are moments of happiness and sheer silliness that we should all embrace as if our heads were on fire and we badly needed water to douse its flames.

Living on a Prayer- Bon Jovi

Deliberate, full of intent, determination and showing that we never give up…  If any song has a way of embodying these few feelings then Bon Jovi’s ‘Living on Prayer’ is it. I remember this song from my childhood and recall feeling pretty darn ‘super hero’ powerful whenever I listened to it.  To me this song is the ultimate expression of the eighties if only for the fact that I felt like weeping buckets when Jon Bon Jovi eventually decided to let go of his luscious locks.

Belinda Carlisle- Heaven is a place on earth

This is a strong song with a title that fits the content and the meaning of the song. I remember being super ill in hospital as a child with pneumonia, languishing in my bed, feeling ragged and incredibly sick, that is until I heard this song playing on the radio. I remember immediately feeling as if a cloud had lifted and that my world was a better place. 

Don’t you worry – Swedish House Mafia 

When it comes to this particular song I am awakened not just on a sensory level but on a cellular level. If songs were a type of hydrating liquid that trickled into the body, this would be it. This song pours into my soul leaving every last cell feeling energized and uplifted.  I had initially dismissed this piece of music as boring house music. I can never understand how or why I did this. Then came a day when I gave this song a good proper listen and my entire impression of it changed. One of the most interesting things about this song though, is that I seem to attract it into my life. If ever I am driving and thinking about this song, it somehow inevitably plays on radio. 

Carly Simon – Let the river run

If there is any song that sounds like hope rising this is it. There is a yearning, wistfulness and a sense of optimism that somehow keeps swelling and swelling, taking you higher and higher until you reach a pinnacle at the very end.  Most movie buffs will remember this from ‘The Working Girl’ as the kind of music that makes you want to raise your coffee mug in salute of all things great in the universe. 

Johnny Clegg and Savuka – Great Heart

There are certain pieces of music that deliver a kick of emotion to the gut and there can be none as more patriotically provocative than Johnny Clegg’s ‘Great Heart’ from the movie Jock of the Bushveld.  This piece of music is exciting, bold and rhythmic in the way in which it is composed a true masterpiece for anyone aching to join in on an earthy, rhythmic celebration of life.  Another favourite Clegg song of mine is none other than ‘Cruel, crazy, beautiful world’ another one that really makes you sit up and take notice, especially for the wistfulness in the message.

Enjoy my selection of favourites!

Disclaimer- Please note that the links shared in this article are in no way my intellectual property, but purely selections made off popular search results as found on the YouTube platform.