The Playlist: 5 Songs to De-Stress
A copy of my new music column. Check it out each Thursday in the Lifestyles section of The Star...
The Playlist by Graham Cawthon
I should preface this week's column by making it known I'm writing this at the end of a long and, as usual, stressful day at the newsroom. My head is throbbing out of my skull, my throat is dry because I haven't had a chance to drink in hours, and my blood sugar level is at an all-time low because I've been running around all day searching for arrest reports or the day's big car wreck. And the stress doesn't just disappear the moment I open the door to my apartment.
So what do I listen to when I'm in need of a good de-stresser? Here are a few songs I rely on to forget about the day's problems and recharge for tomorrow. Try them on for size the next time you're in need of some quick rest and relaxation.
Louis Armstrong - What a Wonderful World (released as a single, 1967)
I vividly remember playing this on my iPod one Friday evening as I was heading back to the office and got stuck in rush hour traffic. My road rage tendencies disappeared in two minutes flat.
Sarah McLachlan - Angel (album: Surfacing, 1997)
The song, one of the major tracks on 1998's City of Angels soundtrack, was inspired by the heroin overdose death of Smashing Pumpkins' keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin. If I had to choose the best ballet of the 90s, it would be this.
Dave Matthews Band - Crash Into Me (album: Crash, 1996)
Matthews has said he wrote this song, arguably the band's most well-known, about the worship of women. Yeah, the lyrics are a little on the R-rated side if you sit and take a look but it's still a radio favorite on pop and easy listening stations around the world.
Don Henley (featuring Bruce Hornsby) - The End of the Innocence (album: The End of the Innocence, 1989)
The title track to Henley's 1989 solo album was one of the most successful in the career for the longtime drummer of the Eagles. Pianist Bruce Hornsby joins Henley for the song, inspired by the Savings and Loan crisis of the late 80s that forced farmers across the country to sell their land.
Elton John - Tiny Dancer (album: Madman Across the Water, 1971)
I'm a longtime fan of Elton and still somewhat regret selling Managing Editor Alan Jenkins my tickets to see him a few months ago in Greenville, S.C. (I had other plans for the weekend). If you need a pick-me-up, try this. By the end of the song you might be singing along just like the famous scene in Almost Famous (featured above).
Those are my picks. Have any of your own? Feel free to shoot me an e-mail at grahamcawthon@shelbystar.com. Maybe I'll feature them in a future column.
The Playlist by Graham Cawthon
I should preface this week's column by making it known I'm writing this at the end of a long and, as usual, stressful day at the newsroom. My head is throbbing out of my skull, my throat is dry because I haven't had a chance to drink in hours, and my blood sugar level is at an all-time low because I've been running around all day searching for arrest reports or the day's big car wreck. And the stress doesn't just disappear the moment I open the door to my apartment.
So what do I listen to when I'm in need of a good de-stresser? Here are a few songs I rely on to forget about the day's problems and recharge for tomorrow. Try them on for size the next time you're in need of some quick rest and relaxation.
Louis Armstrong - What a Wonderful World (released as a single, 1967)
I vividly remember playing this on my iPod one Friday evening as I was heading back to the office and got stuck in rush hour traffic. My road rage tendencies disappeared in two minutes flat.
Sarah McLachlan - Angel (album: Surfacing, 1997)
The song, one of the major tracks on 1998's City of Angels soundtrack, was inspired by the heroin overdose death of Smashing Pumpkins' keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin. If I had to choose the best ballet of the 90s, it would be this.
Dave Matthews Band - Crash Into Me (album: Crash, 1996)
Matthews has said he wrote this song, arguably the band's most well-known, about the worship of women. Yeah, the lyrics are a little on the R-rated side if you sit and take a look but it's still a radio favorite on pop and easy listening stations around the world.
Don Henley (featuring Bruce Hornsby) - The End of the Innocence (album: The End of the Innocence, 1989)
The title track to Henley's 1989 solo album was one of the most successful in the career for the longtime drummer of the Eagles. Pianist Bruce Hornsby joins Henley for the song, inspired by the Savings and Loan crisis of the late 80s that forced farmers across the country to sell their land.
Elton John - Tiny Dancer (album: Madman Across the Water, 1971)
I'm a longtime fan of Elton and still somewhat regret selling Managing Editor Alan Jenkins my tickets to see him a few months ago in Greenville, S.C. (I had other plans for the weekend). If you need a pick-me-up, try this. By the end of the song you might be singing along just like the famous scene in Almost Famous (featured above).
Those are my picks. Have any of your own? Feel free to shoot me an e-mail at grahamcawthon@shelbystar.com. Maybe I'll feature them in a future column.
posted by Graham at
7:26 AM
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