The Playlist: Needing a Second Wind?

Ever have a hard time making it through the day? The stress is just a little too much and you need a little brainwashing to turn that frown upside down? Feel free to these out for yourself, preferably with the windows down on a sunny day. They work for me.

The Cars - Just What I Needed (1978)

Yep, it's the Circuit City song. But it was also the debut single from a rock staple of the late 70s and early 80s. "Just What I Needed" reportedly popped up in 1977 when a Boston radio station played a demo recorded by the band. It wasn't long before the song became the most requested track at the station. It went on to peak at No. 3 on the Billboard Pop charts. Though 1984's "Drive" was the band's biggest song throughout their 10-year run, "Just What I Needed" is my personal favorite.



Filter - Take A Picture (1999)

Straying just a little from their industrial rock background, the band saw their biggest success come from this melodic tune which became a radio hit in early 2000. In stark contrast to their first hit single, "Hey Man, Nice Shot," "Take a Picture" expanded the band's audience and remains their biggest hit to date. The song reportedly came about after lead singer Richard Patrick - brother of actor Robert Patrick (Terminator 2, The X-Files) - got into a drunken fight with flight attendants. Kinda makes you rethink the lyrics after hearing that, huh?



The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony (1997)

Highly acclaimed upon its release, the song became almost an anthem in the late 90s and put the British band in the international spotlight. But maybe they didn't want that after all considering what happened next. It was later determined the band sampled the Rolling Stones' 1965 hit "The Last Time," with the Verve then negotiating a license for the use. Then it was determined they sampled too much of the song, which is why all writing credits for "Bittersweet Symphony" now include Mick Jagger and Keith Richards alongside lead singer Richard Ashcroft. Losing that legal battle, many say, is what forced the band to break up soon thereafter. The song is notable for being used in the closing scene of 1999's "Cruel Intentions" as well as Ashcroft teaming with Coldplay to perform the song during 2005's Live 8 concert in London's Hyde Park.



Peter Gabriel - Solsbury Hill (1977)

The solo debut from the one-time lead singer of Genesis, Gabriel wrote the song after having a spiritual experience while visiting Solsbury Hill in Somerset, England. The melodic tune has been featured in numerous films in recent years - from 2001's "Vanilla Sky" to trailers for 2004's "Big Fish" (I've long said if the song is used in a movie trailer, I have to see the movie). Though not immediately a big hit - the song peaked around 70 on the Billboard Hot 100 - it's since become a radio favorite and one of Gabriel's signature songs.



Frou Frou - Let Go (2002)

Who here saw "Garden State?" I'm looking right at you, college crowd. If you've seen the Zach Braff film, which touched just about every 20-something on the map, you know the surprise hit song that closes the film. The English duo saw their popularity skyrocket in the wake of the 2004 film, even though it had been a year since they disbanded. Following "Garden State" and their cover of the Bonnie Tyler hit "Holding Out For a Hero" for "Shrek 2," Frou Frou songs began to appear in numerous TV shows, including "Grey's Anatomy," "Queer as Folk," "Bones," and "So You Think You Can Dance." Vocalist Imogen Heap continues to see success following the band's breakup. Her solo work has been used in Braff's film "The Last Kiss," "Saturday Night Live," and in advertising for the NBC hit "Heroes."



There’s my list - what’s yours? Shoot me an e-mail at grahamcawthon@shelbystar.com and it might end up featured in a future column.