Mood Reboot

[ladysprite]

Everyone has ways to help bootstrap themselves out of a bad mood. Some are more functional and less toxic than others, and I think most people probably have a few of both sorts. I'm slowly learning what works for me, especially in the non-toxic category. Sometimes being around people helps; sometimes it's being alone. Physical activity and sunshine are generally good, if not always available. But today I managed to take advantage of one of my nearly-always-guaranteed mood reboot techniques.

Sunny day, driving down the highway at not-quite-deadly-dangerous speeds, almost no one else on the road; windows rolled down, radio cranked up to almost-certainly-dangerous levels, dancing behind the steering wheel to truly awesome music.

At least, awesome by my definition. I realize that my definition of surefire-cheer-up music may not match yours, given that (looking back at my playlist for the afternoon) my cheery music includes such classy hits as 'Bad Touch,' 'We Built This City,' 'Pretty Woman' (the Rockapella cover), 'Take A Chance On Me,' and 'Bad Romance.' Loud, bouncy, dancy stuff.

So, what are your guaranteed-mood-reboot songs, if you have them? Given how often I fall back on this trick, I'm making a playlist for myself, and I'd love to fill it out....

Comments

[guendalina.livejournal.com]

she blinded me with science is one of those songs that give me an instant mood reboot....

[cyan-blue.livejournal.com]

I was thinking of that one as well :)

[serakit.livejournal.com]

"Let It Go", "Something Beautiful", "A Boat Like Gideon Brown" and "Walk on the Moon", all by Great Big Sea.

[janetmiles.livejournal.com]

"Classical Gas"

Almost anything with bagpipes except dirges

"Something Tells Me I'm Into Something Good"

"Do Wah Diddy"

"Abergavenny"

"Have I the Right"

Recently, this "It Gets Better" video by Rebecca Drysdale.

[leanne-opaskar.livejournal.com]

"Everybody Have Fun Tonight" -- Wang Chung
"Twilight Zone" -- Golden Earring
"I Can't Drive (55)" -- Sammy Hagar
"Don't Stop Believing" -- Journey (isn't this on everyone's list?)
"Story of My Life" -- Social Distortion

[starcat-jewel.livejournal.com]

"Where Do the Boys Go?" by Men Without Hats

"Dancing With Myself" by Billy Idol

"Dare to Be Stupid" by Weird Al

"Major Tom" (the German version) by Peter Schilling

"Head Over Heels" by the Go-Gos

[cyan-blue.livejournal.com]

Tender, by Blur
Rock Lobster, by B-52s

[deguspice.livejournal.com]

Before I made it to the second paragraph, I started to think that good, loud music would be how you might reboot. :)

There have been some good suggestions. I have a few more.

It's not danceable, but Jean Michael Jarre's "Oxygene" works for me.
Adam Ant has some good tunes. Kirsty MacColl's "In These Shoes?" always makes me smile.

[jacketeer.livejournal.com]

Rain King and American Girls, both by The Counting Crows. Nothing puts a bigger smile on my face.

[virtualvirtue.livejournal.com]

The Mary Ellen Carter by Stan Rogers (my theme song some weeks)
Magic by Olivia Newton John
Ramblin Gamblin Man by Bob Seger
Five Years by Tom Smith
Take a Chance on Me by ABBA (yes, I agree on this)
In the Mood by Glenn Miller
All That Jazz from Chicago

Most of this stuff wakes me up or makes me bounce or laugh. The Mary Ellen Carter is more about just not giving up, something I need reminding about often.

[asdr83.livejournal.com]

Standford Fleet Street's version of "Natural Woman". Nothing is more amusing than an all male group singing that song, especially when the bass sings the title line.

The Nields' "Jeremy New Born St". All of the Dirty Dancing soundtrack and Davinci's Notebook's "Enormous Penis", i dare you to listen to it withot cracking a smile.

[meranthi.livejournal.com]

Code Monkey - Jonathan Coulton
Yoda - Weird Al
Future Girls - SMILE.dk
Defying Gravity - Wicked
Mamboleo - Elissa

Wow, I really need to get my Perky mix back on my iPod.

[dreda.livejournal.com]

I am stuck on "Bad Touch," which is now on a loop in my head. It is PERFECT for just that sort of situation, especially loudly.

[medeaschild.livejournal.com]

Happy 2b Hardcore vol 3. Most of it. Its a bouncy, dancy, techno-y lovely, high energy happy thing.

[aries-walker.livejournal.com]

Gah. I am at work, then Dragon Con for the weekend. Look for my input on Monday, and awesome it will be.

[citabria]

Anything from the _Legally Blonde_ soundtrack does it, but "Perfect Day" really gets me chipper.

[mermaidlady]

Many songs by Queen, several of them off A Night at the Opera. Top of the list: "I'm in Love with my Car".