39 songs that make me happy

Brooding season has passed again.

With the months of November through March now passed, the House that Seasonal Affective Disorder Built can now go back to getting through the day without massive bouts of seasonal depression.

In celebration of Happy Season, I made a quick playlist of songs that get me going. There are dozens upon dozens of songs that make me smile and move. These were the first 39 I spotted in my iTunes this morning.

Say Hey (I Love You) [feat. Cherine Anderson] — Michael Franti & Spearhead (All Rebel Rockers)
Alabama High-Test — Old Crow Medicine Show (Tennessee Pusher)
I Gotta Get Drunk — The Little Willies (The Little Willies)
chicken/good fortune — King Johnson (Live ’05)
City of Angels (Live) — Ozomatli (Live from SoHo)
Sir Duke (Stevie Wonder cover) — Mutual Admiration Society (2004-08-17 – The Parking Lot at Lime Kiln)
Diablo Rojo — Rodrigo y Gabriela (Live Session)
Scarlet Begonias — Grateful Dead (Cornell 5-8-77)
The Hobo Song — The String Cheese Incident (Live from Louisville, Kentucky – April 26, 2001)
Burlap Sack and Pumps — Trey Anastasio and Classic TAB (02/26/10 – The Fillmore, Charlotte, NC)
Atlas — The Wood Brothers (Live At Tonic EP)
Suite – Judy Blue Eyes — Crosby, Stills & Nash (Crosby, Stills & Nash)
Voodoo Child (Slight Return) — Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble (Live At Montreux 1982 & 1985)
Magnolia Soul (Live) — Ozomatli (Live from SoHo)
Two Hits and the Joint Turned Brown — Yonder Mountain String Band (Mountain Tracks: Volume 2)
Pumpkin And Daisy — Acoustic Syndicate (Crazy Little Life)
Blue Sky — Allman Borthers
January Wedding — The Avett Brothers (I and Love and You)
Wouldn’t It Be Nice — The Beach Boys (Pet Sounds)
Why You Been Gone So Long? — Big Smith (Gig)
The Three Fine Daughters Of Farmer Brown — Eddie From Ohio (Portable EFO Show)
Mary’s Kitchen — Old Crow Medicine Show (Tennessee Pusher)
Midnight from the Inside Out — The Black Crowes (The Black Crowes: Live)
Sugarfoot — Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears (Tell ‘Em What Your Name Is!)
Just for Me (feat. G. Love) — Blues Traveler (Cover Yourself)
On The Road Again — Canned Heat (The Best Of Canned Heat)
Barlight — Charlie Robison (Life Of The Party)
Boys from Oklahoma — Cross Canadian Ragweed (Live at Billy Bob’s Texas)
Better Off With The Blues — Delbert McClinton (One Of The Fortunate Few)
Conscious Evolution — Donna the Buffalo
Tell It to Me — Old Crow Medicine Show (O.C.M.S.)
Cracklins — The Gourds (Live At Bluebird Theater 6/18/03)
Home In a Boxcar — Hoots & Hellmouth (Hoots & Hellmouth)
Call Me The Breeze — J.J. Cale (Very Best Of)
Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine — James Brown
Deep Elem Blues — Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band (Almost Acoustic)
Shake Your Moneymaker — Jimmy Page / Black Crowes (Live at the Greek)
Fiona — Lyle Lovett (The Road To Ensenada)
Shake Everything You’ve Got — Maceo Parker (Life On Planet Groove — Live)

Brad Willis

Brad Willis is a writer based in Greenville, South Carolina. Willis spent a decade as an award-winning broadcast journalist. He has worked as a freelance writer, columnist, and professional blogger since 2005. He has also served as a commentator and guest on a wide variety of television, radio, and internet shows.

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9 Responses

  1. Su says:

    Thanks for the list! Some of these I have, but I needed some new stuff to download for my long runs and workouts I have coming up. Thanks again and Happy Happy Season!!!

  2. BG says:

    I intersect with your collection on a grand total of three of these songs.

    I looked at my top five most played in iTunes the other day. Three Whiskeytown, two Ghostface Killah. “Kilo” by Ghostface might be near the top of my songs-that-get-me-going list (yes, it’s about drugs).

  3. otis says:

    BG…I’d guess the intersections are Rodrigo y Gabriela, James Brown, and Maceo.

  4. Dr. Chako says:

    I’m proud to say that I’ve heard of at least 4 of these bands.

    -DrC

  5. otis says:

    Doc–Well, I think I’m comfortable in saying there is not a bad band or artist on this list. Depending on what kind of music you dig, you should find at least ten songs on the list you’ll like a lot. Preview them on iTunes and pick and choose.

  6. BG says:

    It’s the Old Crow off O.C.M.S, Judy Blue Eyes, and Call Me The Breeze.

    Oh-fer-three there, Otis. I appreciate getting credit for being funky, however.

  7. Skip says:

    We just saw Michael Franti and Spearheaad opening for John Mayer a coupla weeks ago, and I must admit I have not boogied like that in a long while– he led a parade through the floor seats and pulled 10-15 young people up on stage for that song, had a little 6-7 yr old girl singing the “I love you” parts for him- fantastic. Good list, but I feel like an old loser now with my 80’s hair-metal heavy iPod list. 🙁

  8. BadBlood says:

    Not sure how Steel Panther missed this list.

  9. Say Hey is one of my favorite Franti songs. I’m most fond of his Hello Bonjour. Black Crowes Warpaint is the CD I’ve been listening too in my car lately.

    I’m not surprised that I recognize most of the artists on your list and share a love of the same artists/music. Your play list reminds me the bonus DVD’s Relix Magazine puts in each issue for subscribers. Lots of good stuff!!

    I’m planning on playing the ladies event 4/10/10 during NAPT. See you there. Already told Dr Pauly that if you need stuff from the outside world Ill bring it next Saturday!!

    happy easter to the family