Miscellaneous Musings on Music to Brighten Your Day 🎼
Ummmm…March 31st! How’d that happen? It’s sure been a heck of a first quarter, but we made it folks!
The musical vibes that inspired my most recent playlist are…
Optimism
My Way
Focus
Listen along in APPLE MUSIC
Listen Along in SPOTIFY
Don't Worry Be Happy - Bobby McFerrin, 1988
Everything's Coming Up Roses - Carol Burnett, 1963
Shit - Doechii, 2021
Le Banana Split - Lio, 1979
My Way - Usher, 1997
My Way - Frank Sinatra, 1969
Walk On By - Dionne Warwick, 1964
(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding - Elvis Costello, 1978
Bad Man's World - Jenny Lewis, 2008
Mind My Business - Dan Evens, Patrice Roberts, and Travis World ‧ 2021
Take Care Of Business - Nina Simone, 1965
The Tide Is High - Blondie, 1980
Good, Better, Best - Swamp Dogg, 2020
Everybody Loves the Sunshine - Roy Ayers Ubiquity, 1976
Fly Away - Tones and I, 2021
I Dare You - Kelly Clarkson, 2020
Focus - Charli XCX, 2018
Focus - Ariana Grande, 2015
Great Day - Paul McCartney, 1997
Don't Worry Be Happy - Bobby McFerrin, 1988
There’s nothing to worry about! Right? RIGHT?!?
In every life we have some trouble
But when you worry you make it double
Don't worry be happy
Don't worry be happy now
Everything's Coming Up Roses - Carol Burnett, 1963
Seriously, there’s NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT because…
Everything's gonna be bright lights and lollipops!
Everything's coming up roses for me and for you!
Shit - Doechii, 2021
You know I love me some affirmations, and this is a great one to tell yourself everyday!
I'm the shit
I'm the shit
I'm the shit
I'm the shit
Le Banana Split - Lio, 1979
My quest to learn French continues! Let’s see what words I understand in this song…
Le, Banana, Split, tu, pour, c’est, le, dessert, teenage, amour, de…
My vocabulary, as extensive as it is, did not offer enough context clues to deduce that this song explains that the banana split is the dessert the abominable snowman serves to abominable teenagers. Of course it is. Why wouldn’t it be?!
My Way - Usher, 1997
Oooohweee this takes me back to my peak MTV days.
I remember thinking in 7th grade, as I do now (in 35th grade), that this song would flow better if the second verse (Badass, señoritas, two-seaters with kicks…) was swapped with the third (Don't check me, It was your girl who let me…), because the second verse sounds like the bridge! It comes too early!
But we do it Usher’s way because that’s the way.
My way
My way (Oh, oh)
What I say, goes
And I'm in control
My Way - Frank Sinatra, 1969
Did you know that My Way is an English take on the French song "Comme d’habitude’? Chouette!
I know this song is a classic for a reason, but boy oh boy. It really takes you on a journey! It’s soft. Then BIG. Then falls. Then RISES! Decrescendo. CRESCENDO. Much like life, eh?
To think I did all that
And may I say, not in a shy way
Oh no, oh no, not me
I did it my way
Walk On By - Dionne Warwick, 1964
I spent February painting the town red with Dojo Cat which prominently samples Warwick’s Walk on By. Did everyone know that immediately except me?
I think Warwick’s heartbroken wallflower could use a night out with a can of red paint.
(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding - Elvis Costello, 1978
Shout out to my buddy and Miscellaneous Musings about Miscellaneous Matters on My Mind subscriber Erik whose stellar karaoke rendition of Peace, Love, and Understanding earned Costello a spot on my March playlist.
As I walk through
This wicked world
Searchin' for light in the darkness of insanity.
I ask myself
Is all hope lost?
Is there only pain and hatred, and misery?
And each time I feel like this inside,
There's one thing I wanna know:
What's so funny 'bout peace love & understanding? Ohhhh!
Bad Man's World - Jenny Lewis, 2008
OOF! I didn’t know about Jenny Lewis aka Rilo Kiley aka Shelley Long’s daughter in Troop Beverly Hills until I was on a group chat where everyone was singing her praises and I was like ummm, who is that!? Well, now I know!!!
It's a bad man's world
It's a bad man's world
It's a bad man's world
It's a bad man's world
It's a bad man's world
It's a bad man's world
Mind My Business - Dan Evens, Patrice Roberts, and Travis World ‧ 2021
Due to the aforementioned bad man’s world and struggle for peace, love, and understanding, sometimes all you can do is…
… I go drink water and mind my business (mind my business)
Drink water and mind my business (mind my business)
I go drink water and mind my business (mind my business)
Drink water and mind my business
Take Care Of Business - Nina Simone, 1965
For those taking notes - drink water, mind your business, then, take care of it.
The Tide Is High - Blondie, 1980
For the entirety of my life on this earth, I have never been able to hear this song without hearing Grease.
Ahem….
THE TIDE IS HIGH:
I'm not the kind of girl who gives up just like that
Oh, no
Chang chang changitty chang shoobop
That's the way it should be, wha oooh, yeah
AmIRight?!
Good, Better, Best - Swamp Dogg, 2020
This song has the vibes of an oldie, but it’s a relative newbie!
Even the worst woman's better than the best man
Just give her a chance and you got to agree
Good, better, and best
That's the only kind
Either one of 'em
Could mess up your mind
Everybody Loves the Sunshine - Roy Ayers Ubiquity, 1976
I learned of Roy Ayers and this bright, funky, warm groove with his passing this March.
My life, my life, my life, my life
In the sunshine
Everybody loves the sunshine
Sunshine
Everybody loves the sunshine
Sunshine
Folks get down in the sunshine (Oooh)
Sunshine (Yeeea-ah)
Folks get brown in the sunshine
Just bees, and things, and flowers
Just bees, and things, and flowers
Just bees, and things, and flowers
Just bees, and things, and flowers
Fly Away - Tones and I, 2021
This poppy dream chasing anthem gives you the oomph you need to take flight and reach new heights.
So where do I go now I'm in it?
I never thought it'd be like this
Dreaming all my life and I did it
I Dare You - Kelly Clarkson, 2020
It’s about darn tootin’ time I had Kelly on the playlist!
Throwing it back to Covid times in the zoom room, this single was released in multiple languages when it dropped in 2020 - so enjoy this version with a little international flare.
Even if you're hurt and you can only see the worst (Oh)
Even if you think it's not enough
Oh, I dare you to love
Focus - Charli XCX, 2018
With the world in the palm of our hands, it’s a bit hard to focus…don’t you think? Charli XCX can help harness your attention. Simply FOCUS on the word focus which is repeated 75 times in this three-minute song. Mr. Tony Robbins says repetition is the mother of skill, so let’s…
Focus, focus
Focus, focus
Focus, focus
Focus, focus
I just want you to
Focus, focus
Focus, focus
Focus, focus
Focus, focus on my love
Focus - Ariana Grande, 2015
After listening to this jam for a month, I just learned that Jamie Foxx is the one demanding our focus on chorus!
Focus on me, f-f-focus on me
Focus on me, f-f-focus on me
Focus on me (Focus), f-f-focus on me (Focus on me)
Focus on me (Focus), f-f-focus on me (Focus on me)
Great Day - Paul McCartney, 1997
Though this song was released in 1997, Paul wrote and sang it around the dinner table with Linda 25 years earlier. ‘It’s just a little upbeat song of hope,’ says one of the coolest living chaps in the world.
When you're wide awake
Say it for goodness sake
It's gonna be a great day
While you're standing there
Get up and grab a chair
It's gonna be a great day
And it won't be long, oh no
It won't be long, it won't be long, no no
It won't be long, it won't be long, oh no
It won't be long, it won't be long, ooh
Ooh, ooh, yeah
Gonna be a great day
I love it so much here; it's a rabbit hole! I hadn't seen Dionne Warwick's number, but I was mesmerized by the dancing precision...and the banana split song - Oui! Cool stuff, thanks.