The transition back to school is usually joyful. Friends separated over summer share stories, a warm valley sun shines down upon rejuvenated students and a fresh start second only to New Year’s Day begins. However, not all semesters start bright — sometimes they start blue. Adapting to academic pressure and changing social situations can cause distress.
Being sad is like being aboard a sinking ship in the middle of the ocean. There is no way to suddenly transport to land, and desperately clinging to the ship is hopeless. The only way to find solid ground is by diving right into those deep waters headfirst and treading through the gradually shallow waves until the shore is reached at last.
This playlist functions in the same way. When the blues hit, people tend to gravitate toward deep, sorrowful songs. It feels profound when a song connects to inner levels of emotional complexity. This playlist is the best of both worlds — it first allows this sweet connection to melancholic songs before gradually guiding the way to relief. There is no repression and no unrealistic cheerfulness — just the full transition from pain to joy.
2. “Chances” by Athlete: Although the somber tone persists, there is some hope in “Chances.” The tune feels like it was recorded from outer space: The singer is floating around the chilly infinite, staring at a forlorn Earth from a distance. There is a sense of regret that begins with the opening lines, “Take all your chances while you can / You never know when they’ll pass you by.” The whole song is a desperate attempt to get back to Earth — to start again. The vocalist may not be able to reach solid ground ever again, but there is a reason he is advising his listeners to take advantage of every chance they get.
3. “Silent Sigh” by Badly Drawn Boy: We are still floating in deep ocean. A piece in the soundtrack for the bittersweet movie, “About a Boy,” “Silent Sigh” offers beautifully heart-wrenching lyrics in “Till it eats the heart from your soul / Keeps down the sound of your silent sigh.” The progressive piano instrumentals behind the words give the song a late night, sidewalk-strolling quality.
4. “Do You Realize??” by Flaming Lips: No song can respond to an existentialist crisis better than “Do You Realize??” Its tone may feel nostalgic with its sweeping violin melodies, but the lyrics are triumphant: “… The sun doesn’t go down / It’s just an illusion caused by the world spinning around.” To respond “yes” to the song’s title after understanding its message is to be one step closer to living a better life.
5. “Rise Above This” by Seether: With more energy than the previous songs, “Rise Above This” its lyrics acknowledges defeat — “I’m fallin’ down” — but it assumes agency — “I’ll rise above this” and “I’ll mend myself before it gets me.” Rather than seeing emotion as a dominant suppressant, understanding the ability to control these emotions is a sign of strength.
6. “Strawberry Swing” by Coldplay: A study done by sound therapists sought to find the most relaxing songs ever created — Coldplay’s “Strawberry Swing” ranked fifth. This is the perfect song to transition into happier tunes because it relaxes the mind and ignites imagination. This strawberry swing is probably nestled in crisp mountains, shaded by vanilla-scented pine trees and graced by pollen fragrances carried by a mountain breeze in what seems to be “such a perfect day.”
7. “Flowers Never Bend With the Rainfall” by Simon and Garfunkel: Superb vocal harmonies and poetic metaphor puts the shore in sight. This piece — like all other Simon and Garfunkel masterpieces — is best when played on repeat.
8. “Keep’n It Real” by Shaggy: Shaggy delivers a contagious optimism. It’s all about perspective. “Keep’n It Real” combines an infectious reggae beat and infuses it with easy-to-follow promises. It builds upon the old adage "nowhere to go but up."
9. “On Top of the World” by Imagine Dragons: It doesn’t get more upbeat than “On Top of the World.” This song sounds even more triumphant after a journey from lows to highs. It’s easy to picture a group of joyous musicians jumping around the studio, clapping syncopated rhythms and tossing soda in the air while recording this song. After hearing its catchy chorus, you’re bound to do the same.
10. “Raconte-moi une histoire” by M83: The shore of happiness is reached with this M83 song. The words on this track are spoken in an engaging story from a young child who prompts us all to be a whole group of friends — a whole group of “frogs” — “jumping and laughing forever.” As wonderful as the story is, the instrumental buildup toward the end of the song is even more powerful. It summarizes the whole journey, full of shed nostalgia, blossomed hope and learning. Frankly, we should all just be frogs.
Reach the reporter at jconigli@asu.edu
