The Music In My Head. The Mixed Tape That I Guarantee Will Make You Feel Happy

April 6, 2018 Christina Ford

BRACE YOURSELF... MY "HAPPY AS SHIT" PLAYLIST WILL CHANGE YOUR DAY

I am going to share with you something that only one other person on the planet knows about me, and because of it he thinks I am a little crazy. Every morning I when I wake up I hear music in my head. No, not voices but actual songs. Actually they are never the whole song but rather a continuous repeat of the chorus generally. Sometimes the song in my head makes sense as I may have heard it somewhere the day before but other times, most times it a random song that comes out of nowhere and will haunt me all day until some other song replaces it. This morning's song was Hell's Bells by ACDC, no idea where that came from...... I think they call that an earworm or brainworm where some involuntary piece of music (usually the same 8 bars) continually repeats in my brain until I go insane....but for me it starts the moment I open my eyes.

Is it just me...does anyone else hear music in their head... without any earbuds?

My Solution: To tame that earworm I replaced the random song playing in my head with my own choice of music and to do that I have created numerous playlists fit for any and all occasions. In my youth we use to call them "mixed tapes" back in the day before Apple Music and Spotify were even a thing. You knew a boy liked you if he gave you a mixed tape. You would listen to each word of each lyric and try and decipher his secret message to you through his choice of songs, and very likely as a girl overthinking it. But I'd spend hours with my records and a tape recorder making mixed tapes. I would carefully choose the songs, spend hours deciding on the exact order and then I would grab my Sony Walkman, push play and hit the road with the soundtrack to my day controlled...not randomly chosen for me by some worm.

I still do this today. I have mixed tapes or playlists for all my various moods or activities, only they are on Spotify now. My music will tell you more about me than I ever could. Motivational Get Moving NOW, Dinner Party Retro, Walk Like a Bad-Ass, Smooth Vibe, Sexy 60's (the decade not me). I even have a playlist for getting waxed, it is 15 minutes long, aggressive and meant to be played LOUD ...is that TMI? I think I might be oversharing.

Look carefully. I am plugged in.

So saying all of this I want to share with you my favourite playlist at the moment. I call it, Happy As Shit. I usually listen to it when I need a mood boost, sitting in the Tube, walking through the streets or stuck in London's famous traffic. I love having a soundtrack accompany me. We all know how powerful music can be. It can change your mood, pick up your pace whilst getting in your 10,000 steps or transport you to a special time and place long ago. "Music and rhythm find their way into your secret places of your soul", Plato.

FACT: The chills we get when we're listening to music is actually the dopamine running through your body. How cool is that? It is the closet thing in real life to magic.

If you need further proof just watch this This little girl listen to Elvis.

So this playlist I really, really want you to listen to it. In fact, I double-dog dare you!!! You tell me if after listening to it you don't feel happier. You just clink on the title below, Happy As Shit Playlist.

Happy As Shit Playlist

Music is that powerful.

A few side notes about a couple of the songs. There is a mix of old and new but what they have in common (aside from the theme of course) is that from the first time I heard that song it resonated immediately. Love to hear your feedback on that. The first song, "Love My Life" by Robbie Williams, I always imagine it as a message to my children. I cry every time I do this, it's a happy cry. Never thought I would include JT in any of my playlists but I got to say "Can't Stop The Feeling" by Justin Timberlake is a good song. For a little extra happiness listen to Mick Fleetwood's drums just before the chorus in "Go Your Own Way" as well as Geroge Harrison's iconic guitar in the intro to "What is Life". Love a great guitar rift.

I love, love, love music. Music affects the way you perceive reality. Happy music can make you see the good, feel the joy or see the grass a little greener....and that can be contagious, just like a smile. Tell me the songs that make you happy and lets do a collective playlist. I love discovering new music and new artists. Happy or sad, I always listen to music.

So ready? Earphones in, volume up, ignore the rest of the world and be happy.

P.S. You might need Spotify to listen to this. If you don't have it you need to get with this century and get it. It is free if you don't mind a ad or two OR you can subscribe monthly ad-free and stream away.