Prozac

I’ve mentioned multiple times how amazing my family is. So amazing that I have friends on a waiting list to be adopted into the fam. Not only do we all like do hang out with each other, we enjoy many of the same things. Likely at the top of this list is music. The majority of us are passionate about music in some way.

I’m unsure how my grandparents felt about music, but all my aunts play(ed) the piano and my dad played the trumpet. Both my brother and I took piano lessons along the way (he still remembers his one recital song to impress chicks) and we were also in band growing up. And there was always music on. One of my fondest memories is driving home from Missoula on Saturday nights wiht my mom listening to the oldies.

The families deep love and appreciation of music led to my cousin issuing the following decree for our upcoming get together at Priest Lake. We were to bring our top 5 happy songs. Our Prozac of music if you will. Songs that make you want to get up and dance when you hear them.

I spent a couple days writing down possibilities and then crossing them off the list. As a disctraction I emailed my dad, the smartest technologically challenged man I know, and told him I’d get his 5 on my iPod if he sent me the list. He replied in 30 seconds. I’m not even kidding. Thirty seconds to come up with his list of 5. To be fair though, he hasn’t listened to any new music for the last 30 years, which makes it a bit easier when you’re just dealing with 2-3 decades. Meanwhile, I still had lists going, trying to decide the best approach. Do I go by decade? Types of happiness they instill? Break it down by genres?

I started creating playlists on my iTunes and dragging songs in there as I scrolled through my list. After the first pass, I had approximately 40 happy songs. The thought of narrowing it down to 5 was daunting. It took me literally days to get my list down to 9. And it’s not getting any smaller. I figure my brother won’t be there, so I can borrow from his 5. So now I have my list of 5 happy songs (or nine, to be more accurate) and a playlist of 40 runner-ups.

So after a week of playing around, here are my top 9 happy songs (in alphabetical order by artist):
1. AC/DC – You Shook Me All Night Long
- Because have you ever not had fun dancing to this song? And its always played at high school dances, weddings, etc. So fun.
2. Black Eyed Peas – I Gotta Feeling
- Reminds me of 2009, which was my most fun year thus far and always puts me in a good mood.
3. Creedence Clearwater Revival – Up Around the Bend
- CCR was obviously going to be on the list, it was just a matter of picking a song. Think of this as being representative of CCR in general.
4. Def Leppard – Pour Some Sugar on Me
- See notes on AC/DC
5. Doobie Brothers – China Grove
- Reminds me of boating in the summers on the Clark Fork.
6. Garth Brooks – Friends in Low Places
- Four notes. All the man has to do is play four notes and the crowd goes completely insane. Seriously impressive. Plus, this was the first song I used to say “ass” in the mysterious third verse as a kid.
7. Ke$ha – TikTok
- I know. Not stellar, but this song always wants to make me dance! And I always have fun singing along with it. “Wake up in the morning feeling like P. Diddy . . .”
8. Lady Gaga – Edge of Glory
- My current favorite Lady G song. Representative of most of her stuff because as crazy as she is, she puts out some fun music.
9. Taylor Swift – Love Story
- I heart Taylor Swift. And she sings within my range so she always makes an appearance while I’m singing in my car. Because I enjoy not sounding like a goat. Even if its just me in the car.

And just for fun, here is what my parents chose:
Dad (no particular order and just his fav, not necessarily happy)
1. Crosby Stills and Nash – Southern Cross
2. CCR – Cotton Fields
3. Dire Straits – Brothers in Arms
4. Dire Straits – Tunnel of Love
5. Bob Seger – In Your Time

Mom (one per decade for the last 50 years)
1. Grass Roots – Midnight Confessions
2. Bob Seger – Old Time Rock and Roll
3. Journey – Don’t Stop Believin’
4. Chumbawamba – Tubthumping
5. Jason Mraz – I’m Yours

It’ll be interesting to see what form everyone else’s Prozac comes in.