Tags:
  1. Bluemouth

    Bluemouth Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2007
    Messages:
    976
    Likes Received:
    19
    Location:
    Adelaide, Australia

    Enlighten the world ... create happiness (Inspirational Songs)

    Discussion in 'The Lounge' started by Bluemouth, May 7, 2008.

    My fellow members,

    In the future I have a couple of business plans up my sleeve. While I won't bore you with the details of this one, I will ask for your help.

    Many of us listen to music, it's a well-known fact. But how many of you listen to 'powerful' music - songs with a real message, backed up by epic, inspiring choruses and galavanting sound. No, this is not Metal, nor is it Emo. This is the genre of Inspiration, Euphoria, Ultimate Paradise. I'm compiling what I consider the 15 Most Inspiringly Powerful songs, and I would like public opinions and suggestions. Here is the current list:

    To Build A Home - The Cinematic Orchestra
    Collapse the Light Into Earth - Porcupine Tree
    Kite - U2 (yes, it could've been Beautiful Day or Sunday Bloody Sunday but it's not)
    Winter - Tori Amos
    Ordinary World - Duran Duran
    Cripple and the Starfish - Antony & The Johnsons
    Let It Rain - Sarah Brightman
    Let Your Light In, Babe - Robert Forster
    This Year - The Mountain Goats
    Surf City Eastern Bloc - Arcade Fire
    How It Ends - DeVotchka
    Canto Della Terra (Duet with Andrea Bocelli) - Sarah Brightman
    Nature's Law - Embrace
    Run - Snow Patrol
    Always - Bon Jovi
    I Will Be With You (Where the Lost Ones Go) [Duet with Paul Stanley] - Sarah Brightman

    Now if you haven't heard some of those songs that's good! I want most of them to be new to people. If you feel like suggesting songs please at least preview a couple of the songs on iTunes so you can understand the type of sound I'm going for, i.e. no Evanescence, Metal anthems or crunching guitars, and also make sure they're not well-known songs. Before anyone says it, no The End by The Doors does not fit in here.

    Now I don't anticipate many responses to my initial request so if you've read this far:

    If you have a song(s) to suggest to me, please put Suggestions: before them. Otherwise, feel free to list which songs personally inspire you, I'd be interested to hear. ALL GENRES!


    P.S. The final two songs on the list are what I consider most epic and inspiring. And yes, that means Always isn't top ... bring it! :p
     
  2. (Mark)

    (Mark) New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 2, 2008
    Messages:
    2,605
    Likes Received:
    8
    These not very well known songs inspire me:

    Goodbye Horses by Q Lazzarus
    Today by Jefferson Airplane

    I suppose you might be able to make the argument that they're well known, but I don't place them in that category. The End by The Doors has always inspired me...

    The thing is, I couldn't care less about lyrics. When I listen to music, it's for the guitar. It wouldn't bother me in the slightest if the vocalist was singing about fire hydrants for ten minutes as long as the sound of their voice added to the beauty of the actual music.
     
  3. Frost

    Frost Active Member

    Joined:
    Nov 13, 2006
    Messages:
    668
    Likes Received:
    23
    Location:
    Australia
    Suggestions:The Sea Is Rising - Bliss N Eso

    "And all I know, is the sun is shining, yet we fight all through the night. While the birds are melting and the sea is rising, I dont know so don't ask me why. Yeah all I know, is the sun is shining, yet we fight all through the night. And if you dont know, **** I dont know, I guess all we can do is ask him why"

    Great song. Defiinitely a candidate. Also, Im mildly offended the ban on metal, the most inspiring genre in history. Just joking.

    Also, by the same artist: At Midnight (off the same Cd in fact)

    "I wont be put down, I wont be shackled, I wont be held back I wont be tackled. I wont be locked up, I wont be thrown out... Now that I know how to fly"
     
  4. Bluemouth

    Bluemouth Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2007
    Messages:
    976
    Likes Received:
    19
    Location:
    Adelaide, Australia
    The Sea Is Rising is possibly the only rap song I'd even consider putting in, and it was worth the download. It'll have to grow on me a lot more though.

    Goodbye Horses was a surprise - I really enjoyed it. Again, downloaded, and into the considerations list. By the way, the guitars in that song are blissful. :)

    Keep the suggestions coming!
     
  5. Gone Wishing

    Gone Wishing New Member

    Joined:
    May 1, 2008
    Messages:
    1,045
    Likes Received:
    13
    Location:
    Australia
    So, I went through my entire library and have come to the conclusion that a horribly low percentage of my songs inspire happiness...

    Samba Pa Ti by Santana is awesome for consoling and inspiring a good mood, but it's an instrumental piece, so I don't know if that counts.

    The Beekeeper by Tori Amos is a wonderfully different take on facing the death of a loved one - "Do not be afraid, I promise she will awake, somewhere" I personally find inspirational.


    Just some others that inspire me for various reasons:

    Cooling - Tori Amos (Is your place in heaven worth giving up these kisses? *sigh*)
    Too Tough To Die - Martina Topley-Bird
    Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley (best version of the song, in my opinion).
     
  6. Bluemouth

    Bluemouth Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2007
    Messages:
    976
    Likes Received:
    19
    Location:
    Adelaide, Australia
    I like instrumentals, but I've decided to leave them out of the list in favour of strong vocals.

    Tori Amos is an untapped resource for me. I've downloaded The Beekeeper, Cooling (the preview was amazing) and a song called Little Earthquakes because that preview also looked beyond promising.

    Fingers crossed I can improve the list. :) Thanks for those suggestions.
     
  7. Bluemouth

    Bluemouth Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2007
    Messages:
    976
    Likes Received:
    19
    Location:
    Adelaide, Australia
    Sorry I forgot to say that yes it is inspiring, but not the same kind of inspirational sound I'm after. If that makes sense? :confused:
     
  8. Gone Wishing

    Gone Wishing New Member

    Joined:
    May 1, 2008
    Messages:
    1,045
    Likes Received:
    13
    Location:
    Australia

    :D Little Earthquakes is good - the title track from her first album (apart from the Y Kant Tori Read glam album).

    Honestly though, I could go on about her all night, as I find many of her songs inspirational... (according to my last.fm stats, one in every five songs I listen to is a Tori Amos song, but that's not too hard since I'm a thorough completest and have just about everything she's ever recorded :redface:).
     
  9. Bluemouth

    Bluemouth Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2007
    Messages:
    976
    Likes Received:
    19
    Location:
    Adelaide, Australia
    You've converted me into a fan, which wasn't hard at all.

    I've just listened to Winter (is it a really famous song? I've actually never heard it before) and have been blown away. That's going on the list immediately.
     
  10. Gone Wishing

    Gone Wishing New Member

    Joined:
    May 1, 2008
    Messages:
    1,045
    Likes Received:
    13
    Location:
    Australia
    *sigh* I love Winter. (Both the song and the season ;))

    I have all of her albums, plus a huge collection of rare or harder to find b-sides - her rendition of Smells Like Teen Spirit is incredible - so if you want any recommendations...

    (Can you tell I'm nuts about her yet, lol?)
     
  11. Neha

    Neha Beyond Infinity. Contributor

    Joined:
    Dec 24, 2007
    Messages:
    4,061
    Likes Received:
    38
    Location:
    India
    hmm, i've heard none of the songs unfortunately, and the songs which inspire me are hindi. I guess the songs which do inspire me are pretty stupid choices. Like there's this Seasons in the Sun in our college song book, and there's Natasha's Bedingfield's Unwritten, and Hannah Montana's Nobody's Perfect makes me want to go out into the world and show the people all that I'm worth. Then there's Hilary Duff's Fly, Avril's Take Me Away, The Rasmus's First Day of My Life, Blue-Breathe Away, and Madonna's Frozen. But I doubt I'll suggest any of these, they're all personal choices, there are lots in hindi, Chak De, and stuff. What a pity everyone doesn't know hindi.
     
  12. ChimmyBear

    ChimmyBear Writing for the love of it. Contributor

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2008
    Messages:
    2,219
    Likes Received:
    51
    Location:
    Florida
    I like this thread...it really caused me to reevaluate the music I listen to and made me think about why I listen to certain songs.

    In Pace ~ Sarah Brightman I can't help but close my eyes every time I hear it...hmmm.
    Amid The Falling Snow ~ Enya
    Aria ~ Yanni
    I Am A Town ~ Mary Chapin Carpenter
    So Damn Beautiful ~ Poloroid
    18th Floor Balcony ~ Blue October (by far my favorite!) I can't say if it's popular as I don't listen to the radio or watch videos. It's all word of mouth for me.

    This is just a "very small" list of songs which inspire me...:)
     
  13. Brenda Keesal

    Brenda Keesal New Member

    Joined:
    May 1, 2008
    Messages:
    48
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Montreal
    Love this question. I have many thoughts but I'll leave you with two:

    Cee-Lo Green: The Art of Noise, featuring Pharrell (sample lyric: 'I sing because I'm happy... I sing because I'm free')

    and, sorry it's well known but so bloody brilliant I can't resist-

    Across the Universe: John Lennon (sample lyric: 'Limitless undying love which
    shines around me like a million suns')
     
  14. mammamaia

    mammamaia nit-picker-in-chief Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 21, 2006
    Messages:
    19,150
    Likes Received:
    1,034
    Location:
    Coquille, Oregon
    never heard of any of them... three of the songs that i've deemed 'inspirational' over the years are:

    woody guthrie's 'this land is your land'
    blowin' in the wind
    where have all the flowers gone?

    can't think of any of the many others at the moment, but i know 'em when i hear 'em!
     
  15. Daniel

    Daniel I'm sure you've heard the rumors Founder Staff

    Joined:
    May 14, 2006
    Messages:
    2,815
    Likes Received:
    696
    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ
    I thought a knew a lot of inspirational songs. I checked... turns out they're mostly just depressing.
     
  16. lessa

    lessa New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2007
    Messages:
    1,916
    Likes Received:
    29
    Location:
    Fantasy land
    one tin soldier

    Oh Canada

    Give us a place stand It was Ontario's hundredth birthday anthem.
    Most people say they hate it but every one who ever learned it can still sing it.
     
  17. ValianceInEnd

    ValianceInEnd Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 20, 2007
    Messages:
    1,667
    Likes Received:
    11
    Location:
    Phoenix, Arizona.
    Rise Above by Black Flag is a great (uplifting) song, and really rocks to. :D
     
  18. Gone Wishing

    Gone Wishing New Member

    Joined:
    May 1, 2008
    Messages:
    1,045
    Likes Received:
    13
    Location:
    Australia
    Rollins is the epitome of inspiration - I love his spoken word stuff.

    (I have a quote of his from Black Coffee Blues above my desk, truly insprational re: writing. :))
     
  19. Bluemouth

    Bluemouth Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2007
    Messages:
    976
    Likes Received:
    19
    Location:
    Adelaide, Australia
    Thank you all for the positive words and suggestions. I don't have time to reply to everyone, so I'll just single out a couple of things:

    ChimmyBear you were spot on with your suggestions - I'll have to hear the 11 minute epic Blue October song because I enjoyed Into the Ocean. The Poloroid one I've heard and loved as well.

    lessa - I like the Oh Canada song. I'm a little confused about whether you mean the Canadian Anthem or the rock song Oh Canada? Either way, I like them both. :)
     
  20. lessa

    lessa New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2007
    Messages:
    1,916
    Likes Received:
    29
    Location:
    Fantasy land
    I meant the anthem. Just makes me feel like I have to do something to keep this country the way it is or improve upon it.

    one tin soldier makes me want to shake people with the attitude that they are entitled to whatever someone else has earned or has.
    So I set out to not be one of those.
     
  21. laura624

    laura624 New Member

    Joined:
    May 9, 2008
    Messages:
    6
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Jacksonville, FL
    "More Than This" or "Ordinary Day" by Vanessa Carlton
    "Carry On" by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young (mostly just the breakdown, 'carry on, love is coming, love is coming to us all')
    "Hands" by Jewel (a lot of stuff by Jewel, actually...I love her)
    "Someone You Should Know" by Lisa Loeb
    "Tomorrow's Another Day"- MxPx
    A lot of Ani DiFranco stuff, can't choose just one
    "Peace Train" by Cat Stevens, or "The Wind"
    "Hallelujah" by Paramore
    "Break the Sky" by The Hush Sound
    "A Sight to Behold" by Eisley (or...a lot of other stuff by them)
    And anything ever recorded by The Beatles
     
  22. Hulk

    Hulk Banned

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2007
    Messages:
    2,209
    Likes Received:
    4
    Take my breath away by Jessica Simpson is very uplifting.
     

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice