Hi guys! As promised on my social medias earlier today for World Mental Health Day I wanted to share with you my go-to songs I listen to on bad days to lift me back up. Some have uplifting lyrics, some have comforting lyrics, some bring back really happy memories and some are just fun.
Enjoy and let me know if you have any songs you love that lift you up on a bad day.
First up we have a couple of songs by 30 Seconds To Mars. As you all know they're my favourite band and their music has gotten me through some of my darkest times. The subject of a lot of their music is never giving up on your dreams and having faith in yourself.
Kings & Queens (my favourite song ever)
Closer To The Edge. Not only does it show how awesome Mars concerts are, it also reminds me of Summer 2010 which was a really happy time for me.
The last one for 30STM that I'm going to post (they have so many more I could mention - have a listen to This Is War, Alibi and Walk On Water)
Next up we have the second in my musical 'Holy Trinity' Lady GaGa. She does so much work for the LGBTQ+ community and mental health care, even launching the Born This Way Foundation a couple of years back. The first song I've chosen by her is of the same name and reminds us that we're all beautiful no matter who we are. I have 'Born This Way' tattooed on my wrist to remind me to be myself and not change for anything.
Rain On Me is off of GaGa's most recent album Chromatica (I could actually write a whole blog about the album's reflections on mental health and dancing through your pain) and the lyric "I'd rather be dry but at least I'm alive" speaks volumes.
From the third act of my Holy Trinity we have Green Day's 'Still Breathing'. A song about reminding yourself that you are still here on this planet surviving all the pain you might be going through. It's a powerful song and the video makes me cry every time I watch it.
And now for a few more selections -
Paradise City - Guns N Roses. A really fun song to sing along to and, for me anyway, has a summer feel to it. As an aside I'm really excited to see them for the first time next year.
Oasis - Live Forever. A true indie classic, it reminds me of the fantastic two years I had at college and is the sound of being young without a care. Fun fact - this was the first song on the mix cds (ask your parents) for my friend's and my 18th birthday party.
The Greatest Showman OST - A Million Dreams I could easily have picked pretty much any of the songs on the soundtrack as for the most part they are all uplifting and great fun to belt out. This Is Me so nearly made the cut but I love this song just a little bit more.
N*Sync - It's Gonna Be Me Sometimes you just need some boyband cheese in your day 🙋
My Chemical Romance - I'm Not Ok (I Promise) Ok I have to put my hands up and admit that lyrically this song is quite dark but it brings back such good memories and the video always makes me laugh.
The Killers - Mr Brightside Again, this one has some pretty dark lyrics but the memories I have of leaning against an ice cream van to watch their set at Reading Festival 2005 and seeing them in Hyde Park in 2017 are so happy. Another that nearly made the cut was All These Things I've Done)
Blink 182 - What's My Age Again? This is such a bouncy song about the joys of not growing up with a hilarious video to match.
George Ezra - Shotgun you can just feel the sun rays coming from this song.
Taylor Swift - Blank Space This video makes me die laughing every time I see it.
Jimi Hendrix - Purple Haze That guitar riff, you can't help but move to this song and get the endorphins flowing.
Journey - Don't Stop Believing Does this actually need and explanation?
Kenny Loggins - Danger Zone This surely has to be one of the best movie opening songs ever! From my favourite film Top Gun this makes me want to head to an airshow and is my ringtone all through the airshow season (see also Cheap Trick - Mighty Wings, Playing With The Boys and the Top Gun Theme)
Battle Of Britain Theme My other favourite aviation theme song. I always get so emotional listening to it but it's so uplifting and reminds me of watching Spitfires and Hurricanes at airshows.
The Who - Baba O'Riley This song just sounds like freedom and elevates me no matter what mood I'm in.
Finally I want to give a mention to a song that my friend Martin @martinthegeek on Twitter recommended to me this morning when I asked for other people's go to songs. He recommended this song by Beartooth who I'd heard of but not listened to before.
He says "One I always find rock songs with heavy riffs a great outlet, and two, the lead singer Caleb is so open about his mental health issues and writes a lot of songs about them. This video is a perfect example of them raising awareness and the song as well as being really personal is also and absolute banger" After giving it a listen I completely agree and I'll definitely be listening to more of them in the future!
Thanks for reading my blog about my favourite music for World Mental Health Day, if you have any songs that help you out then let me know! I'm always up for a chat on my Twitter @jenraefrances or Instagram also @jenraefrances (dead original me).
Love Jen
XxxX
Ps If you or someone who know are struggling with mental illness then please, please speak to someone be it a family member, friend, work colleague, your GP anyone. Or if you are in immediate danger then call 999/911 or go straight to A&E/ER.
Some useful websites (these are only UK ones but I'm sure there are similar where you live) -
The Samaritans - https://www.samaritans.org/
Shout (A text messaging service for those in crisis - bloody fantastic idea) - https://giveusashout.org/
World Mental Health Day - https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-mental-health-day/world-mental-health-day-2020
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