Hey everybody, welcome back. It’s almost February! As we move further into the winter, here are 5 more songs to help get you back in the swing of things.

Monday– “Listen to the Music” by Playing For Change Ft. Tom Johnston (The Doobie Brothers) (2018)

Kicking off the week is a band that I have been growing more fond of recently, Playing for Change. The band contains members from all over the world, who spread positivity by playing music. These aren’t just inexperienced musicians either, the band can really play! One of my favorite Playing for Change covers is the classic Doobie Brothers hit, “Listen to the Music.” Watching the video will be sure to put a smile on your face and is a great way to kick off the week. 

 Tuesday- “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire (1978)

Continuing the positive vibes this week, I went back to some ‘70s disco roots. Knowing how brutal winter school weeks can be at times, there’s nothing that a little Earth, Wind & Fire can’t fix. This classic tune is basically impossible not to dance to. Whenever you feel stressed out or overwhelmed, let the good music take you away for a moment. From a musical standpoint, the song highlights all the great aspects of the ‘70s disco scene: groovy basslines, high-pitched vocals, and my goodness, a whole lot of sequin.

Wednesday- “Hard to Handle” by The Black Crowes (1990)

Changing directions at the middle of the week, we move about a decade farther into music history and look at The Black Crowes’ cover of “Hard to Handle.” The song was originally written by Otis Redding, and has since been covered by countless artists and groups. The Black Crowes take this song in an extremely catchy rock direction, transforming the classic soul tune into a more fast- paced, guitar and vocal forward tune. Be sure to check this one out. 

Thursday- “Yellow” by Coldplay (2000)

Fast forward another decade, and we reach the contemporary- indie Coldplay hit “Yellow.” While I am not the biggest Coldplay fan, this song is one that is relaxing, in a sense, but one that conveys so much emotion. When analyzing this tune musically, the song is actually much more complex than meets the eye; combining an alternate guitar tuning and odd time signature into one of the biggest hits of the 2000s. 

Friday- “Romeo and Juliet” by Dire Straits (1981)

Concluding this week is a track from one of my favorite bands ever, Dire Straits. While I tend to listen to their other hits, such as “Sultans of Swing” and “Money for Nothing,” “Romeo and Juliet” is a nice change of scenery. The song conveys the story of the classic Shakespeare play, just in a perfect musical way. Check out this ‘80s hit from one of the biggest ‘80s bands.