The Top 10 Songs To Pick You Up When You’re Down That Make You Feel Good With Positive & Hopeful Vibes & Lyrics

Life ebbs and flows through its peaks and crevices. Just like the ocean, moments rise and fall, the upper and the downer, good days and bad, but they’re transient and life goes on, like the unerring rhythm of the waves.

We all get down at certain times but we need to pick ourselves up and enjoy, rejoice and savor the good times, cause there’s always a sh*t one around the corner. We need to make sure we’re more up than down. More up, definitely.

That’s where music comes in, like the cue to the next act of the stage play we call life. It’s waiting in the wings, to change the mood, vibe, feeling, emotion and to turn those sh*t times into good ones.

As philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche put it, “Without music, life would be a mistake”.

This is a compilation of the top 10 positive songs, filled with good vibes, smooth sounds, and moving lyrics to pick you up & get you feeling great again when you’re feeling a bit low or down, jaded, burnt out or sad for whatever reason.

So if you’re down, you’ve got the blues, and you can’t seem to shake off that feeling, just hit play on these songs to lift your spirits.

Here’s the list:

1. Eddie Vedder — Rise

This song was composed by Pearl Jam lead singer Eddie Vedder as part of the soundtrack for the film ‘Into The Wild’. The film is based on Christopher McCandless(an unsung hero) who left modern society & urban life in the city to live out in the wilderness.

As the story goes, after his graduation from college, McCandless got completely disillusioned by the way capitalism, consumerism, and the way society in the modern world has overcome us into a captive society in an urban prison, and decided ‘Okay enough is enough, I’m f*cking outta here’.

In the film, Emile Hirsch, who plays McCandless, reflects on how the structures of society & the very fabric of the life we live are severely flawed at their core and packed his bags and hit the road to explore nature and live literally ‘in the wild’.

The film is filled with gripping shots of pristine views & landscapes as it explores McCandless’ life living as close to nature and in tune with the natural elements, until his rather unfortunate death by ingesting poisonous wild berries.

You can read about his story or watch the movie. The song though, is the first song on this list, played on the ukulele by Vedder and the visuals from the movie in the video are also rather complimentary and uplifting.

“Gonna rise up, burning black holes in dark memories, gonna rise up, turning mistakes into gold”

2. Angels & Airwaves — The Adventure

This song by Angels & Airwaves, is the brainchild of Tom Delonge, the former Blink 182 guitarist & singer. Of course nowadays Delonge is scouring the skies looking for UFOs & aliens, but Angels & Airwaves, his side project after Blink, and in particular this song, definitely sets the mood of positivity & inspiration.

In an interview (I don’t remember where), he specifically stated that when he was writing ‘The Adventure’ he wanted to make the most ‘feel good’ song he’s ever written. The song itself is & full of riffs that sift in and out of the lyrics that really hit you in the face with a larger than life sound & make you feel fantastic. The video, with the band in like a spaceship or whatever, (perhaps because of Delonge’s love for ET) makes you feel eclectic and the lyrics are really positive and uplifting, and full of hope and inspiration.

“Even if your hope has burned with time. Anything that’s dead shall be regrown. And your vicious pain, your warning sign. You will be fine. Any type of love it will be shown. Like every single tree reach for the sky. If you’re gonna fall, ill let you know. That I will pick you up like you for I. Hey yo, here I am, and here we go, life’s waiting to begin.”

3. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young — Carry On

CSNY are the quintessential classic rock band and their album ‘Deja Vu’ is an absolute masterpiece. The only album to feature Neil Young as part of the quartet, before he jumped the bandwagon to go solo and record with Crazy Horse, is an absolutely enthralling psychedelic rock album at its electric best.

The opening song from the album, called ‘Carry On’ is arguably one of the best opening songs of an album I’ve ever heard. It sets the mood for the entire album and conveys the important message & necessity of ‘carrying on’. The licks on guitar by Neil Young in particular & the rest of the band are oh so smooth, and it’s really a really uplifting classic rock song from the psychedelic ‘60s.

“Rejoice, rejoice, we have no choice but to carry on. Carry on love is coming,
Love is coming to us all”

4. Nitin Sawhney & Nicki Wells — Sunset

This song is a masterpiece by Nitin Sawhney, an Indian musician of British origin along with singer Nicki Wells. Sawhney is a critically acclaimed musician & composer and his music which could be categorized as ‘fusion’ although he particularly dislikes the classification, as he suggests in his TED Talk, is definitely one to liven up the mood.

The song itself is all about rising with and setting with the sun. It has got a predominantly Indian feel to it and has some lyrics in Bengali in parts of the song. As the description on YouTube says, “Sunset is a song about rising up and standing up for oneself. It’s about keeping the faith that dusk is followed by bright, flaming dawn. It’s also about keeping one’s head above the water and never losing faith in oneself. And never hesitating to stand up for what one believes is right.”

“Keep moving. Keep changing. Keep flowing. With the sun. Lovers rise. Oceans Rise. People rise with the sun. If I could set with the sun.”

5. Thievery Corporation — Sweet Tides

This list wouldn’t be complete without Thievery Corporation(a band I absolutely dig, and whom you’ve got to check out). They’re heavily influenced by bossa nova, flamenco, reggae and other South American, French, Spanish, and African music and other kinds of music from different parts of the world.

This song in particular is full of life and peace and reflects on love and being free. Also, the girl in the video, the singer named Lou Lou is pure eye-candy.

The visuals of the video of Lou Lou driving down the highway and dancing in the fields which accompany the smooth & peaceful lyrics that echo love and freedom and the ‘sweet tides’ of life, are sure to make you hit repeat on the song at least a few times.

Looking back on the days, just wanna be free. Through the love in your eyes. Sweet tides, pools of love. Your eyes are full of. Sweet tides, pools of love. Your eyes are full of

6. Zero 7 — Somersault

Zero 7 are another band from the UK that are a mainstay on my playlists. This song by them featuring Sia(Yes, the ‘Cheap Thrills’ singer) is one that has lyrics that make you reflect on the little things in life and how to find happiness in them, with lyrics like ‘you encourage the eating of ice cream’ and ‘you share your last jelly bean’.

The orchestral elements of the song and the whole track in its entirety is full of good vibes and filled with themes of love & the delicate times we share with our loved ones. It makes you appreciate the little moments we share with the people we love and is another song that is sure to get your spirits up.

You encourage the eating of ice cream. And you would somersault in sand with me. You talk to loners & ask ‘how’s your week?’ You give love to all. And give love to me. You’re obsessed with hiding. The sticks and stones. And feel the unknown. You feel like home. You feel like home.

7. Norah Jones ft Anoushka Shankar — Traces Of You

Norah Jones and her sister Anoushka Shankar are gifted musicians and have emulated their father i.e. Pandit Ravi Shankar who was one of India’s greatest musicians of yesteryear. This song is full of interesting motifs played by Anoushka on the sitar accompanied by Norah’s breathtaking voice singing the lyrics. The lyrics, in particular, that reflect on love and traces of a lover, that ‘linger’ in the air, and the bright moments we long to share with them, make for a heartwarming listen.

It’s ‘fusion’ again genre wise, but full of happier themes & melodies along with subtleties that are a really as ‘feel good’ as it gets. As the YouTube description says, this song was “developed from the notion that everything in the universe leaves an indelible mark — or a subtle trace — on everything it encounters.”

Traces of you. Linger like a tear drop. Fresh upon the air. My heart sings for you. Play me like a rain cloud. Sounds upon the air

8. Thom Yorke — Suspirium

This song by Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke, is rather melancholic & reflective & is by far, in conception, his trademark sound. The way he leaves his imprint on the lyrics and the beautiful and haunting piano motifs that form the base of the song, are rather moving.

The melancholy is a slight deviation to this playlist to mix things up a bit, but the song and the lyrics are very emotional and find a way to pierce through you and find a way through to your heart.

It’s more reflective, and melancholic and not as brimming with life as the other songs on this list, but as is the case with the best playlists, the slight divergence of sound makes for a more compelling listen.

The lyrics are rather thought-provoking and remind us to savor and keep the good times close to our hearts, and hold on to those moments, whether they’re ‘old songs’ or ‘laughter’, while also suggesting that ‘all is well’ if we keep ‘spinning’ — a metaphor just like the ebbing and flowing I was talking about at the start of this piece.

This is a waltz thinking about our bodies. What they mean for our salvation. The little clothes that we stand up in. Just the ground on which we stand. Is the darkness ours to take? Bathed in lightness, bathed in heat. All is well, as long as we keep spinning. Hear the old songs. And laughter within

9. Morcheeba — Enjoy The Ride

This song has a very important message. It’s surely one of British band Morcheeba’s best songs from their entire discography. It’s got hints of melancholy and mellow sounds, but the song and the lyrics echo the need to ‘see the bigger picture’ and ‘feel the joy of being alive’. It’s a reminder that the past is gone and to keep going, live your life to the fullest and enjoy it and stop the unnecessary people pleasing, referred to in the song as ‘chasing shadows’ and to ‘just enjoy the ride’. That’s the pervading message of the song to ‘just enjoy the ride’.

But oh, the road is long. The stones that you are walking on. Have gone. With the moonlight to guide you. Feel the joy of being alive. The day that you stop running. Is the day that you arrive. Stop chasing shadows. Just enjoy the ride

10. Norah Jones feat Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks — If You Want The Rainbow, You Must Have The Rain

This song is from the HBO TV show ‘Boardwalk Empire’. It’s now been years since I watched the show. But if I’m not mistaken, they play it in the last episode right at the end, as Nucky dies in the finale. The song is actually an old ’30s or ’50s song; the original composer/songwriter of the song remains elusive. But Norah Jones’ cover and the instrumentals played on the piano with the orchestral parts by Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks are make for a pleasant treat, that underpins the need to face & overcome struggles, ‘the rain’ to get the ‘rainbow’. It’s a beautiful, important and moving song and the lyrics carry a very important message and are a gentle reminder that you need to have a bit of pain in your life if you want the happy ending.

Take your share of trouble, face it and don't complain. If you want the rainbow, you must have the rain. Happiness comes double after a little pain
If you want the rainbow, you must have the rain.Sadness ends in gladness, showers are not in vain. If you want the rainbow, you must have the rain.

If you like this list and the music made you feel good, you can buy me a coffee on the link below!

Peace, love, light & rock and roll! \m/