Songs That Make Me Smile

So, last year I wrote about my favorite workout songs and why they motivated me. Now I want to write about songs that put me in a good mood, no matter what. Tonight I was feeling mopey over my lack of a valentine, frustrated with the lady that came into Boom one minute before close and hung out there for another 20 minutes, and stressed out about the bus schedule and getting home. But then I took out my iPod, and before I knew it I had to hold myself back from singing out loud / standing up and dancing on the bus. Here are the top 10 songs guaranteed to put a smile on my face (in no particular order):

1) Little Bitty Pretty One by Bobby Darin — Remember that scene in Matilda when she stands up on the coffee table and makes the poker chips fly all around her? This song was playing on the little jukebox. It makes me feel like a little kid.

2) Sweet Mistakes by Ellis Paul — There are two lines I love from this song. The first: "Thank the Lord for the friends he cast in the play he wrote for you." The second: "If you live your life in a three-peice suit, a cocktail dress or combat boots, you pick your path and you walk your truth and the world will come 'round to you." It's a good life motto.

3) Accidentally in Love by Counting Crows — This song makes me want to be in love. It's joyful.

4) Jack and Diane by John Cougar Mellencamp — My love for this song began at Wilderness Adventure, the backpacking camp in Virginia that was my home away from home for many summers in a row. One summer when I was 14, the guys in my group sang this song during one particularly hard hike and it made the experience so much more fun. Whenever I hear this song, it takes me back to that summertime life.

5) Open Happiness by Kardinal Offishal — Yes, the Coke song. But specifically the Canadian version (the girl singer is so much better). It never actually mentions Coke, it's just about having a positive attitude and starting each day happily.

6) You Make Me Smile by Uncle Kracker — Old, but this song is wonderful. It doesn't remind me of anyone or anything specific, but just of the people in my life that I love. All the people who make me smile. :)

7) Gimme That Girl by Joe Nichol — I hope the guy I end up with will feel this way about me. That's all.

8) Wagon Wheel by Old Crow Medicine Show — Eternal tri team bonding song and my all-time favorite song to harmonize to. If you play this song in my presence, you better be prepared to hear me sing.

9) The Captain by Guster — This song will always make me think of my dad. Especially the line "Courageous, just like a captain, marching forward with no doubt in his head." We blast this song in the car every time I'm home, and sing that line as loud as possible. When I'm away from my dad when I'm in Boulder, this song reminds me how lucky I am to have so much love in my family.

10) Born to Fly by Sara Evans — This has been "my" song ever since I was little. I love Sara Evans' country voice, and I love the lyrics:

"But how do you wait for heaven, and who has that much time? 

And how do you keep your feet on the ground when you know you were born to fly?"

Give and take,

Caryn