Thursday, March 18, 2010

The happiest songs

Joe Posnanski has posted a list of 277 (and growing) songs that make him happy; it's a very personal list, as he points out, and there's a lot in it to disagree with (including his rules--one song per artist?), and his Bob Dylan song ("Don't Think Twice, It's Alright") is almost the antihesis of happy. But I did start thinking...and since I listen to a lot of jazz, here's what I have come up with, so far, in no particular order and with no restrictions:

Miles Davis, "Stella by Starlight," live on My Funny Valentine

Cannonball Adderly, "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy," live on Mercy, Mercy, Mercy (Of course, that whole album is happy..."Fun," "Games, "Sticks," "Hipadelphia,"
even "Sack 'o Woe"
)

Dave Brubeck, "Take Five," on Time Out

Pat Metheny, "Last Train Home," on Still Life (Talking) and live on The Road to You

Charles Lloyd, "Dream Weaver," on Dream Weaver

John Coltrane, "After the Rain," on Impressions

Stan Getz, "Con Alma," on Sweet Rain

Antonio Carlos Jobim, "The Red Blouse," on Wave (maybe the sexiest album I know of)

Oscar Peterson, "Let There Be Love," on Live At the Blue Note

Duke Ellington, "It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing," one place is on The Essential Duke Ellington

Louis Armstrong, "Walking My Baby Back Home," one place is on The Essential Louis Armstrong

I'll add to this, but right now I have to get back to work.

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