Songs of hope and inspiration

[DevilsAdvocate]

What is your favorite song of hope and inspiration? Preferably secular, but some religious songs can be amazing. I'd like to find some that I haven't found. Here's a few I like:

Celine Dion: I'm Alive
Beethoven: Ode to Joy
Tiesto with Kirsty Hawkshaw: Just Be

What other great songs are out there?

[Blue Mountain]

"Mary Ellen Carter" by Canadian folk artist Stan Rogers.

[EeneyMinnieMoe]

"Amazing Grace", in any rendition and on bagpipes.

"God Bless America"

"The Battle Hymn of the Republic"

"All Things Bright and Beautiful"

"Singin' in the Rain"

[DevilsAdvocate]

"Mary Ellen Carter" by Canadian folk artist Stan Rogers.Thank. Not exactly my type of music, but certianly the sort of song I'm look for. Thank you.:)

[DevilsAdvocate]

"Amazing Grace", in any rendition and on bagpipes.Yeah. I like Amazing Grace. Do you have a nice version with bagpipes you could send me?

"God Bless America"Perhaps. But this seems more just patriotic. I'm thinking of something more personal.

"The Battle Hymn of the Republic"Way too Christian. The tune certainly works up inspiration, but it's hard for anon-christian to get into this song at all.

"All Things Bright and Beautiful"Decent. The religous bent makes it not work well. It seems to celebrate God more than life. And the tune isn't terribly impressive.

"Singin' in the Rain"Clockwork Orange.

[fuelair]

"Mary Ellen Carter" by Canadian folk artist Stan Rogers.
Well said!! And not his only one that is!!!!!:):):):):)

[Piscivore]

"Laid" by James
"Read My Mind" by the Killers
"Clint Eastwood" by Gorrilaz
"40'" by Franz Ferdinand
"Lose Yourself" by Eminem
"F[Rule X] Tha Police" by NWA
"Inflammatory Writ" and "Bridges and Balloons" by Joanna Newsom
"O, Valencia" and "Perfect Crime" by The Decemberists
"Fernando" by ABBA
"Repo Man" by Iggy Pop
"Excitable Boy" and "Lawyers, Guns and Money" by Warren Zevon
"Anarchy in the UK" by The Sex Pistols
"LDN" and "Nan, Your a Window Shopper" by Lily Allen
"Shambala" by Three Dog Night
Pretty much any song by The Who.

[MG1962]

"Amazing Grace", in any rendition and on bagpipes.



One of my most cherished memories was the 2000 New Year celebrations broadcast from London. A black woman started with a traditional gospel version of this, then it morphed through version after version before ending in a Queen-like heavy rock rendition. At no time did the hairs on the back on my neck go down. I dont think there is a more versatile song on the planet. It works no matter how you treat it.

[Piscivore]

Oh, and "Coming to America" by Neil Diamond.

[Lisa Simpson]

Imagine by John Lennon

[Gurdur]

Anything by The Moody Blues.

[madurobob]

Well, obviously "hope and Inspiration" are in the ear of the beholder.

One of my favorites "C'mon in my kitchen" by Robert Johnson.

Then again, strangely enough, anything from Nirvana's "Nevermind".

[madurobob]

"Amazing Grace", in any rendition and on bagpipes.
Oh yes, that, too. Went on a Windjammer cruise a while back and they played it every morning as we raised the sails. Several people were moved to tears each morning.

Of course we were all drunk from the rum punch they served for breakfast.

Oh, and don't forget Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing". Now THATS a song of hope!

[EeneyMinnieMoe]

I'm glad to see "Amazing Grace", on bagpipes and not, is so popular. :) It truly belongs on any list of the top 100 songs of all time.

Hehe, well you know, there's an "other movie" that Singin' In the Rain "also" appeared in :D. Where it appears in a completely non-rape context. :D

Even the unused verse of the song is a lovely piece of work:

Why do I smile
and why do I sing?
Why does September seem as sunny as spring?
Why do I get up each morning and start,
Happy and head up with joy in my heart?
Why is each new task a trifle to do?
Because I'm living a life full of you.

[TheDoLittle]

"Bein' Green" performed by Ray Charles (though the Kermit version is always tops).

[uruk]

I prefer songs of mope and desperation.

But anyhoos.
"I want it all" by Queen
"One vision" also by Queen
"1812 Overture" by Chi'coughski...Tsikofsky...uh the Russian guy.
"O Fortuna" by Karl Orff [?]
"Freedom" by George Michael
"Rods and Cones" by The Blue Man Group.
"Hyperactiveate" by Thomas Dolby
"Burning down the House" by Talking Heads
"Fly away" by Lenny Kravitz
"All is full of love" by Bjork
"America" as performed by Ray Charles
"Over the rainbow/What a wonderfull world" as performed by that Hawaiian singer (sorry I don't remember his name)
"Living in America" by James Brown
"Tank!" by Yoko Kanno (otherwise known as the theme song to Cowboy Beebop. I use it as my ring tone)
"Ask DNA" also by Yoko Kanno

These are just some of the songs that get me out of bed and through the darkest of days.

[this charming man]

Hope - by the Descendents (http://www.lyricsondemand.com/d/descendentslyrics/hopelyrics.html)

[juniper_ann]

I’m on My Way by The Proclaimers
Soak up the Sun by Sheryl Crow
Life is a Highway by Rascal Flatts
When You Come Back Down by Nickel Creek
Love Today by Mika
Unforgettable by Nat King Cole
She’s My Kind of Rain by Tim McGraw
You’ve Got a Friend by James Taylor
Lean on Me by Bill Withers

ETA: Oh, and the movie Singing in the Rain also contains the song "Good Morning," but that might be too darn cheery to be genuinely uplifting.

[Crossbow]

Winter by Tori Amos.

[EeneyMinnieMoe]

Ok, don't laugh, but during nights spent in front of the computer screen and feeling not so much violently depressed or miserable but glum and deattached, I like to search youtube for Josh Groban clips. :o Enspecially "You Raise Me Up" and "You are Loved".

And Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey clips. And songs from Disney movies.

Stop that laughing!

[sir drinks-a-lot]

"I'm not Down" by The Clash:

So I have lived, that kind of day
When none of your sorrows will go away
Go down and down and hit the floor
Down and down and down some more
Depression
But I know, there'll be some way
When I can swing everything back my way
Like skyscrapers, rising up
Floor by floor, I'm not giving up

Also:

"Alone with the Moon" by the Tiger Lillies

[NobbyNobbs]

"Bein' Green" performed by Ray Charles (though the Kermit version is always tops).

Speaking of which, "The Rainbow Connection" makes my list.

Also, "What a Wonderful World", by Louis Armstrong

[Tricky]

Lots of Broadway songs:

Defying Gravity from Wicked
Hold On from The Secret Garden
You'll Never Walk Alone from Carousel
Make Them Hear You from Ragtime
Something Wonderful from The King and I
Anthem from Chess
Do You Hear the People Sing from Les Miserables
Something's Coming from West Side Story (also Quartet)
Many a New Day from Oklahoma
Climb Every Mountain from The Sound of Music
Go the Distance from Hercules (yeah, the Disney cartoon)
Once Upon A Dream from Sleeping Beauty (another cartoon)
What I Did for Love from A Chorus Line
Children Will Listen from Into The Woods
Sunset Boulevard from Sunset Boulevard
Gethsemene (I Only Want to Say) from Jesus Christ Superstar
Don't Rain on My Parade from Funny Girl
Point of No Return from The Phantom of the Opera
Old Man River from Show Boat
Somewhere That's Green from Little Shop of Horrors
Listening to You from Tommy


(maybe a few others)

[Cello Man]

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[DevilsAdvocate]

Why do I smile
and why do I sing?
Why does September seem as sunny as spring?
Why do I get up each morning and start,
Happy and head up with joy in my heart?
Why is each new task a trifle to do?
Because I'm living a life full of you.Those are awesome lryics. And it is a great song. I'm listening to the original over and over to get that version in my head. It is a really great song.

[DevilsAdvocate]

Lots of Broadway songsI'll check them out. I'm not much of a broadway music fan though.

[DevilsAdvocate]

Wow! Lot's of great songs! I'm still trying to catch up.

I'd really love to have anything that can help someone deal with mental illness or cancer. Anything good for alcoholism would be good too.

[TheDoLittle]

Speaking of which, "The Rainbow Connection" makes my list.

Also, "What a Wonderful World", by Louis Armstrong

I just remembered one this morning. Another Joe Raposo favorite of mine, also orignally from Sesame Street, "Sing". Though the song went Gold under The Carpenter's version, I feel the original Sesame Street singers version is better.

[grayman]

Things Can Only Get Better - Howard Jones

[The Darkest One]

Sunshine Day by the Brady Bunch and Sugar Sugar by The Archies :duck:

[this charming man]

Here Comes the Sun - by the Beatles (George) (http://www.lyrics007.com/print.php?id=TlRJeU9UTTU)

[gnome]

The Five Stairsteps - Ooh Child (Things Are Gonna Get Easier)

A favorite of mine, though it's being used incessantly in a commercial right now.

[gnome]

"Do You Hear The People Sing?", Enjolras, from Les Miserables, but it might be a bit too specific.

[Foolmewunz]

Ditto Amazing Grace.

Add: Hallelujah - by Leonard Cohen (Concession to the Buckley version)
Add: The Hallelujah Chorus - by some old dude





>Tricky,

How'd you leave out Merman?
"Everything's Coming up Roses" from Gypsy

Also from Broadway...
"Somewhere" from West Side Story

ETA: How could I leave out my two favorites from my yute....

(Your love keeps lifting me) Higher and Higher - by the amazing Jackie Wilson

Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon & Garfunkel

[Foolmewunz]

Aww crap... Now Tricky's got me going through Broadway show tunes in my mind, and it's only 0700 in the morning here before a long work day. I'll probably break out into a chorus of.....

Cabaret - the movie version (kudos to Fosse)

".....when I go-o-o-o, I'm going like El-sie..."

[dudalb]

"Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life" by Monty Python.

[EeneyMinnieMoe]

Those are awesome lryics. And it is a great song. I'm listening to the original over and over to get that version in my head. It is a really great song.

:Beams: Told you so!

Have you ever seen the film? It has one of the greatest song and dance numbers of all time to this song.

[EeneyMinnieMoe]

Wow! Lot's of great songs! I'm still trying to catch up.

I'd really love to have anything that can help someone deal with mental illness or cancer. Anything good for alcoholism would be good too.

Erhm, if I can ask, why do you need these song suggestions?

[DevilsAdvocate]

Just a little project putting together a little a compilation to share with some friends.

I have a pretty eclectic taste in music. I like to put together a group of songs to make my own compilations and then sometimes share them with people. So I was looking for some new music (at least new to me), and the stuff I was finding just seemed to have this theme of hope. I have a friend going through some rough times and decided to put together some music for him. Then someone I know battling cancer sent me some inspirational stuff. Then I started thinking about other people I know facing challenges who would like a compilation of inspirational music.

But I sort of hit a block and couldn't think of any more songs to add. When I searched the internet I was just coming up with a bunch of Christian stuff. Most of my friends aren't real big on the religion thing. So I thought I would ask here for some suggestions.

[Lisa Simpson]

Speaking of which, "The Rainbow Connection" makes my list.

I like Me First and the Gimme Gimme's version of The Rainbow Connection, better than the Kermit version.

[Foolmewunz]

Interesting that in a board supposedly populated solely by Atheists and Agnostics (in the opinions of some) that the overwhelming favorite is a theist choice, Amazing Grace.

I guess it has as much to do with the music as the lyrics, obviously. Also, the lyrics to Amazing Grace and Ode to Joy (not the translated Sister Act II gospel version) are not overwhelmingly bible-thumping.

Now, if you want to cross over to truly theistic but nevertheless inspirational and uplifting...(in addition to the Handel I mentioned earlier)....

Oh, Happy Day! (The original... but speaking of Sister Act, the version in the first Sister Act was pretty good, too.)

[WildCat]

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[WildCat]

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[Soapy Sam]

I'm not great on inspiring songs.
TomLehrer, Gilbert & Sullivan and Flanders & Swann are more my kind of thing.

[Lothian]

Things Can Only Get Better - Howard JonesNoooooo, gives a depressing reminder of the false hope new labour brought.

Better is I Get Knocked Down by Chumbawamba or Lose yourself by Eminem

[Beady]

Amazing Grace -- already discussed;

Jupiter: The Bringer of Jollity, from Holst' The Planets Suite -- besides the orchestral version(s), Charlotte Church has a good vocal;

Men of Harlech -- my favorite vocal is from the movie "Zulu," but Charlotte Church does a version in both English and Welch.

Oh Canada -- we should have had a Canadian write our our national anthem.

[thatguywhojuggles]

Imagine by John Lennon

Assuming the radio station playing it hasn't edited out "and no religion too"

[Denial]

I See a Darkness - Bonnie "Prince" Billy aka Will Oldham (Johnny Cash did an awesome version on American III)

It's on the darker side of things (well, duh), personally happyhappy-joyjoy music doesn't do it for me.

A-ednnJsOq4

Oh, and everything Joy Division has made gets me through the tough times, some sort of reverse psychology going on there. ;)

[TX50]

Men of Harlech -- my favorite vocal is from the movie "Zulu," but Charlotte Church does a version in both English and Welch.


A clip of the film "Zulu" with the song is here:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=YrZbUS0MaY4

Sung more a gesture of defiance, I think, but still one of the greatest
ever movie moments (almost a pity it never really happened). The Zulu
singing is rather awesome in that scene too!

Charlotte Church? Not sure I approve of girls singing warlike songs, really.

[JoeEllison]

Anything by Slipknot.

[CriticalThanking]

Netherlands by Dan Fogelberg

The lyrics (http://www.lyred.com/lyrics/Dan+Fogelberg/Netherlands/Nether+Lands/) and full orchestration combine beautifully. I started to quote the lyrics and realized the entire song is great.

CT

[CriticalThanking]

Imagine by John LennonNormally I would agree. My son recently introduced me to the group Perfect Circle - ok, ok I am years behind the times. They did a version that turns a song of almost childlike hope into a desperate plea. I have to be careful to pick the version that fits the mood of the moment.

CT

[dogguy]

Going against the grain here - I despise Amazing Grace in any form, and I'm a fanatic for the pipes. I will turn off the stereo/leave the room/whatever it takes to avoid it when this tune is sung or played.

In reply to th OP -

- Into the Mystic by Van Morrison.
- Magnificat by CPE Bach, specifically the opening chorus.

[this charming man]

I See a Darkness - Bonnie "Prince" Billy aka Will Oldham (Johnny Cash did an awesome version on American III)

It's on the darker side of things (well, duh), personally happyhappy-joyjoy music doesn't do it for me.

A-ednnJsOq4

Oh, and everything Joy Division has made gets me through the tough times, some sort of reverse psychology going on there. ;)

Yay, another JD fan. I love Joy Division; I started playing bass because of Hooky.

[Beady]

Charlotte Church? Not sure I approve of girls singing warlike songs, really.

Y'know why Indian fighters used to save the last bullet for themselves? So they wouldn't be captured and turned over to the women.

[RatBoy]

Dry River by Dave Alvin
Closer to the Heart by Rush
Hello Hooray by Alice Cooper

[TellyKNeasuss]

Handel: Hallelujah Chorus
Sibelius: Finlandia

[Childlike Empress]

brand-new: Gentleman - "Serenity". I really like the song and the video. Please excuse the german accent. :p

_JgttJycnmA

[DevilsAdvocate]

Imagine by John LennonGood one. But of John Lennon's songs I think "Watching the Wheels" affects me most. I'm not sure there is really any hope or inspiration there, but there is perhaps comfort and perspective.

[DevilsAdvocate]

WOW!!! Lots of great songs! I'll share a few more on my list:

Moving On - Weekend Excursion
The WAND - Flaming Lips
Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon and Garfunkel
It's a Fine Day - Kirsty Hawkshaw
Fearless - Pink Floyd
Yeah Yeah Yeah - Flaming Lips
Brighter Than Sunshine - Aqualung

[Radwaste]

Don't miss "Winterborn", "Resist/R" and "Birthday", by The Cruxshadows. They were at Dragoncon again this year.