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23 replies

ABBA and Ally McBeal

HI Heidi in PittsburghSecret God
OK, did anyone ever watch Ally McBeal? (Cancelled last year on Fox...) She had this thing where she had a "feelgood song" that no matter what, no matter how uspet she was, she could play this song and feel good. They'd show her walking down the street being really upset and then singing the song in her head, and changing her stride, changing her pace, smiling.

So, first off, I want to know what everyone's "feelgood songs" are in case I can check them out, too.

One of mine is definitely "Dancing Queen" by ABBA. (My husband is very, very frightened by this.) Yesterday, he saw an ABBA greatest hits CD in a sale bin, saw that it had "Dancing Queen" on it, and bought it for me. There are a bunch of things I guess I never realized about ABBA, one being how many of their songs I recognize, and the other being what good musicians they were. I mean, the two guys did amazing things with nothing but a keyboard, in the late 70's, and preceded Morrissey by 10 to 15 years in the concept of "morbid lyrics, happy song." The two ladies have an unbelievable vocal range in spite of their IKEA accents. Wink (I've decided that Tim Finn covering ABBA would be GREAT, but it wouldn't work with Neil.)

So yes...even though I recognize a certain "Lawrence Welk goes Disco" quality about them, I've been listening to a lot of ABBA this weekend, and for a change, I feel great. Smiler

I guess this is a twofold topic then....what are your "Ally McBeal Feelgood Songs" and discussion of my general endorsement of the curative powers of ABBA.

ps. Another of my ultimate feelgood songs is "Karma Chameleon."
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A AnselmAddicted
Well, I absolutely HATE the music of Abba and think of them as nothing more than writers of catchy, throwaway bubblegum pop. I don't think they excelled as musicians at all - songwriters and arrangers with an acute ability to write a hit single, maybe yes. You can't argue with their success though - they definitely recognised what people wanted and hit the jackpot time after time. What irritates me is the way that Abba are now seen as kind of cleverly kitsch - to me they were always very irritating. Funnily enough, the only song I hate more than Dancing Queen is Karma Chameleon (urgh) so I suppose there's no accounting for taste...

Sorry! Cool

Feelgood songs for me: From Me To You (The Beatles), Weather With You (CH), Good Vibrations (Beach Boys), Dreams (Fleetwood Mac), Don't You Want Me (Human League), The Life Of Riley (The Lightning Seeds)....many many more...
HI Heidi in PittsburghSecret God
Yes. You're absolutely right. It IS bubblegum, and that's precisely what the doctor ordered for me on days like today. You gotta give it up to anyone who's unrepentant in their cheesiness!

Another terrific example: Tom Jones! Smiler

I'd be utterly lying to say I don't have a shameless, dark place that loves it. And, lest anyone think that's ALL I like, Goth, country, blues...ALL have a place with me depending on the mood. I really like Neil Finn, too. Wink

[edited for a typo]
G grace0418Secret God
Are you kidding, Abba is AWESOME! All of their songs are feelgood classics! You just have to let go of rationality and enjoy it. They're like musical empty calories. Sometimes a candy bar just does the trick like nothing else. Rent "Muriel's Wedding" if you haven't seen it. And, by the way Anselm, how can you like Human League but react so negatively to Abba? Of course, I love the Human League too, but I readily admit to my cheesy music hankering Wink

My other feel good faves are: "Dr. Worm" by They Might Be Giants (along with "Particle Man," "Bangs," "Don't Lets Start," and "Mammal"), "Love Plus One" by Haircut 100, "New Song" by Howard Jones, "War" by Culture Club, "Don't You Worry Bout a Thing" by Stevie Wonder (along with "Sir Duke," and "I Wish"), "Mambo de La Luna" by Kirsty McCall, and "Poison Arrow" by ABC.

I have tons more, but you get the idea: 80s Music= Feelgood. I must need cheering up a lot!

Don't feel bad about it at all, Heidi, I think people who's musical tastes are all over the board are great. It shows you aren't afraid to like what you like, and no radio demographic is going to pigeon-hole you. I'm the same way. I used to make the most bizare mix tapes in college with music from James Taylor, Abba, Joy Division, Stevie Wonder, Crowded House, Revolting Cocks and Erasure all on one tape.
J jennSecret God
Anselm, what do you have against kitsch? Razzer

Well, I'm taking this topic in the fun way that Heidi intended and have to say that Abba rule. (Sorry, there is something wrong with my keyboard, I can't put an exclamation mark but I would if I could)
They just wrote perfect pop masterpieces like the Bee Gees...I would say my favorite song would be "Take A Chance On Me", infectious Smiler

Anyways, as far as feel good songs go....put on a disco song, and I'm happy Wink
P pfellahGetting Somewhere
General category -- Any song with Doo-Doos in it... ("She Will Have Her Way", Tal Bachman's "She's So High", Duran-squared's "Hungry Like The Wolf"). Any song you can "doo-doo" along with is all right by me... Smiler

It's Not Unusual -- Tom Jones
This Charming Man -- The Smiths (it's the jangly guitar)
It's The End Of The World As We Know It -- R.E.M.
American Girls -- Counting Crows
Istanbul -- They Might Be Giants

...and actually, to bring this back to the land of Finn, there's a couple catchy bring-a-smile-to-your-face tunes on the new Rhett Miller CD, so I'm looking forward to seeing him open for Neil.
S SueBeeSecret God
B-52s- Private Idaho, Give Me Back My Man, Love Shack, Dead Beat Club... Ah, heck, just about any B-52s song.

Dee-lite- Groove Is In The Heart

The The- This Is The Day

Thomas Dolby- Hyperactive/ She Blinded Me...

Rusted Root (sorry, Philly folks)- Cat Turned Blue

Haircut 100- Favourite Shirt

I also have an old Ska record with Madness, the Selector, and a bunch of other stuff. Free Nelson Mandela always gets me going, now that it's been done. Sort of a celebration of real life. And then I start digging through my old records, and that is so much fun. Nothing sounds so good as Time & Tide complete with cracks and pops.
S SueBeeSecret God
quote:
Originally posted by Bsnifter:
[qb]And you can put me in the "I hate ABBA" catergory..nothing wrong with being cheesy if you KNOW you're cheesy,I just don't think they ever got the joke.

Brandi[/qb]
But it WAS the '70s. All those bands, BeeGees included, took themselves way too seriously...Even the Village People...
HI Heidi in PittsburghSecret God
Roll Eyes

(rolls eyes and points out that Rusted Root are --unfortunately -- from PITTSBURGH, not Philly...one of the guys lives in our neighborhood. My mom lives across the street from the drummer for 10,000 Maniacs...his name is Jerry and he's very cool, toured with Tim Finn once.)

Agree with hubby's doodoo rule and a few of the ones mentioned like B52's "Roam," Counting Crows "American Girl," Howard Jones' "New Song." (It goes without saying that the Finns are TOTALLY on this list too, that's a given....)

I'd like to add "God Shuffled His Feet" by the Crash Test Dummies (the WHOLE DARNED CD, that is...), "Video Killed the Radio Star," U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," INXS' "New Sensation," and that song by They Might Be Giants that goes, "She wants a shoe horn, the kind with teeth...'cos she knows there's no such thing." And the "Galaxy Song" done by Eric Idle during the "Meaning of Life" movie, as well as "Always look at the bright side of life (whistling goes here)" And just about anything done by Adam Sandler cracks me up.

Must point out re: Rhett Miller that one song is about a girl named Heidi who's "a house on fire" and "is always leaving."
B BettyThat's What I Call Love
OMG Sue....we have such similar tastes!
Anything by the B52's is all right with me. "Give Me Back My Man" was always one of my favorites....And "Rock Lobster" that song ROCKS

Feel Good Song as of late is:

"Go All The Way" by the Raspberries.

It's the first thing played in my car in the am as I go to work.

(hey, how do you get to replicate other's words in your own posts in a box, it doesn't work by using the Quote UBB code.....)
A annefrancisGetting Somewhere
Heidi - the only episode I ever saw of Ally McBeal is the one I think you are talking about...is it where Ally's Therapist (played by Tracey Ullman) asks what her "theme song/feelgood song" is? I remember watching that episode and mine immediately came to mind -

Passionate Kisses by Mary Chapin Carpenter

It always cheers me up, encourages me and lifts my spirits!

That said, there is a healing power in ABBA songs. And Suenotsusan - Give Me Back My Man is my ALL TIME favorite B-52 song! I don't know many people who know that song! I love singing it at the top of my lungs!
SM sister madly in da houseGetting Somewhere
lots of stuff by Madness, James, Simon and Garfunkel and of course Crowded House.

Boston "more than a feeling"
Katrina and the Waves - "walking on sunshine"
Blur - "charmless man" and "country house"
belinda carlisle - "heaven is a place on earth"
handel - "the arrival of the queen of sheba"
kate bush "wuthering heights"
ryan adams "new york new york" and "answering bell"
whitney "i wanna dance with somebody"
a-ha "take on me"
erasure "a little respect"

b*witched and s club are usually quite good too.
S SueBeeSecret God
quote:
Originally posted by Heidi in Pittsburgh:
[qb] Roll Eyes

(rolls eyes and points out that Rusted Root are --unfortunately -- from PITTSBURGH, not Philly...one of the guys lives in our neighborhood. My mom lives across the street from the drummer for 10,000 Maniacs...his name is Jerry and he's very cool, toured with Tim Finn once.)

[/qb]
Oops.. I knew that (saw RR at 3 Rivers), just having geographical brain cramp... At work we have a site in Olyphant, Pa, which is referred to as Philly, and, ah, I was thinking one thing and typing another... Well, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

I still like Rusted Root although they take themselves way too seriously. Spread the Cheese Whiz on thick!
J jennSecret God
Ok, I just went to this old thread
Feel good tape to look up what I had put on that thread and pasted it below because I'm too lazy to try and remember all of my choices:

Best Of My Love" The Emotions
"Smoke From A Distant Fire" The Sanford Townsend Band
"Some Kind Of Wonderful" Grand Funk
"And When I Die" Blood, Sweat & Tears
"Calypso" John Denver
"Cupid" Sam Cooke
"Chuck E's In Love" Rickie Lee Jones
"Out Of Touch" Hall & Oates (pretty much any Hall & Oates song)
"Good Times" Chic
"Free Man In Paris" Joni Mitchell
"Stand By Me" John Lennon's version
"Up On Cripple Creek" The Band
"When The World Is Running Down, You Make The Best Of What's Still Around" The Police
"Train In Vain" The Clash
"Genius Of Love" The Tom Tom Club
"Play That Funky Music" Wild Cherry
"Pick Up The Pieces" The Average White Band
"What Have I Done To Deserve This" The Pet Shop Boys
"It Keeps You Running" & "Here To Love You" by The Doobie Brothers
"Bad Reputation" Freedy Johnston
"We Are Family" Sister Sledge
"Dancing Queen" ABBA

Hey, Heidi, I put Dancing Queen too! Smiler Wink

and yay!!!! I got a new keyboard so I can now do exclamation points!!!!! (see my previous entry above)
boarderGurlboarderGurlThat's What I Call Love
Ok, first off....ABBA rules!! LOL hehehe....had to get that out of my system! Wink

"Walking on Sunshine" - Katrina and the Waves. I simply CAN'T sit still when I hear this song! And I'm not a dancer, so I basically just start bobbing my head all around.....kind of like a hyperactive bobble-head doll!

"The Futures So Bright (I Gotta Wear Shades)" - Timbuk 3. Hmmmmm.....what else do I need to say?

"I Will Survive" - CAKE. Yes, the Cake version!! They made it SUCH a better song by altering one lyric....."I shoulda changed that f#@$ing lock..."

....and there are SO many more!! Ah, Ally McBeal. I had SO many Ally nights with my best friend...we'd make sure to have enough Ben & Jerry's for the whole episode, and empathize with poor Ally. So much FUN!!
G grace0418Secret God
quote:
Originally posted by jenn:
[qb]Ok, I just went to this old thread
Feel good tape to look up what I had put on that thread and pasted it below because I'm too lazy to try and remember all of my choices:

[/qb]
Good ones Jenn

Here's my old post:
Particle Man- They Might Be Giants
Don't Let's Start- They Might Be Giants
Minimum Wage- TMBG
Where Do They Make Balloons?- TMBG
...well, really, ANYTHING TMBG
Balloon Man- Robin Hitchcock and the Egyptians
Lovecats- The Cure
Summertime- The Sundays
Mayor of Simpleton- XTC
Love Plus One- Haircut 100
Groove is in the Heart- Delight
La Femme Accident- OMD
Paradise- Finn
Cold Beverages- G Love and Special Sauce
Wouldn't It Be Good?- Nik Kershaw
1000 Flowers- Cibo Matto
Sci-Fi Wasabi- Cibo Matto
Beef Jerky- Cibo Matto
Five Get Overexcited- The Housemartins
Sheep- The Housemartins
Me and the Farmer- The Housemartins
Hourglass- Squeeze
Cool for Cats- Squeeze
Tenderness- General Public
Love Shack - B-52s
Only Love Can Break Your Heart- St. Etienne
Oblivious-Aztec Camera
Hit- The Sugarcubes
New Song- Howard Jones
War- Culture Club
One Step Beyond- Madness
Sexuality- Billy Bragg
My Ever Changing Moods- The Style Council
Poison Arrow- ABC

Gosh, I can't believe I forgot some of these on my post this morning! I want to go home and make this mix tape right now (well, really, mix cd)!
MM matthew mcneillLoungeroom Lizard
Great to see 'Smoke from a Distant Fire' by Sanford Townsend Band get a guernsey! A gem.

Some of my feelgood songs include:

TMBG - They Got Lost and Dr Worm
Rickie Lee Jones - Danny's All Star Joint
Tim - Underwater Mountain and Crescendo
Beach Boys - Breakaway
Madness - It Must be Love
Ian Dury - Reasons to be Cheerful, Pt 3
Mental as Anything - Nips, Romeo and Juliet,
Phil Judd - Concrete and Steel
Aust Crawl- Boys Light Up
Radiators - Comin Home
Dragon - Celebration(I don't care how daggy it is)
Jonathon Richman - the Baltimores
Dave Dobbyn - Just Add Water, Whaling
Radio Birdman - Aloha Steve and Danno
Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band - My Canary has circles under his eyes.

Apart from those, I often turn to swing to cheer up during a bad day. Stuff like Al Bowlly (Britain's greatest crooner, killed in the blitz), Fats Waller and Fred Astaire. Swing is the thing!!

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