Songs I Play on Repeat

It is that song you just can’t get out of your head. You hear it once, maybe twice, and the next thing you know you are humming it while you do your dishes. You start singing it in the shower—disjointed lines because you haven’t memorized it yet. Sometimes just one line repeats itself over and over and over until you simply can’t stand it. You HAVE to listen to that song again. If you were smart, you immediately searched for the song when you first heard it and added it to your Spotify playlist (or wherever you get your music). If you didn’t have the foresight, you either desperately typed those disjointed lines into Google or turned back to that radio station just hoping it will come on the radio again.

I can’t even sing but I have done all of those things. I could only remember a couple of words once but eventually, I hunted that song down and I played it to death. Songs that get stuck in my head help me process my emotions. As a teenager, depression was my entire world. Add in the loss of a childhood pet, moving to a town away from my friends, parents getting divorced. I had some baggage to process. I got really into “emo” music and loved 30 Seconds to Mars and Thursday. My mom’s friend got me every Thursday CD (yes it was the early 2000’s). I would play them over and over. Later in life, I was dealing with the disappearance of a best friend and then numerous breakups (LOTS of George Strait, Garth Brooks, and Dierks Bentley). I’m from Alberta and spent a lot of time on farms so the shift back to country music made sense. Jason Aldean’s “Night Train”, Dallas Smith’s “Sleepin’ Around”, and Chris Young’s “I’m Comin’ Over” were part of the soundtrack to a more recent breakup playlist.

Most of my earworms have lyrics I can quickly pick up on or include striking visuals. I find them soothing and zen. A few of my favourites:

“A 1000 Times” by Hamilton Leithauser – By far my most played song.

“I had a dream that you were mine / I've had that dream a thousand times…”

The lyrics still get to me because I have had that dream a thousand times and counting. I still have an emotional reaction and can’t help singing along. And this line: “I watched the sparks fly off the fire.” I just can’t get over it—visually simple. Beautiful. I’m gushing. Let’s move on.

“Riptide” by Vance Joy – It’s clever and upbeat in a way I can’t quite explain. Not to mention just incredibly catchy and easy to recall. Somehow still fits into the hopeless romantic genre too… I’m a sucker, I know.

Every song by Zola Blood, especially “Good Love”, “Play Out”, and “Only You”. “I’ll be the left side if you’ll be the right.” I’m a lefty so it works. All of them are chill and easy to listen to.

I have equal love for two songs by Michael Kiwanuka. The lyrics speak to me as a person. “Love & Hate”:

“How much more are we supposed to tolerate / Can't you see there's more to me than my mistakes / Sometimes I get this feeling - makes me hesitate”

and “Cold Little Heart”:

“Did you ever notice / I've been ashamed / All my life / I've been playing games.”

The same can be said for Leon Bridges “Beyond” which is actually upbeat:

“Don't wanna get ahead of myself / Feeling things I've never felt / It's kinda hard for me to explain.”

Plus “River” is so loaded with emotion:

“Been traveling these wide roads / For so long / My heart's been far from you / Ten thousand miles gone.”

Enough about me though. Here are a few earworms from other Vocal creators:

“Crazy Crazy Nights” by Kiss – Frank Martinelli calls this an absolute mood changer that can lift him up even when at his lowest.

“Born to Run” by Springsteen – When I asked Paul Combs why, he insisted it is “The Greatest Song Ever” from when it first grabbed him at the age of nine it remains something of a life anthem for him.

“Luna” by Moonspell – Is one of a few songs inspiring Sofia Duarte. “It is all about inspiration,” she said, “all give me some kind of aura to the moment for that specific story.”

“Honey” by Rook Monroe – Leigh Hooper says this is “the perfect blend of chill and upbeat” to dance around her room. She included it in her own Zen Playlist:

“Have it All” by Jason Mraz - Leah Harris said, "It always puts me in a better mood and reminds me to stay optimistic. I listened to it a lot when I was pregnant with my son, and it reminds me every day of all the good things I want for him in life." Her Zen Playlist:

And one final fun song from my list: “Vanilla Curls” by Teddy Hyde. Cute and clever. Yes, I am a hopeless romantic.

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Everything is connected. Written by Kelsey Reich on April 4/2021 in Ontario, Canada.