Songs to help get you through winter

In spite of the recent turn in the weather, spring break is nearly upon us, which should hopefully put most of us in a celebratory mood. If you still need to wallow in some remaining winter blues, however, I’ve created a playlist that’s a bit mellower than the last one.

It may seem counterintuitive to listen to sad music right before a break that has been dramatized in movies as one of over-the-top partying, but remember this: You, dear reader, are at the mercy of my mood swings.

“You” by Keaton Henson: This is a really beautiful song that makes me sad, happy and sentimental all at once. It has a gentle tune and is good to relax to or even fall asleep to if you’re looking for music to help you wind down at the end of the day.

“There Is a Light That Never Goes Out” by The Smiths: Not the most positive song given the chorus is about dying in a car crash, but it’s still got a wonderful tune and it’s lyrically beautiful. Plus, it’s The Smiths.

“Jet Pack Blues” by Fall Out Boy: I think this used to be my least favorite song on American Beauty/American Psycho, but I warmed up to it pretty quickly. It’s the kind of song that starts out slow but has an intense chorus.

“BlindFold” by Sleeping Wolf: Honestly, I found this song last year around this time, maybe a little earlier, and I love it. It’s not as slow as some of the others, but it’s got a satisfyingly dark tone that I tend to enjoy.

“Dramamine” by Modest Mouse: I really like to listen to this song during car rides or when I’m falling asleep. It doesn’t have a lot of lyrics, which makes it good for zoning out. Just maybe don’t listen to it if you’re driving.

“Don’t You Worry Child” by Swedish House Mafia: While this song is a bit of a throwback and was probably overplayed a few years ago, I couldn’t help adding it to the list. I remember listening to it a lot during late winter and early spring, so naturally I would think of it now. I found this song comforting for some reason, and I hope if you listen to it, you will too.

“Nouveau Parfum” by Boggie: Anyone speak French? This song is beautiful to listen to, whether you can understand the lyrics or not, though half of them happen to be popular brand names anyway. It’s got an interesting message, if you look the lyrics up, and I highly suggest watching the music video.

“Soldier” by Fleurie: I’ve only heard two songs from this artist, but both of them are absolutely gorgeous. Fleurie’s style is what I would call ethereal, and this song manages to be bittersweet and slow but badass at the same time.

“4:AM Forever” by Lostprophets: This is another bittersweet song that builds to an intense chorus. From what I can tell, it’s about friendship and loss, and it’s ambiguous enough to be relatable to various situations (though most songs are until you look up their meaning).

“Kingdom Come” by The Civil Wars: Not going to lie here, I put my Spotify playlist on shuffle, and this song came up, reminding me that it’s actually pretty good.

I decided to put it on the list because it kind of fits with the theme and it also brought me back to when I first read The Hunger Games in the eighth grade (this song is on the movie soundtrack). Ah, simpler times. So if you haven’t heard this song before, don’t let the movie it’s associated with discourage you from checking it out!