Baby, It's Cold Outside: Comfort Songs

There’s nothing like the end of February and beginning of March, when winter is frigid and hanging on just a little too long, to make you crave the sanctuary of something warm and soothing. Like many, I usually seek out food—soup, or stew, or—my greatest weakness—freshly baked cookies. But the other day, I was in the middle of trying to get my poor aching car warmed up when a song came on the radio that filled me with warmth. Suddenly, the day didn’t seem quite so bad.

Comfort songs: the songs that make you stop in the middle of what you’re doing and think back to a memory, a place, or a feeling that they invoke. I have many. For the sake of this article, here are the top fifteen that I can think of at the moment:

1)       Night Moves, Bob Seger. I grew up in Michigan; my mom lived around the corner from Bob Seger when they were young. I’m not sure if his brand of heartland rock plays as strongly to anyone outside of a five-state area, but Bob Seger has always represented a time and place to me, specifically this song, which speaks of summer and youth and all of those things that can feel so far away when it’s cold and you’re being a responsible adult. This was the song on the radio that triggered this column; it’s only fitting that it comes first.

2)       And It Stoned Me, Van Morrison. When I was in college, Van the Man was a staple of my musical diet. It’s hard to pick just one of his songs to go on this list, but And It Stoned Me comes out on top simply for the imagery.

3)       Downtown Train, Tom Waits. Forget the Rod Stewart version; go for the original. Many find Tom Waits’ voice off-putting. I find it soothing. I don’t know what that says about me.

4)       I Hear the Bells, Mike Doughty. First things first: I discovered this song through a television show, Veronica Mars, which used it to great effect. It’s better on it’s own, however, and it quickly became one of my go-to songs when I need a mood boost.

5)       2000 Miles, The Pretenders. The Pretenders are another band that I could fill practically the entire list from, but 2000 Miles has the same pseudo-christmas carol vibe that I Hear the Bells does, and there’s apparently something reassuring in that—for me, at least.

6)       Lose Yourself, Eminem. Again, I’m going to have to claim the Michigan influence on this one. This song sort of took over when it was released, and with the inspiring lyrics, it serves as a great pick-me-up.

7)       Darling Be Home Soon, The Loving Spoonful. I have always had a weak spot for British musicians. This is one of the sweetest songs I’ve ever heard.

8)       Sinnerman, Nina Simone. The woman is a miracle. One listen to Sinnerman’s driving piano and you’ll know what I mean.

9)       Chaiyya Chaiyya, Sukhwinder Singh and Sapna Athwasi. Another song from college. The theme from a Hindi film, Dil Se, this was remixed and used as the theme song for Spike Lee’s “Inside Man.”

10)   Cowboy, Take Me Away, The DixieChicks.There are certainly better Dixie Chicks songs, but this was the first one I heard that I really connected with. I became a fan after that.

11)   Here I Dreamt I Was An Architect, The Decemberists. Strangely enough, this isn’t my favorite Decemberists song, but I find it the most soothing.

12)   Basement Apartment, Sarah Harmer. I have a love for all things Canadian—Degrassi, Toronto, Stratford, Sloan, universal health care. Sarah Harmer is one of my favorite singer-songwriters from across the border. “Basement Apartment” details a bout of depression so simply and sympathetically, it’s like having a really great understanding shoulder to lean on when you’re feeling down.

13)   Just a Thought, Gnarls Barkley. Similarly, this Gnarls Barkley song also explores a corner of the vast ocean of depression (“I’ve tried everything but suicide, but it’s crossed my mind”) and ends up with the simple “but I’m fine” that can either be seen as reassuring or facetious; I prefer to take it the first way.

14)   Belong, REM.I’m sure there are a thousand people who will tell me how this isn’t one of the better REM songs, and I won’t argue with them about that. What I will argue is how well the song develops into an anthem of overcoming. Another one from my high school years.

15)   Should I Stay or Should I Go, The Clash. It is impossible for me to listen to this song and not start singing along, or, more embarrassingly, dancing.

 I told my sister I was writing this list, and she said she’d been thinking along similar lines, seeking out songs from her childhood and adolescence, the kinds of songs that helped her feel enthusiastic or more balanced. Looking over my list, I think that’s the key component. Most comfort songs become such by being a part of our history, or of a moment when things were going our way. Listen to the song brings back the feeling of being on top of the world.

 
So, then—what are your comfort songs? On a cold, depressing day, what do you seek out?