Listen: Here are the songs getting Boston through the quarantine
Boston.com readers share their favorite tracks for troubled times.
Related Links
When we asked Boston.com readers to share the one song that’s been helping them get through quarantine, we knew we’d get some eclectic responses. We just didn’t realize how eclectic.
Sure, some of the suggestions were pretty “on the nose” for our current state of existence. Case in point:
- “Don’t Stand So Close To Me” by The Police
- “Keep Yourself Alive” by Queen
- “Don’t Come Around Here No More” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
- “So Far Away” by Carole King
- “So Far Away” by Dire Straits
- “Splendid Isolation” by Warren Zevon
- “Ventilator Blues” by the Rolling Stones
But others ran the gamut. A few seemed determined to look on the bright side: For instance, “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, “Don’t Worry Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin, and “Alright” by Doctor Elvis & Doctor Robinson, two actual surgeons from the Mayo Clinic who insist that “everything is gonna be alright.” Some others seem focused on the need to lean on each other even as we stay apart: “Help Me Through” by Boston’s own The Elovaters, “You Raise Me Up” by Josh Groban, and of course “Lean On Me” by the late, great Bill Withers.
Other tracks are focused on doling out advice during troubled times, such as Taylor Swift’s suggestion to “Shake It Off,” or the request from Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real to “Turn Off The News (Build A Garden).” (Granted, it’s not especially good advice for a news organization to be promoting, but it’s such a lovely song we’ll let it go.)
And some of the songs are recent compositions that address the pandemic head on, like Luke Combs’ country lament “Six Feet Apart” (“I miss my mom, I miss my dad, I miss the road, I miss my band”), or the pointed (and definitely NSFW) rap track “Sunshine” by Young Dolph, who seems to be making the most of quarantine: “I needed some time off anyway, so it ain’t no problem.”
Others range from angry and loud (Rage Against The Machine, AC/DC) to folksy and easygoing (Tom Rush, John Hiatt) to bluesy (Slim Harpo, Robert Cray) or downright dance-y (Kesha, Dua Lipa). More than a few people are apparently listening to the “Hamilton” cast album, on repeat. And just for good measure, you’ll find out-there contributions like the irrepressible “Baby Shark,” the simply bonkers “The Teddy Bears’ Picnic” by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and the Mii theme song, which users of the old Wii game system will find all too familiar.
Oh, and in case you were wondering, the single song with the most mentions by Boston.com readers was “It’s The End of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” by R.E.M. Take that as you may.
Listen to the entire 100-song playlist here, and read some comments from Boston.com readers about their submissions below.
“Be A Light” by Thomas Rhett: “It is a positive message that this darkness will end, if we each shine our own light.” — Cindy, Bridgewater
“Beautiful Day” by U2: “Gives me hope I can travel back to Boston and Ireland soon!” — Mary, Dumont, N.J.
“Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes” by Jimmy Buffett: “The lyrics, music and Jimmy’s singing just make me feel better even though we’re all going through a tough time right now. Thinking of the days where we can change our latitude…somewhere on a beach!” — Gerr, Groton
“Don’t Dream It’s Over” by Crowded House: “Its message of compassion and hope is perfect right now.” — Nancy H., Gloucester
“Even Though Our Love Is Doomed” by Garbage: “It’s remarkable how relevant the lyrics are to this situation. ‘In these dangerous days, come a little bit closer.'” — Mike, Brighton
“Flat Earth Conspiracy” by Bees Deluxe: “There will always be conspiracy theorists; this reminds me to me chuckle at them.” — Conrad W., Jamaica Plain
What have you been listening to while stuck at home this spring?
“Have a Little Faith in Me” by John Hiatt: “One quarantine day, this song just popped in my head, and I listened to it all through the house. That same day, a package arrived from my mother-in-law with Easter goodies for the kids and a sweet Easter note. This package was so meaningful, as we were missing our ‘nana’ and all of our Easter traditions, and had felt such uncertainty about how to celebrate Easter (or anything!) with all of this going on. This song has been on repeat ever since. We had a little faith in nana, and she came through!” — Allegra, Roslindale
“I’ll Take The Rain” by R.E.M.: “The line ‘I used to think, as birds take wing, they sing through life so why cant we?’ says it all.” — Anonymous
“Lawnmower” by Sparks: “Inspiration for all the extra yard work!” — Cheryl, Francestown, N.H.
“Let it Be” by The Beatles: “My son is learning how to play this song on the piano during this time. I feel instantly more calm every time I hear him practice it.” — Lori, Canton
“Miguel’s Happy Dance” by Thundercat: A new Thundercat album dropped shortly after lockdown, which was good news regardless. However, the lyrics fit perfectly for getting through quarantine.” — Matthew, Belmont
“Mii Channel Theme Song” by Carlos Eiene: “Because it’s funny that it’s always stuck in our heads. The first person to sing it in the morning ‘loses’ because then we’re singing it all day.” — Liz, Boston
“Real American” by Rick Derringer: “Because Trump rules!” — Luke, Lynnfield
“River Flows in You” by Yiruma: “It’s so simple, yet gorgeous and soothing at the same time. It’s like the musical medicine we all need right now.” — Sophie, NYC
“Six Feet Apart” by Luke Combs: “It’s just the epitome of this unprecedented time, from missing your parents to missing going out to see something simple like a ball game. It’s upbeat and cheerily optimistic looking toward the future, reminding us that it will all be back to normal soon and to hang on for the good times that will be here again.” — Glenn, Southie
“Splendid Isolation” by Warren Zevon: “We all have a loner, introvert, and malcontent inside of us. I deal with mine by being a person who has no qualms about making a fool of myself in public (much to the chagrin of my wife and son). The lyrics to the song help me get in touch with that inner introvert and to better process the ‘splendid’ isolation we all feel right now.” — Carey, Newburyport
“Touch of Grey” by The Grateful Dead: “The song is basically just about persevering through tough times and working through adversity. It’s also just a really catchy song.” — Brett, Hanover
“Underdog” by Alicia Keys: “I think the lyrics are good but just as important is the voice and tone that Alicia Keys gives to the lyrics — it’s written by Ed Sheeran, but Alicia Keys gives real life to this song. ‘Underdog’ inspires me to keep going whether I feel like an underdog or not.” — Anonymous
“Years In The Making” by Arkells: “Although I had heard of Arkells before and seen them a few times, this song made me fall in love with them during this pandemic. This song is being used as an anthem for those graduates who are missing out on the culmination of their hard work. It’s an upbeat song about working hard and having that hard work pay off in the end. The band has done a lot to help their fans and the community, including presenting a ‘Flatten the Curve’ music class every day while everyone was sheltering in place at home. The lead singer, Max Kerman, took an hour out of his day, every day, to teach those who tuned in how to play one of the Arkells’ songs, and would chat with fans during that time. It gave me, and other fans, an hour to forget about what was going on outside, a little bit of structure, and something to look forward to during this crazy time.” — Jennie, Westerly, R.I.
What do you think of the songs picked by our Boston.com readers? What songs would you add? Let us know in the comments below.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com