I’ve had some really rough days recently. Getting sucked down the dark hallways. Feeling that deep heaviness, fear, anxiety. I hope you’ve somehow managed to swerve around this kind of thing. 

Maybe the deep breathing helps. Or taking time to meditate every day. Or simply freezing the newsfeed before you lose your mind. 

Since I was a kid, I’ve always had one secret panacea to help me move through the dark times. Music.

The right song at the right time is magic. You know it when it happens. When that song just blows through your heart, mind, body. When you can feel the rush of chemicals spit from your brain and shock your nervous system with joy, freedom, transcendence. I know you know what I’m talking about.

This past week, I found myself clicking away on Youtube music videos and found a few that completely rocketed me into bliss.

Jane’s Addiction rocks. Duh. But I forgot how much I loved the acoustic song, “Jane Says.” This fairly currently live performance with a steel drum (!) transported me far, far away from the pandemic.

Peter Gabriel as always been a favorite since I wore out several tapes of his incredible 80’s album So. This live performance of “In Your Eyes” from many years ago just radiates so much joy as it brings the world together.

Even though I was in Seattle during the grunge era, I was never a huge Nirvana fan. But this video, with hundreds of musicians playing “Smells Like Teen Spirit” together in the same room rocks my face off in such big way. I’ve never seen so many musicians in one place blazing their rock hearts into one song.

If you caught the benefit song I just released “LOVE in the Age of Quarantine” (1400 spins and counting!), you’ll know a tiny bit about my amazing musician friend Aaron English. After his entire European tour was squashed, he’s taking it to Facebook Live concerts three times a week. I logged in the other day and was blinded by his talent and love for music. So many great songs including a cover of the Stones tune, “Wild Horses.” 

What music opens your heart? Helps you shed the darkness? Kickstarts your imagination and vision for a better world?