I’m having a rough day today. Anxiety deciding to wrap its choking fist around my throat and stand on my chest. But…I’m learning to make peace with my anxiety, to sit down in a quiet space and breathe in/breathe out, and try to determine what has her all stirred up and reacting. I think I get it today. I think I hear what she’s saying (my anxiety). And, I’m trying to reconfigure my day, get it back on track, set my routines back in order, and play a bunch of songs I love.

It isn’t a cure. It isn’t a quick fix. But, it’s something.

Here are 5 songs that are part of that something.

“Puff puff puff puff your cares away.
Puff puff puff night and day.
Blow blow them into air silky little rings.
Blow, blow them ev’ry where give your troubles wings.”

Sometimes I miss smoking.

This song reminds me of long drives with a cigarette out the window and music playing through crackling speakers. I’m missing some of the old days. I’m sure its all part of pandemic reactions. I miss people and places and having somewhere to go.

This song reminds me of some of the records I’m exploring that were my grandparents. This wasn’t one of them, but it could have been.

I might need to find this on vinyl to add to the collection.

“I couldn’t hope,
for a better soul.
When I’m an old lady,
I’ll still miss you like crazy, oh.”

Another duo. More modern (obviously), but something about the sentiment and sound remind me of each other. They sound good together, one after the other, in this growing playlist. It reminds me of more car rides. It reminds me of road trips.

I’m always itching for a road trip.

To explore more music and support Tracyanne & Danny click here.

“And I wanna run to the edge of the earth with you.
And I wanna run to the edge of the earth with you.
It’s perfect with you.”

A perfectly crafted love song. It feels light and hopeful and full of all those hopes and dreams and plans you make when you first fall in love. Catchy and lovely. Completely.

To hear more and help support Odetta’s music click here.

“I promise I’ll treat you kind.”

I love Ambar Lucid. I’m always on the lookout for new music from here. This past December she gifted us with a new single – “Lolita”.

The Dominican/Mexican American singer, Ambar, has said that “Lolita” is an ode to her mother. I love how much of Ambar’s music uses both English and Spanish within the lyrics. This is a gorgeous song – I hope we get a new album this year.

To dig in deeper to Ambar’s music and support her work click here.

“Beware of cats that follow you home,
of pretty prizes wearing disguises.
Give her some milk,
she’ll purr,
as she bites through the bone.”

This is the song I’m most obsessed with today. I know I’ve listened to this album back when it originally came out, but somehow it didn’t hit like it is hitting me now. This track – “Pretty Prizes” – reminds me of the Talking Heads – lyrically and vocally, and something in the musicality of it.

I love the Karen O verses (lyrics above) about stray cats, or stray people (I’m taking it as). It resonates with me on so many levels – both feline and human.

To learn more and hear more and support Daniele Luppi click here.

Check back frequently to see what 5 songs will be added next to the Give Me Five Playlist for January 2021. You can listen as it grows on Spotify and YouTube.