Music can do many things. It can inspire you, refresh old treasured memories, make you happy, and make you sad. It can also motivate you in many ways. Perhaps you need music to motivate you to clean your house, or to run an extra mile, or to forget about how upset you are about something that just happened, or to calm and relax you.
Here is my compilation of the top ten motivating songs, why I chose it for this list, and what I feel it could be used to motivate. I recommend either making a cd with all of these songs to help you through an uninspired period in your life, or to make your own list.
1. Eye of the Tiger, by Survivor. This is the theme song to the film Rocky III. It was written at the request of Sylvester Stallone just for the movie! Talk about motivating. Anytime I hear this song, it makes me feel stronger, more passionate, and ready to take on the world. Whenever I feel that I am up against incredible odds, or need to really pull some amazing energy together to get something done, I listen to this song.
2. Tomorrow, sung by Annie in Little Orphan Annie. Okay, you might think I’m a female geek for listing this song as motivational. But, I have to tell you, whenever you feel blue and it seems like things aren’t going to get any better, try listening to this song. For me, it is uplifting. The song talks about how the sun will come out tomorrow, so hang on until then. Basically, the theme is that today might not be great, it might be downright depressing, but tomorrow starts a whole new day. This song works magic on my mood.
3. Imagine by John Lennon. Why do I love this song? Because it gives me hope, just as it did back when John Lennon wrote it back in the 70’s. The song to me is about a world free from its own baggage- religion, countries, and possessions. The song talks about imagining a time when everyone lives in peace together, not divided by war or religion or belongings. If we could find a way to get past our differences, we could all come together as one. This is meaningful for me because I believe it. I think we have become so divided, because of our labels, that we forget that we are all humans sharing a similar experience. It has gotten much worse in my opinion since when John Lennon wrote this song. I don’t give up hope, however, and so listen to this song to restore my hope! Watch John Lennon’s video on this song at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEOkxRLzBf0 .
4. I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor. This song is motivational to me because it helps me get through hard times. The song is meant to help someone get through a breakup, by realizing how strong they are and that they can make it without the other person. However, the song is more universal to me. I use it to get through any hard times, because I am reminded that I am strong when I listen to this song. I am reminded that as an individual, I can accomplish anything.
5. What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong. In this beautiful tune, Louis Armstrong talks about skies of blue, trees of green, etc. It speaks about how incredible the world is, in nature. Whenever I become uninspired, I listen to this song and it helps me remember that despite my current circumstances, the world really is a great place. It also motivates me to take a walk, or go see a sunrise, or to just enjoy a bird singing in my backyard. Anytime things are going really bad, listen to this song to remember that there is still much left to desire…
6. I Can See Clearly Now by Johnny Nash. This song is great when you are just putting the pieces together in your life and need just a little more inspiration to get through the day. Listen to it if you’ve started to smell the roses, but need that final push. It’s also great to help you realize that there is a side of life when things do go well and you get out from under the haze you’ve been in. You can get rid of obstacles and have a great, sunny day!
7. I Hope You Dance by LeeAnn Womack. I enjoy this song because it talks about never sitting on the sidelines and letting life pass you by. If someone dances, it means they take advantage of opportunities in life. It’s not just about “dancing,” but about making everything out of your life that you can. If I ever forget, and find myself becoming a couch potato or mildly depressed, I listen to this song to rediscover the side of myself that went out and accomplished things, and went out and had fun, and never sat back regretting missed an opportunity because it just passed me by…
8. Fly Me to the Moon by local band Fools and Horses. This song motivates me because it talks about someone who had a less than perfect childhood, and is trying to escape by “flying to the moon.” It is about getting away from things that haunt us and finding a better place, in reality or just in my mind. When I listen to it, it motivates me to find something better in my life than my current situation, and to realize that we make our own realities. Watch it at http://youtube.com/watch?v=HOv1PXMC7uU .
9. Maybe I’m Amazed by Paul McCartney. I listen to this song to remind myself that there is true love in the world (you just have to find it.) It gives me the motivation to get up another day because there is someone who will be truly amazed by me, and someone that will truly amaze me. This song can be more about just true love, it can also be about finding amazement in life in general. Maybe you discover a great friend that really gets you, or a perfect landscape to visit over and over again.
10. You are so Beautiful sung by Joe Cocker. When listening to these lyrics, I see that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. This song motivates me to realize that everyone has their own uniqueness and beauty, and not to get depressed if you don’t look like a model. Anyone can find true love. Beauty can also be found inside of a person, instead of just on the exterior. This song is motivational because it gives me hope that everyone can find happiness.
