Don’t Give Up – Peter Gabriel
What’s the point? You ever find yourself asking that? The point of this playlist is to bring succor to people who are grieving. That’s it. We listen to and feature songs that we hope people can resonate with and perhaps elicit a cathartic release – at the very least – to help them feel less alone…
Strange Beauty – First Aid Kit
It’s still September. We’re still talking about Suicide. We’re doing this because the experts tell us that the more we talk about it – the more we bring it into the open – the less likely it is that people will go through with it. And yet – people still do…
Open Letter – Mr. Phelps
Yep – if you didn’t know – September is Suicide Awareness Month – it’s also National Suicide Prevention Month and in fact right now – between the 8th and the 14th – it’s actually National Suicide Prevention Week. If you are in any doubt as to the impact suicide has on society – spend a minute here: Suicide Statistics – the rate inches up every year – and as a middle aged white male – well – I’m slap bang in the highest risk group…
Death Dream – Frightened Rabbit
It’s Mental Health Awareness Week! …at least it was – it was when Scott Hutchison of one of my favorite bands Frightened Rabbit took his own life – probably acting out the story of a song he’d written 10 years ago – 10 years ago when he had more hope.
I Could Be The One – Noonie Bao Acoustic Mix – Avicii, Nicky Romero
I thought there’d be a couple of Avicii tracks in this week’s submissions and while Noka’s selection of Wake Me Up on the Music to Vibe To list was beautifully written and a must read / listen, it was the track from Matt Jenko and the Music to Save The World playlist that caught my ear
A Life in Full Color (song for Louis) – Gerhardt
Why write a song reflecting on the suicide of a beloved friend? Why send it out into the world? What purpose does that serve? Ever since Gerhardt reached out and sent me this beautiful track, I’ve been reflecting on those questions – and while I don’t have an answer, I have an idea of one…
A Further Look at Loss – Andrew Wasylyk
I was feeling sad – and I know why, but damn it’s so hard at times.
I’ve sat and watched as circumstance came in and deconstructed my defences one by one – constant pain leading to lack of sleep to lack of writing to lack of self care to lack of confidence to lack of hope to – STOP!
Paralysed – The Staves
There’s this idea in life that just because you know a thing it makes it easier to deal with.
Like sitting down with a therapist, driving through your history until you find the behavior that causes you, many years later, to run away from connection or drink too much or insist on cleaning everything 3 times.
Lux Aurumque – Eric Whiteacre
Aaaah yes, the choir – the harmonies, the frisson, the hairs standing up on the back of your neck as a soprano haunts your soul.
This is a winter track – best listened to while looking out the window – watching the outside – inclement weather is the perfect accompaniment…
Honestly – Second Hand Poet
I’m trawling along the bottom again – I don’t know why – honestly… It’s the not knowing that kills – and not just you, but your loved ones too as you can’t articulate and are forced to watch as they project and hurt…
Break the Bottle – Jess Silk
God I love the story tellers.
The lyricists who construct a reality you can step into, to experience it as if you were there – as if you knew the characters – who do it so seamlessly that – even if it is by proxy – you get to feel the emotions for real.
That’s the point of this list – it’s designed to make you feel – to connect with the emotions that we’re oh so good at keeping hidden, buried under guilt and social conditioning. Because when we don’t deal with those emotions – well – that’s when the bad shit happens…
Graveyard – Lucy Schwartz
That chorus hook could launch a thousand love songs, instead it’s here – working for you – creating the safety net for those of us who dared to try and ended up failing on the battlefield of love.
