Parsons Playlists: “Hope is the thing with feathers …”

Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today’s playlist is curated by Music Library Associate Melanie and features some songs that make her feel hopeful. 

Hope is the thing with feathers  … 

Things can feel pretty overwhelming (especially lately) so we have to find things that can help us get through.  Music is often good for that, so here’s a playlist of some songs that make me feel hopeful on bad days. (The title of this playlist was taken from an excellent Emily Dickinson poem that’s worth a read, btw.)  What would YOU add to this playlist?

urple flower growing on crack street, soft focus, blank text

Paul McCartney – “Hope of Deliverance”

Moon Taxi – “Say”

Johnny Nash – “I Can See Clearly Now”

Bill Withers – “Lovely Day”

New Radicals – “You Get What You Give”

The Beatles – “Here Comes the Sun”

Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell – “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”

The Impressions – “Keep On Pushing”

The Stone Roses – “Waterfall”

Des’ree – “You Gotta Be”

Jackie Wilson – “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher & Higher”

Billy Joel – “The River of Dreams”

Sting – “If I Ever Lose My Faith In You”

Labi Siffre – “My Song”

Bruce Springsteen – “Hungry Heart”

Ella Fitzgerald – “Blue Skies”

Ben Folds – “Still Fighting It”

Nat King Cole – “Let’s Face the Music and Dance”

Stevie Wonder – “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing”

The Traveling Wilburys – “End of the Line”

Electric Light Orchestra – “Mr. Blue Sky”

Sly & the Family Stone – “Stand!”

The Beatles – “Dear Prudence”

Fred Astaire – “Pick Yourself Up”

Simon & Garfunkel – “The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy)”

Tears for Fears – “Sowing the Seeds of Love”

Here is a link to the whole playlist on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLU94rco57Zex3pi–z07ZHsysqvGRHKpE&si=H6l2GX5-sUsVraBm

And here it is on Spotify:

Parsons Playlists: Spring Equinox

Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today’s playlist is curated by Music Library student manager Amy (class of 2025) and features songs to play this Spring.

Spring Equinox

cherry blossoms

Spring cannot come soon enough, and I’m so excited to celebrate the warmer days, blooming flowers, and sunny afternoons. Here are a few songs I think are the best to play to welcome in Spring.

Angel Olsen – “Spring”

Weyes Blood – “Wild Time”

John Denver – “Season Suite: Spring”

Simon & Garfunkel – “Keep the Customer Satisfied”

Paul Simon – “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard”

Kacy Hill – “Damn”

Norah Jones – “Sunrise”

Rising Appalachia – “The Bones”

Gerry Rafferty – “Right Down the Line”

Talking Heads – “This Must Be the Place”

Simon & Garfunkel – “April Come She Will”

Nick Drake – “One of These Things First”

Fleetwood Mac – “Never Going Back Again”

The Crystals – “Then He Kissed Me”

The 1975 – “You”

Lake Street Drive – “Rich Girl”

beabadoobee – “Sunny day”

Jalen Ngonda – “If You Don’t Want My Love”

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – “Our House”

Joni Mitchell – “Both Sides Now”

Here is a link to the whole playlist on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSwAwMtTLDwjC-sBH-eLuCC8sebunuhBM&si=-4ZvDYCUdBRZlDac

And here it is on Spotify: