For the last edition of Liv Listens, I wrote about songs I listen to when I go for walks to clear my head. This week, I’ve been cooped up in my dorm, trying to get homework done while ignoring how sluggish the cloudy weather has been making me feel.
In weeks like this, I find myself in two moods. The first is a mood in which I desperately want to succumb to the gloomy weather and nap all day. When I feel like this, I listen to slow music, read leisurely, watch “Twilight” and procrastinate doing my work.
My other mood is one of determination. I do everything I can to stay productive despite the melancholy weather, and I listen to upbeat music to keep myself moving and motivated.
Here are some of my favorite rainy day listens and songs to trick me into productivity.
Just by looking at the cover of “folklore” by Taylor Swift, it’s easy to tell that the album is perfect for a rainy day. That dark, foggy forest on the cover reflects the record’s overall mood.
The song “the lakes” from the deluxe version of “folklore” is a poetic cry by Swift to escape from her world to “the lakes.” With lyrics like, “Take me to the Lakes, where all the poets went to die” and “I want auroras and sad prose / I want to watch wisteria grow right over my bare feet / ‘Cause I haven’t moved in years,” it’s the perfect, soothing song to listen to when you’re curled up in bed while it’s raining.
The song “cowboy like me” from “evermore” — the sister album to “folklore” — starts with “And the tennis court was covered up / With some tent-like thing.” It transports listeners to Swift’s make-believe world where she’s a con-woman already in the middle of telling a story about how she fell in love with another con-artist. She sings wistful and romantic lyrics like, “Now you hang from my lips / Like the Gardens of Babylon / With your boots beneath my bed / Forever is the sweetest con.” “cowboy like me” feels cozy, perfect for cloudy days at the beginning of fall.
When it is already dark and cloudy outside, I don’t find myself hoping the rain continues, but “Begging For Rain” by Maggie Rogers is another great rainy day track. Until the second verse, there’s minimal production on the track besides an accompanying guitar, which creates a raw and real atmosphere to go with Rogers’ lyrics.
“Ketchum, ID” off of boygenius’ 2018 self-titled EP is similar in that effect. The band’s three members take turns singing verses and harmonizing on the chorus, with nothing but an acoustic guitar behind their almost haunting vocals.
Most of Lana Del Rey’s music has layers of instrumentals in the background, creating a dreamy effect. Her light, airy vocals in “Let The Light In (feat. Father John Misty)” are what I look for in a rainy day song. “Cinnamon Girl” is another one of my favorites from her, for the same reason.
Last May, Apple Music assembled an editorial team to create a “definitive list of the greatest albums ever made.” On its list of 100 albums, the team ranked Frank Ocean’s “Blonde” at number five, which I believe is well-deserved. “Blonde” has more than a few mellow songs. “Ivy,” “Nights,” “White Ferrari” and “Self Control” are the ones I’ve been listening to the most so far this week.
As far as I’m concerned, “Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?” by The Cranberries and “For Emma, Forever Ago” by Bon Iver are the quintessential rainy weather albums. However, “Hozier (Expanded Edition)” by Hozier, “Stick Season (Forever)” by Noah Kahan, “Pure Heroine” by Lorde and “Lust for Life” by Lana Del Rey are my honorable mentions.
In terms of upbeat songs, nothing gets me productive like Beyoncé. Her album “RENAISSANCE” definitely spikes my productivity the most. I can’t listen to “I’M THAT GIRL” without feeling unstoppable, and “ENERGY (feat. Beam)” says it all in the title.
I saw Childish Gambino in concert in August, and I was sore the next day from dancing. Needless to say, he has a lot of songs that lift my mood. “Fire Fly,” “3005,” “I. Pink Toes” and “To Be Hunted” are a few excellent examples.
As for something more recent, I’ve been listening to “Short n’ Sweet” by Sabrina Carpenter on repeat, along with the rest of the world. Carpenter wrote in her album-release Instagram post, “I thought if something was funny enough to make me laugh then maybe it belonged in a song,” which reflects how lighthearted the album is. “Taste,” “Bed Chem” and “Juno” are my three favorites. They are all upbeat and fun, much like the rest of the album.
I’ll be back with more music next week. Until then, don’t forget, I’m always here to listen.
