It’s 3am. It’s dark. Most people are either just coming home from their nights out, or tucked up and sleeping like sensible bunnies. But you, being an emimently unsensible bunny, are just getting up. What sweet musical flavours will fill your ears?
Maybe you’re getting up for an event for work. (Why do they always need you to be there about four years before it starts?) Maybe you have a novel to work on. Maybe you’re going on holiday! Which is unquestionably awesome! But the only flight you could afford requires you to get yourself to the airport during the hours of darkness. This time of day/night is usually called ‘late’, except that if you’ve already slept tried to sleep, it’s called ‘early’. Clearly, your music must be chosen carefully.
You need something that’s not going to angrify you. Something that will be suitable for one who is stumbling, eyes 70% closed, from the caverns of sleep. Something that will damp down your natural inclination to murder anyone who utters a word or two in your direction.. And yet, something that will empower you for the day ahead.
this is what you’re aiming for.
Fear not! A Different Daylight is at hand with some musical advice which you will disagree with yet be too 3am-tired to say so!
Start with a nice instrumental track. No words are necessary yet. (Moby does make an ‘unnnhhhuuuhhh’ noise occasionally – that doesn’t count as words.) This is the audio equivalent of having plain yoghurt for breakfast.
two wild is the wind – nina simone
Ooh, words. Now you have graduated to eating granola. But there is plenty of instrumentalness (<<technical term) too. Actually the piano on this track makes me WEEP (especially the bit where she sings ‘With your kiss my life begins’). But, you know, weeping in a good way.
three avalanche – ryan adams
This one is…*desperately tries to extend the music=breakfast analogy* fresh fruit added to your granola.
It contains the lyrics ‘crawls back into bed’, so be careful if your subconscious is good at taking instruction via the medium of song lyrics, otherwise you’ll never catch that flight.
Also, it might be a wee bit depressing? Probably best not to apply this one to your life if your general emotional state is tending towards 😦 Or, just don’t listen to the words and you’ll be fine.
Yeah..you guessed it. This song makes the cut primarily because it is all about being up at stupid o’clock. However, it is also eminently suitable for listening to at said ridiculous hour. Breakfast item that this song represents: wholemeal toast – the super yummy kind with ten zillion seeds and such.
five lucky – radiohead
Look, I know Radiohead aren’t usually recommended for anyone who is trying to avoid killing themselves or others. But bear with me. This song is uplifting in a way that Thom Yorke doesn’t usually achieve aim for. This will give you a fantastic sing-along chorus to start your day with, AND the words ‘It’s gonna be a glorious day, I feel my luck could change.’ Booooooom.
Oh, you want another extremely tenuous music=breakfast analogy? Well, this track is like having coffee with whatever you’re eating, and the coffee wakes you up and makes you feel Ah.Maze.Ing. And you feel like whatever it is that’s upsetting you might not be so bad in the end. And you think that with coffee, breakfast, and the right music, the world can be conquered, peace can be achieved, and unicorns and rainbows and fluffy kittens. Oh, look at you, look at how you feel right now. How do you feel right now?
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
Now you are equipped for the next time you need to crawl out of bed hideously early. You’re welcome. Except I know you disagree with my choices. So what are your favourite songs for when it’s so early it’s so late?
a different daylight 
I do disagree with your choices. (Although that’s probably because, out of your five choices, the only one I’ve heard of is Radiohead, and they’re too calm for me. And also because I have weird tastes for a girl.) 😛
Calmer music is a bad idea for me in the mornings when it’s early. It just makes me sleepy. I need the hard, screamy, angry stuff to wake me up. (Which, I know, kind of goes against of what you were saying…)
Example bands: Avenged Sevenfold (preferably their song “Nightmare,” which kind of fits this post on waking up), Disturbed, Rise Against, 30 Seconds To Mars, and Volbeat. The list could go on, but I’ll just stick to five bands. 🙂
oooh, some healthy disagreement =D
interesting point re needing angry music to wake you up. i think it depends what you’re trying to do..my list was predicated on the assumption that you’re trying to stay as much asleep as possible, while still functioning.
but if you actually do have to wake up, i agree a stronger medicine is required 😉
I see now. Yeah, if I have to get up but wish to still remain in that wonderful sleepy state, then calmer music is called for (although it just so happens that I don’t have a lot of calm music). So now I have your list! 😀
hurray, and now i have YOUR list for when i need to wake up! 😀
I still disagree on what you both say about having calmer music to still stay in that “sleepy state”. I love angry music, a lot. I love music that makes me think. For example, nearly all of 30 seconds to mars songs. I also love. The verve.(not so angry but still amazing) bittersweet sympathny is just an amazing song and it helps you stay in that “sleepy state” yet still makes you want to go on and enjoy your day. Or even if you listen to a band that may be classed as angry like Avenged Sevenfold, but if you listen to “so far away” the song they dedicated to The Rev (R.I.P) then you may have a chance of a nice awakening as such 🙂
I see what you’re saying, but for me ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ is in the same category as Radiohead ‘Lucky’ – albeit only in terms of the way I describe it here 🙂
Thanks for stopping by my blog, it gave me a chance to have a browse around yours! Love this post and the little illustration. Your choices are great been so long since i’ve heard avalanche… Thanks for prompting me to add it to my playlist!
ahhh I’m glad someone else knows and loves Avalanche! It’s so beautiful. thank you for your kind words =D
I never thought about it… The next time I’m up so early it so late I will think about it.
Let me know what you come up with! =]
Reblogged this on Day Dreaming and commented:
When I read this post it made me think so much. I wanna do my own version but songs that are only okay for night time and then songs that are meant to be played all the time.
Keep Dreaming.
Dann.