Wakey Wakey Lemon Cakey

Courtesy of Nopsa.hitI am a firm believer that the first hour of your day can shape the rest of your day. When I was in high school, my mother would consistently wake me up seven minutes before my alarm was set to go off (which always made me wonder why she bugged me the night before to make sure I set the alarm in the first place) by yelling at me, "Meredith, get up already! Stop lying around."

I would feel irritated, helpless, resentful, and that I had been robbed of free choice--and all day long I'd feel that "I'm running late" panic (even when not actually running late, which was confusing) with an attendant feeling of not knowing what was expected of me. No one needs that kind of anxiousness, which started at 5:30a.m. and ran another 18 hours, five days a week.

Nowadays, I like to wake up to music. I was looking up "morning playlist" online, and found most of them to be sickeningly sweet, where every song includes "good morning," "sunshine," "hello," or some nauseating combination thereof. I am not a morning person, and would punch someone in the face if I had to listen to "Walking on Sunshine," "Good Morning, Starshine," "Good Day, Sunshine," and "Beautiful Day" every damn morning.

On the flip side are the playlists designed to get you out of bed and ready to punch someone in the face--"I'm awake and full of RAAAAGE" playlists, which include such charming ditties as "Let the Bodies Hit the Floor," Metallica's "The Struggle Within," and anything by Korn. These playlists, incidentally, are identical to the ones dudes make when it's chest and shoulder day at the gym.

The third type of playlist is the mellow playlist--so mellow, in fact, as to not actually wake you up. These playlists often include John Meyer, Jason Mraz, Michael Buble, and Carly Simon, unless "You're so Vain" gets you pumped. With a mellow playlist, you wake up tapping your foot, feeling relaxed and cheerful--and realize you're so relaxed because it's already 11:30 and you've slept til lunch.

Here is my current morning playlist, for your consideration. Of course everyone thinks they have great taste in music, but I had to factor in my husband and kids' taste in music, so that is what makes this playlist especially rocking. If you're on Grooveshark, you can find me (mer4ie) and this playlist.

Let me know what your favorite a.m. songs are; we can start a list.
And stop lying around already!

"Ankle Injuries"--Fujiya & Miyagi
"Boogie-Woogie No. 5"--Puffy Ami Yumi
"Break My Stride"--Matthew Wilder
"Call Your Girlfriend"--Robyn
"Come On Eileen"--Save Ferris
"Danza Kuduro"--Don Omar & Lucenzo
"Good Morning Baltimore"--Hairspray soundtrack
"Good Morning Freedom"--Blue Mink
"Grace Kelly"--MIKA
"Hello Seattle"--Owl City
"Hooked on a Feeling"--Blue Swede (and I dare anyone to stay asleep after the "Ooga Chakka ooga chakka")
"Just Can't Get Enough"--Depeche Mode
"L.O.V.E."--V.V. Brown
"Phat Fish"--Pimpbot
"Silly Love Songs"--Wings
"Stuck Like Glue"--Sugarland
"Take On Me"--A-Ha
"Up Up Up"--Givers
"Walking on Sunshine"--Katrina & the Waves (okokok, I love this song)
"Life's a Happy Song"--The Muppets soundtrack

Comments

[Patrick Edmonds]

It's funny, because I used to wake up to music my whole life, especially in high school. I needed it to get up at 4:30 am for crew practice. Then on the drive down the river, I would need that extra jolt to make sure I stayed awake, because I certainly didn't want to crash on 52 and Parkside. Either way, ACDC was always helpful as was Led Zepplin II. From time to time I would listen to Biggie Smalls or Tupac. Rap has such an energy to it that it always helped me stay awake and feel energized.
Thanks for the post!

[James Dugan]

Great post -- that list is great. I lived in a house of 8 people growing up who all had to use the same bathroom within an hour. The younger ones were bathed at night and the older ones had the morning. No one was allowed to interrupt anyone in the bathroom unless your name was Mom. I never had music waking up but my sister use to sleep right through her Ragedy Anne alarm clock. It haunts me to this day and I only use the buzzer in fear of voices.
Ragedy Anne
Please Wake Up
It is Time to start your day.

[bennythejetrodriguez]

I love this post as I have always put a lot of thought into playlists fitting different times, moods, and situations. When I was younger my awakening was left to the random chance of alarm radio. Best song I ever woke up to: I just called to say I love you by stevie wonder. Worst: living la vida loca.

Now I have my cell phone set to the quintessential wakeup song: weezer's say it ain't so. It begins as rivers cuomo eases you into the day with the soothing vocals "Aw yeah, alright, feels good inside." It then picks up to give you a jolt at just the right time.