I am currently sleep-deprived, and I know that I can’t possibly be the only one. The world around me is still and quiet, my dogs are silently snoring upstairs, and I am sitting in my extremely warm bed writing this article. I have too much on my mind to sleep, which to me is ok for this Saturday to Sunday night. I am trying to keep myself occupied. If you are like me, which I’m sure many of you are, you will be aware of how silent the room can get without the noise of the busy world surrounding you; therefore, I have comprised a list of songs that are perfect for those who cannot sleep during the early morning hours. Let’s take an early morning musical journey, shall we?
1. Anyways – Arctic Monkeys
If you were alive and emo in 2013 or 2014, you are already well aware of the power of Arctic Monkeys. Their music has always been kind of strange: the lyrics are always too deep for normal “day listening,” unless day crying is your thing, but the power of a REAL band with a real vocalist is too enticing to pass up. Yet again, Arctic Monkeys has pulled us back into a different time: one where time is slower than ever before. You can picture yourself slow-dancing in a room without shoes on, drinking a glass of wine, and flirting with a mysterious figure. It is very “70s,” if you will, and the music is nostalgic in the sweetest way possible. It is a song that makes you want to lay naked in the rain and watch the clouds roll by, or one that is simply a perfect start for the type of all-nighter we are sharing.
“Oversharing and its bitter aftertaste,
Exactly the wrong time in exactly the wrong place.
Save it for a rainy day
Baby, you go hard in the paint
It’s just another race to anyways…”
2. Flamenco Sketches – Miles Davis
I am a jazz girl at heart. My father hated jazz, but I have always been in love with it: it’s sound, it’s raw emotion, and the passion it possesses in the most complex and wonderful way. Miles Davis is one of the greatest jazz artists of all time. His music makes me want to go to a cafe and drown in coffee, but it also makes me think of rain and my overly-warm bed. It is once again another nostalgic kiss on the cheek and whisper in the ear, one that will leave you feeling broken hearted and full, which seems impossible, but is the only true way to describe how jazz can make a person feel.
3. hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have – but I have it – Lana Del Rey
Lana is the original queen of sad music and music for those who cannot sleep. Once again, she delivers a song that is painful and empowering all in one. It will make you want to sob while eating chocolate in a silk nightgown, but it will also make you want to jump out of bed and find all of those who have wronged you and make them jealous of the absolute strength and power you have acquired. How does she do it? How does she cause pain deep within but also supply inspiration to do more? She is a woman, and women are power.
“There’s a new revolution
A loud evolution
That I saw
Born of confusion
And quiet collusion
Of which mostly I’ve known
A modern day woman
With a weak constitution
‘Cause I’ve got
Monsters still under my bed
That I could never fight off
A gatekeeper carelessly dropping
The keys on my nights off”
4. Party’s Over – Ryan Beatty
This artist is a new find for me, but his music is very enticing to me. His voice is very positive and light, but his songs often speak about heavy and sad things. I believe it is a perfect example of how many of us feel: happy on the outside, but hurt on the inside. This song is a great song to listen to in the shower and scream-sing along to, even though it doesn’t seem like one. It is a great song to cry to as well, as are many of these songs.
“When you walk in
The room stops talking
The boys are flocking
They want you
Keep my distance
‘Cause you’re with him
Make a decision
Is he your lover or boyfriend?
Party’s over
Wishing on a
Fourleaf clover
You’ll come over
When we roll like this”
5. Feels Like We Only Go Backwards – Tame Impala
I have to owe this song discovery to someone from my school who sang it for the talent show. This song is a great way to transport yourself to a different place. It’s great for daydreaming, or pretending that you’re in a strange but cool movie, which is something I do often while listening to good music. Tame Impala has always given me super indie-alt vibes, and I love putting their songs in my playlists for that reason. Their music just feels like it’s always in a sepia filter, and therefore, the world is in one while listening to their music.
“I know that you think, you sound
Silly when you call my name (my name)
But I hear it inside my head all day.
When I realize I’m just holding onto
The hope that maybe
Your feelings don’t show…
It feels like I only go backwards, baby.
Every part of me says go ahead.
I got my hopes up again, oh no… not again.
Feels like we only go backwards, darling.”
6. Quit (feat. Ariana Grande) – Cashmere Cat
It isn’t one of my playlists if it doesn’t have an Ari song. This one is a tear jerker. It is perfect for a late night shower when you feel like the world is too much to handle, or for when your heart is extremely broken and you feel stuck. After my last break up, it was a major part of my healing process. Her vocals and her passion mix with Cashmere Cat’s talent for mixing in a way that is relaxing and emotional. This song is pure art.
PS: This is a great song for long car rides.
“And you say that I’m the devil you know
And I don’t disagree, no, I don’t see the harm
They say, “You crazy, just leave him, he’ll suffocate you.”
But I wanna be in your arms
They say, “No, don’t pick up the phone, let them think there’s nobody home.”
But I’m under your spell
‘Cause when you call my heart starts to roll
I always want more
It’s my heaven, my hell
We’re heading deep
Inside lives a voice, a voice so quiet
But I can’t hear that voice when your heart beats next to mine
I can’t quit you…”
7. Language (feat. Brent Faiyaz) – Paperboy Fabe
This song is absolutely perfect for a late night drive, especially in the rain; I was driving at night while it was raining when my best friend put this song on the aux from the playlist her boyfriend made her (que cute, I know). Immediately, the song changed the whole vibe of the car ride. I felt silently powerful, shockingly beautiful, and I somehow fell more in love with the world than I was prior to the trip. It’s truly worth the listen.
“It’s your fault for loving me
You put your trust in me
And I didn’t ask
And I didn’t ask
I ain’t sign off for nothin’ like that
I’m just doing me, I was coming right back
Why you left me alone?
And she knew I was coming home
She know I been out here workin’ 9 to 5 lately
And, baby gets on my fucking nerves bout the same shit
We don’t speak the same language
We don’t speak the same language
We don’t speak the same language”
Indulge in the night, cry if you need to, but don’t forget that the sun will always rise, even if you still have a broken heart. The world will help you heal, and music can be the catalyst for that healing. You are not alone.