Does life suck right now? No, it really doesn’t, you know.

 If you want to feel good again then put down that giant bottle of potent alcohol and put on your headphones. Yes, there is nothing like the world’s best feel good songs to make you smile again.

Feeling Good – Nina Simone 

Feel Good SongsIt’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, it‘s a new life

I realise that the guy called Buble covered this song but my huge levels of street cred won’t permit me to endorse anything but the Nina version. Any song called Feeling Good has got to give you a rosy shine on your cheeks and put the bounce back in your step, hasn’t it? I feel all emotional and goosebumply whenever I hear this song, which is a lot.

Don’t Dream It’s Over – Crowded House

Feel Good SongsYou’ll never see the end of the road/While you’re travelling with me

The first time I heard this song I was travelling on my horrible daily commute to a job I hated. By the time it had ended I, well, I felt a little bit better to be honest. It’s only a song so it ain’t going to change your blooming life but it might help you look on the bright side.

Life- Des’ree

Feel Good Songs

You wanna fly around the world /In a beautiful balloon

This song shows that music can be utterly stupid and life affirming at the same time. While the singer is waffling on about ghosts and toast and other nonsense you will feel the need to embrace anyone who is close to you. Top tip; don’t listen to this song near ugly or smelly people.

Walking on Sunshine – Katrina & Waves

Feel Good Songs

And it’s starting to feel good, hey

If you can listen to this song without tapping your feet and grinning then you are either dead from the neck down or you need to listen to a lot more feel good songs. Either way, Katrina will eventually work her magic on you if you let her keep trying.

Van Morrison – Jackie Wilson Said (I’m In Heaven When You Smile)

Feel Good Songs

Knock me off my feet/Let it all hang out  

I predict that from the very first second of this song through to the last you will be on your feet, dancing and quite possibly waving your hands in the air like you just don’t care. For someone with the reputation of being a miserable sort of guy Van the Man make some incredibly uplifting music. If this doesn’t light your fire and put you in a great mood then try Brown Eyed Girl or Gloria (with his old group Them).    

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – Running Down a Dream

Feel Good Songs

It was a beautiful day/ The sun beat down

I just love this song. Every time I hear it I imagine myself driving down an endless road in a fancy sports car.  I might even get out the air guitar occasionally too.

Neil Young – Harvest Moon

Feel Good Songs

Just like children sleepin’/ We could dream this night away

Is it just me who finds this to be an astonishingly moving feel good song? It doesn’t have the upbeat feel of most of the others we have covered but the lyrics and melody just make me want to smile every time I hear it. If Neil wasn’t reputed to be such a cantankerous old grump I would even want to give him a big hug for writing such a marvelous song.