Music to Grieve to

Loss (The Bench) – music2work2

20 March 2018

So it’s the anniversary of my Dad’s death – it’s been three years – it’s weird.  I’ve been out of sorts for days – weeks actually.  While there’s been a lot going on I’ve just not felt right – not wanting to move forward – wanting to withdraw and not be a part of anything. 

She’s Like the Swallow – Ian Wong

13 March 2018

A return to the playlist’s roots this week with a stunning solo piece from Canadian pianist Ian Wong.  While sad songs – and by songs I mean tracks with lyrics – can tell a specific story – sometimes you just need an instrumental track to create your own narrative.  Right now it’s raining outside, the sky is kinda grey and you know it’s cold – there’s a general melancholic feel to the world and this track accompanies it perfectly.

Man I’m Supposed to Be – American Aquarium

7 March 2018

I was writing a few weeks back about how it’s often seeing an act of human kindness that will make me cry – more so than experiencing something sad.  There’s something in that – focusing on the good rather than the bad – that makes this track resonate for the grieve to list.

Sleep Tonight – Robb Murphy

1 March 2018

Listening to sad music isn’t exactly a group activity. 

You don’t call your friends up and go “Hey guys, fancy coming round and spending the evening bawling your eyes out…?”

Sad music is best listened to in isolation…

The Bird & The Rifle – Lori McKenna

21 February 2018

I’ve been living with this track for weeks now – letting it creep up on me and infect my bones – I knew it would appear on the list – just didn’t know when.

Relationships…

Damn!

Chances – Athlete

14 February 2018

Sometimes you just want to cry.  Do you ever get that?  Where for whatever reason you realize that your emotions are full to the brim and you think you’re about to burst?  When I’m in that space it’s this track I listen to – actually – it’s this track that I watch.

While the idea behind the playlist is that sad music can make you feel better – when I want to cry, I don’t go looking for sad things – I go looking for beauty.  I am way more likely to well up when I see human kindness than I am over human despair.

Seb’s Song – Roxanne Emery & Richard Bowcott

7 February 2018

I was chatting with Val, host of the Loss to Profound podcast and we ended up talking about music – shocker huh!?  We were talking about how music is this amazing tool to help people when they are down because it delivers a way for them to connect to humanity without the need for anyone to be there…

Broken Soul in G Minor – Igor Longhi

30 January 2018

So we’re going back to our roots this week – soulful, sad piano music designed to put you in a reflective state and allow the melody to work its magic.  Igor Longhi is most definitely a magician!

Everything’s Not Lost – Coldplay

24 January 2018

This is another song from the other perspective. 

If last week’s Radiohead track was about mental illness and what it’s like to be in love with someone who has it – this week’s track is about relationships and what it’s like to be the one who leaves.

Black Star – Radiohead

17 January 2018

It’s interesting to see the main themes that come out from this music to grieve to playlist – certainly there’s death and loss, there’s depression and mental illness, there’s the whole relationship breakup genre and there’s family and friend trauma, although strangely enough, not many songs about moving house (which often makes the top 5 lists of “most stressful things that can happen to you!”)

Coming Back Home – De’Wayne Jackson

10 January 2018

You know what grief is good at?  Apart from the whole making you feel like shit and depressed and generally pretty miserable – grief is really fucking good at forcing you to be real – to be honest – to be true to who you are.  Most things in life you can skate over, even unpleasant memories can be safely tucked away and dealt with maybe never, but grief – grief you can’t control – grief hangs around, discombobulating your daily life until you deal with it.

Frustration – music2work2

2 January 2018

Have you ever put your heart and soul into something for years and yet it didn’t work out?

If so, this track’s for you.

The frustration I’m referring to is not the angry, cheated emotion – it is the sad one.  The frustration of not getting what you want – to be frustrated in one’s efforts.