Assignment 23 - Pedersen

 The Perfect Playlist

    I was super excited when I read the prompt for this week's blog. I have spent many sleepless nights and hours upon hours creating playlists and seeing which songs fit and which I will boot off. My playlist topic is pretty specific, but it needs to be. "Driving Home From the Beach on a Rainy Day" is the abbreviated version. This playlist may be seldom used, but it sure is perfect when you need it. A beach vacation always seems to end on a rainy day and that long drive sure does have a unique feel. 

For the first song of the playlist I have "Come Away With Me" by Norah Jones. This song is perfect for any rainy day with its slow melody and soft white noise in the background. The soft guitar ties it together with the rest of the songs, while Jones' high pitched voice sets it apart. Plugging in your earbuds and listening to this song while watching raindrops race down your window is a feeling that can't be matched.

Second on the list is "Chelsea Hotel #2" by Leonard Cohen. The transition from a high pitched female voice to that of Leonard Cohen is oddly subtle. Cohen is accompanied solely by a guitar, making this song unique and quiet compared to the rest. This song ends on almost a cliffhanger, a chord which seems it must be followed by another. 

To end this cliffhanger comes one of my favorite songs of all time, "Sunshine On My Shoulders" by John Denver. This song is a little more upbeat than "Chelsea Hotel #2", but maintains the same voice to guitar ratio. Ironically, this song fits rainy days pretty well and driving home from the beach on a rainy day even better.

"Run That Body Down" by Paul Simon brings more energy to the playlist while maintaining the calm, guitar type vibe. Bringing more instruments to field, this song removes any and all thoughts from your head (in a good way). Something about this song just feels like humidity (whatever that means).

For my final song of the playlist I have "Crazy Love" by Van Morrison. I couldn't decide between this song and Lou Reed's "Perfect Day," but I ended up sticking to the guitar theme and picking Morrison. Van Morrison is one of my favorite artists and this song does not disappoint. The voice melting with the guitar, the steady pace, and the background singers all combine for a perfect end to the perfect playlist.