"Feeling Good": Songs for Making the Best of Things

Whether you’re already feeling good today or want to be, below is a selected playlist:

I. “Feeling Good” (first sung on Broadway in 1964)

Birds flyin’ high, you know how I feel
Sun in the sky, you know how I feel
Breeze driftin’ on by, you know how I feel
It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, it’s a new life for me.
Yeah, it’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, it’s a new life for me, ooooooooh…
And I’m feelin’ good…

Recorded for the first time by Anthony Newley in 1965, “Feeling Good” has had many popular covers. Standout examples have included ones by Nina Simone, Michael Bublé, and George Michael. And Raye‘s is among the newest:

II. “The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy)” by Simon & Garfunkel (1966)

Entirety of lyrics:

Slow down, you move too fastYou got to make the morning lastJust kicking down the cobblestonesLooking for fun and feeling groovyBa da-da da-da da-da, feeling groovy

Hello lamppost, what’cha knowingI’ve come to watch your flowers growin’Ain’t you got no rhymes for me?Doo-ait-n-doo-doo, feeling groovyBa da-da da-da da-da, feeling groovy

I got no deeds to do, no promises to keepI’m dappled and drowsy and ready to sleepLet the morningtime drop all its petals on meLife, I love you, all is groovy

From 1993, live:

III. “Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra (1977)

…Hey there, Mr. Blue (sky)We’re so pleased to be with you (sky)Look around see what you do (blue)Everybody smiles at you…

My current favorite cover is by acapella group VoicePlay:

IV. “If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out” by Cat Stevens (1984)

This tune was delightfully featured in the cult film Harold and Maude. From the middle of the song:

…You know it’s up to you, anything you can doAnd if you find a new wayWell, you can do it todayWell, you can make it all trueAnd you can make it undoYou see, ah-ah-ah, it’s easy, ah-ah-ahYou only need to know

Well, if you want to sing out, sing outAnd if you want to be free, be free‘Cause there’s a million things to beYou know that there are…

A performance by Cat Stevens (also known as Yusuf ) in 2015:

V. “Beautiful Day” by U2 (2000)

Frontman Bono has stated that the soaring “Beautiful Day” is “about losing everything but still finding joy in what one has”(Wikipedia).

The final lyrics:

…What you don’t have you don’t need it nowWhat you don’t know you can feel it somehowWhat you don’t have you don’t need it nowDon’t need it nowIt’s a beautiful dayIt’s a beautiful day

Official video:

“Feeling Good”: Songs for Making the Best of Things

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