Monday Music and Movement: {Theme Songs for Life}

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Being a music therapist, I often get songs stuck in my head that my clients frequently request. Although I do enjoy endless renditions of “I Know a Chicken” and “I Love Rock and Roll”, by the end of the day, I’m annoyed with myself and in need of my own music therapy. There is an old wives tale that if you listen to a song that’s stuck in your head, it will be “unstuck”. Unfortunately, that technique has never worked on me. In an effort to curb my problem, I decided I needed a power song to distract and motivate me.

Thanks to some soul searching back to my earlier days, I remembered an episode of Ally McBeal that talked about having a “theme song of life”. This theme song could be an old classic or a new favorite that you can sing to make yourself feel better. For me, it’s a song that can wake me up in the morning despite my love of the snooze button, sing in my head while waiting in line at the grocery store, or belt out loud in the car. No matter what the situation, this song will clear my mind and fit any mood or situation that I’m in.

Choosing a theme song for life is harder than you would think. I’m not talking about the standard “Eye of the Tiger” that most sports teams use to pump up players before a game, but something that speaks to you personally. For me, that song is “Hang Loose” by Alabama Shakes. I immediately smile when I hear the first guitar riff on a recording, or I of course sing the riff myself if I don’t have the music available. Here is a link to the song.

What is your power song? Leave us a comment below and let us know!