Music for "Tough Times"

Some very moving posts up there, for me, a newcomer, many of the names slowly get a human face. I'll give you something classical: Schubert's Quintet in C minor, he wrote it in the month of his early and untimely death and to me its all about despair, anguish and then a serenity slowly building up and a letting go. It helped me enormously after my wife died five years ago, I listened to it practically every night and afterwards I could sleep.
The second movement always brings up tears, but in a good way and then "Ella Fitzgerald sings the Blues", she brings all those classical oldies to a new and passionate life, the blues are close to your own pain, but the driving force is vital and envigourating. Highly recommended, if you can find it.

Oh and I forgot, Bach's "Magnificat": It is so full of a glowing, rejoicing, positive energy, it will get you back into "flow" anytime and soothe the "savage beast of depression". Its like stepping out of a dark room into the sun. Honestly.

Dwight Yoakum's "Hillbilly Deluxe" is always a good start for me. I can then either move on up and out to some more honky tonk, or just get down and wallow in it with the likes of Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves, etc.

If I'm really out of sorts, I just start out with Billie Holiday and blues it out.

And finally, if it's one of those "I hate my job, my boss is a blithering idiot, the company sucks, the drive home was a screamer before I even left the parking lot AND the cat ripped the grills on the speakers" kinda days, well - Aerosmith, Led Zepplin, Everclear, and the Sex Pistols usually get me right. There's no hope for the cat, though!

chas

I don't know if this falls under the "hair of the dog" category, but Bob Dylan is who I always turn to when I reach this level of down. Fortunately, it hasn't been more than a few times. I find belting out the tunes to be incredibly cathartic. The next day, I am usually fine.

Just about anything by Mozart does the trick for me; specially the wind concerti. After all, it's the only music that causes my pet bird to sing along (no kidding). Quick pick-me-up. Although I find that it's not always a specific composer but the performer that has that elusive "happy vibe". In a different vein, some of the jazz artists that have that happy feeling are Oscar Peterson, Ella, Tony Bennet, CANNONBALL ADDERLY, Zoot Sims and specially Louis Armstrong. If Louis doesn't put a smile on your face; get professional help immediately! If all else fails: Spike Jones.