It’s finally spooky season! I cannot begin to explain my love for Halloween. Maybe it has to do with the weather changing, welcoming in the fall, cool breeze. Or it is the inevitable nostalgia that comes with the holiday.

I think about the joy I felt, all dressed up as a vampire or princess, running house to house. The night felt different on Halloween. Exciting and mysterious. My imagination goes crazy with ideas and it is a time to explore that creativity. It’s fun to be someone new and to let out your weird side.

I could also just be inclined to scary things. I like monsters and ghouls and mysteries, which is the more sinister side of Halloween.

With that being said, Halloween is primarily a family holiday. With kids trick or treating and families handing out candy, 20-somethings are left in limbo. Yes, we have the wild parties and the sexy costumes, but I, personally, want to feel that love I had as a kid again.

So, I comprised a mix of Halloween-y songs that make me think of my childhood, as well as new ones that I’ve discovered with my age that are fitting for a party.

The Classics

Here’s a brief list of some classic Halloween songs that I remember defined my spooky season growing up:

“Monster Mash” by Bobby “Boris” Pickett –– The most classic of classics. Everyone hears this songs at immediately thinks of Halloween.

“Ghostbusters” by Ray Parker, Jr. –– This is the theme song from the 1984 classic, “Ghostbusters”, directed by Ivan Reitman. This movie has always been associated with Halloween and therefore fits perfectly.

“I Put A Spell On You” by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins –– The passion in Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ voice makes for a scary undertone, as well as the obsession the song is about. Also, the use of “spell” is seen as witchy.

“Witch Doctor” by David Seville –– This song always seemed to play at my childhood Halloween parties. It is fun and juvenile, but still a classic all around.

“The Addams Family” by The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra  –– The theme to The Addams Family series.

New Discoveries

These are songs I have discovered with age that still give me the same spooky feeling. These songs aren’t necessarily new, but ones I wouldn’t have connected this feeling with at a younger age. These songs all have something spooky about them. Whether it’s just the music and sound or actual lyrics, they are more obscure than the obvious classics.

“Heads Will Roll” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

“Tear You Apart” by She Wants Revenge

“Hurdy Gurdy Man” by Donovan

“Psycho Killer” by Talking Heads

“Rhiannon” by Fleetwood Mac

I wanted to highlight the importance of balancing adolescence and maturity in a Halloween. I don’t want to lose the joy of trick or treating and dressing up. Things differ with age, but having a joyful attitude doesn’t have to. That’s why even just the existence of a Halloween playlist shows an extra effort towards a spooky spirit.

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This Mood Ring is about a story my roommate and I were inspired to write based off of a song. It was last Fall and we were feeling particularly angsty. Soon, we started to hear our story in multiple songs creating the party lull mood. In turn, creating Mood Ring.

I was interested in the notion of storytelling through music, especially the way music effects our feeling. So, I wanted to throw it back to my roots with the party lull playlist.

I am going to break it down, showcasing the detailed creativity that music can spark.

First the story, with no context. It was about a man at a party. He was there, regardless of the fact he didn’t want to be. It was dark around him, with flashing blue lights. He was drinking by himself.

We wanted to make note of who this man was as a character. He was tragically romanticizing. Making love out of the idea of it. That’s when he sees a woman. She’s a traditional trope. A beautiful girl, but hard to love. They catch eyes and that was the end for him. So, what are these emotions? Angst, drunken daze, curiosity, lust, feeling alone and yet not.

The song is “Tearing Me Up” by Bob Moses. We got a whole story from a song. (It is a rather long one, 7 minutes and 50 seconds). Maybe it has to do with my roommate and I both being writers. For all I know people don’t see so much in music. But, in the hopes that someone does, I’d like to share what music can become.

This story stemmed a whole playlist of songs relating back to the list of emotions we felt “Tearing Me Up” captures. It even helped me create a short story for one of my writing classes.

I think party lull is something we can all relate to if looked at more broadly. The story was just a loose example of the mood. But, there are different versions of party lull everywhere.

Say you’re at a party and a song like “Somebody Else” by The 1975 or “Cherry” by Chromatics comes on. You are in a mood, whether it be sad, mad, lonely, or even tired. You feel hazy. You feel things very inwardly, but you’re looking outwardly. People are laughing and dancing. They are distracted, like you’re not even there. It’s a party lull.

Party lull is very reflective of sound. The sound has to be there to catch what the feeling is. Some examples of other songs are “Eyes On Fire” by Blue Foundation, “Ocean Eyes- Astronomyy Remix” by Billie Eilish, and “Maps” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Check out my Spotify playlist for some more.

I think the analysis of sound reflecting feeling is forever intriguing. These songs transport me into that party, into that person feeling a sadness; One that no one else seems to relate to in the moment. I find great interest in this specific mood and think this aspect of music listening should be highlighted.

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I have been in a mood for some much needed groove. When the stress rolls in, along with the tides of seasonal depression, a funky undertone is a must. Classic groovy music has only always a love of mine, but I wanted to focus on the modern development of a similar sound. So, this Mood Ring is specific to modern groove music.

I feel like groove is a feeling more than anything else. It has always been categorized as a “feel” or a “sense” that is conveyed through rhythmic repetition. Yes, it is originally a slang term for certain type of jazz music, but I feel it has expanded with the decades.

It still loosely refers to funky, swingy beats that can’t help but make you vibe down to the music. The feeling is specific, aligning with a sensual relaxation that the music resonates.

My most generous definition for “groove” is something that make me want to dance, but at the same time relax. It is a weird combination that has me obsessed. With my definition, I am seeing this grow with modern genres and musical diversity, which makes me so excited. I can’t help but geek to a good groovy song. It’s inevitable that I will dance, as it seems to be with funk-forward music.

Instead of doing my usual feature of lyrics, sound, and overall feeling I just wanted to highlight a few modern songs that are my go-to groove tunes. Some are more classically stamped as groove or funk and others more obscure, but still sparking that so-called feeling.

“Funky Duck” by Vulfpeck (2015) –– Just the title in itself shows the modern groove. This song is an amazing take on the classic groove rules in the 20th century. Vulfpeck is a perfect representation of modern groove following funky footsteps into the new millennium. They have an overall groovy sound throughout all their music. Other great grooves by Vulfpeck: “Animal Spirits” and “1612”.

“Come Down” by Anderson .Paak (2016) –– This song will never not make me dance. It is inevitably groovy with waves of modern R&B, as well as Rap. Anderson Paak is one of my new favorites in this genre and I feel like his album Malibu has tones of groove fluttered throughout.

“Feel It All Around” by Washed Out (2010) –– An electronic take on groove that has a poppy undertone. This is more of a traditional chill pop bop, but there is no denying the groove that calls you in. This is a great example of the modern twist on groove.

“Level” by The Raconteurs (2006) –– My favorite rock take on the groove feeling. This song is definitely more rocky than the others, but still a modern groove none-the-less.

Some other songs from my Spotify playlist that I want to list:

“Don’t Wanna Fight” by Alabama Shakes

“Phantom (Redux)” by Shirt

“Put a Flower in my Pocket” by The Arcs

“OYAHYTT” by The Coup (feat. LaKeith Stanfield)

I could endlessly list songs in this modern groove Mood Ring. We all need some groove in these stressful times, but there is never a bad time to groove out.

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This is a place you can put yourself in. Imagine you and your friends with a glass of wine and a peel-off face mask, basking in the love of each others presence. Or maybe imagine a game night with your best buddies, popcorn on deck and comedy bits being formed. I feel like this type of love is so underappreciated. It is an important bond and a relationship that is a warm form of support and guidance. I wanted to honor it with this Mood Ring.

Anyway, enough of the sap. Here are my featured songs from my Spotify playlist fitting the lyrics, sound, and overall feeling of philia, the friendship love.

Lyrics

“Good As Hell” by Lizzo captures the essence of a night where your friends hype you up!

Come now, come dry your eyes
You know you a star, you can touch the sky

I know that it’s hard but you have to try
If you need advice, let me simplify

This reminds me of the support I get from my girls, especially on our nights in talking about our lives and hardships. It helps having those people who are by your side through thick and thin. Always letting you know how to positively get through the trenches of insecurity and self doubt.

Sound

For sound, I picked “I Feel It All” by Feist. This song’s sound has been in my mind a lot lately. It makes me feel calm and at home, just like my friends do. The lead singer has a voice that flows through the melody in a simplistic and soft sentiment.This is a song that my roommates and I listen to as we talk around our apartment, really connecting to the feeling the sound portrays.

Overall Feeling

A classic, “Dancing Queen” by Abba represents this metaphorical “girls night” perfectly. Yes, this song is basic, but also a very cleverly written piece of music. Unlike most pop songs, “Dancing Queen” starts off with the chorus, immediately getting the listeners hooked into the catchy melody and positive theme. It is undeniably fun and easy to dance to. It always has made me feel like I need to bust out my hottest vocals to sing along with my friends.

In conclusion, I am happy that music is an outlet that can represent anything in our lives, even the specific form of philia love and how we spend our nights in with our best companions.

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demands recognition. This mood encapsulates women who are unapologetically themselves, whether that be a leather jacket wearing rockstar or not. These songs just make you want to walk around like you are the coolest person in the room. You will want to start a girl band, even if you are not a girl.On Spotify, my playlist is all women singers and musicians giving you a mix of songs that will make you feel like a nasty, kickass woman. I picked one song for lyrics, sound, and overall feeling.

Lyrics

“Blood in the Cut” by K.Flay tells a story of a woman who just wants to feel something more.

Guess I’m contagious it’d be safest if you ran
Fuck that’s what they all just end up doing in the end
Take my car and paint it black
Take my arm, break it in half
Say something, do it soon
It’s too quiet in this room

Sound

“Crown on the Ground” by Sleigh Bells is an overproduced marvel of badassery. The bass is overpowered and the guitar rings with authority. Also, it just can’t help but make you want to dance. The whole song has a constant beat that is so

loudly produced, it sounds like the speaker is blown–but with that being said, it works so perfectly for the song. It is effortlessly cool. The singing is probably the quietest part of the overall sound, but it is a nice opposing feature. The lead singers’ voice, Alexis Krauss is soft and sweet blending in with the mash-up of the hardcore music. Take a listen and I guarantee that you will want to dance, but want to dance like you’re the most important person in the room.

Overall Feeling

“Your Loves Whore” by Wolf Alice is a more subtle sound, but amazing all the same. The front-runner of Wolf Alice, Ellie Rowsell, defines a nasty, talented woman with things to say through her music.

Watch the song being played in a live session for NME.

The overall feeling of this song is a satisfying build-up of emotion and important, rounded-out sound.

And when we grow older
We’ll still be friends
We’ll still be lovers
And won’t fear the end

These lyrics are written to highlight a love, saying that with time, friends or lovers, there won’t be an end to the love.

I let your love tease me
Now I am your love’s whore
Keeps me hardly breathing
But I could only love you more

Rowsell is not afraid to show emotion about this person, it makes her human. Expressing it through music (or art of any kind) is my favorite way to show strength and contribution to the world.

I have a great appreciation for the amount of feeling put into this song. You can feel her emotion through her voice as she sings. The music itself crescendos from just a drum beat to a loud and important sound as the ending closes in. The music is obviously just as important as being shown through great rhythms in each instrument; the highlighted beginning intro does not lead to the lyrics until a minute and a half into the song. But, the music is just as intriguing and makes you feel that something important is coming.

There are so many songs I wanted to include in this Mood Ring and it was hard to narrow it down. There are endless amazing, talented women making great music. I am positive my playlist will keep growing with each day and each time I listen I will start to feel about half as badass as them.

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Through a new Spotify Playlist, I am putting together songs that evoke Springtime, representing growth and new beginnings–whether through the lyrics, sound, or overall feeling. It may seem odd to try to relate songs to a season, but sometimes you hear a song and you just think–Spring! The music itself can just feel like “growth”, “renewal” or “peace” (or any words that stereotypically describe springtime).

Lyrics 

“Outskirts of Paradise” by Bad Suns has a hint of summer fluttered throughout the song, even the title hints at the idea.

Rolled down the window now
I’ve lost my way within this town
The tranquil glow of the song I know, it guides me
I’m stuck in strip mall times
The mood swings under porcelain skies

As I hear the first verse I can imagine the moments. It is one of the first days that the weather is warm enough to roll down the window as you drive home from school. You are used to this town and you’ve seen it change throughout the seasons your whole life, that’s how you know it is finally Spring. It is a feeling of consistency, but at the same time– change.

The mood swings under porcelain skies is a great line that represents the mood swings of people (in my storyline, a teenager fresh out of school), but it also relates to the weather in this lyric. The porcelain skies and mood swings go together and remind me of Spring’s rain and shine.

Sound 

“Open Your Eyes” by STRFKR sounds like springtime. It has a slow beginning rising up with the season. The whole song crescendos into a sort of calm upbeat rhythm. The consistent flow of the guitar riff sounds like a progression of time and mirrors the rebirth of the season. Joshua Hodges, the vocalist, has a smooth voice, singing throughout with ease and a calm reassurance of optimism.

Watch the music video to here this great song and see an awesome video!

Overall Feeling

“Morning” by Beck defines spring more than anything else to me. The lyrics and the sound all come together perfectly, making you feel reborn and fresh with the turn of the season. The lyrics:

Woke up this morning
Found a love light in the storm
Looked up this morning
Saw the roses full of thorns
Mountains are falling
They don’t have nowhere to go
Oceans of diamond
Always shines from your glow

These lyrics sound like poetry and describe a gaze out into nature. Found a love light in the storm; Saw the roses full of thorns; Mountains are falling, each of these words create concrete imagery of nature: the mountains, roses, and storm. Though, it isn’t necessarily about just that.

I read the lyrics as a love poem, the singer waking up next to the person they love. It feels natural and new, but peaceful, Spring in a metaphor.

The sound is exactly how I imagine Springtime. It starts off subtle, with the strumming of the guitar, then more and more melody gets added in.

Soon Beck’s voice, angelic as ever, comes in. It feels like a peaceful renewal; a new beginning where there is little worry. The song goes in and out of oscillating volume, switching from a hypnotic chorus back to the calm and consistent melody of the keyboard. It reflects the change of weather as
spring rolls in.

It is important in my mind to set moments with songs, and explaining the connection is forever intoxicatingly challenging. The warm days are on their way through, rain and bloom is beginning. Spring is back again.

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carry a feeling along with it. I think finding songs to fit those moods can create your own personal story. There is a playlist waiting to be made for every occasion.

With February-a month dedicated to love-coming to a close, I wanted to start this Mood Ring off with falling in love. More specifically, love at first sight. You see it in movies and read about it in books though it can feel too dreamy to be real. With an ever-growing Spotify playlist highlighting these love swept songs, I wanted to include songs that captured the mood of love at first sight with lyrics, sound, and overall feeling. 

Lyrics

There are endless songs that are about love, let alone love at first sight. From the cluster of songs my playlist, I picked “Wake me” by Bleachers.  It is an example of lyrics pertaining to the mood of love at first sight. The overall song sounds happy and makes you want to fall in love. The lyrics being stated show an instant connection:

Sound

“Sparks” by Coldplay sounds like love at first sight. It is sweet and slow, flowing through the song perfectly. I can imagine the moment the two pair of eyes meet. It sounds like a soft sway as the couple introduce themselves. Even the tone of Chris Martin’s voice is smooth and inviting, making you smile coyly as you listen. 

The Overall Feeling

“Falling Slowly” written by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová is already apart of a love story. Once dir. by John Carney is a movie about two people meeting and falling in love. This song is featured in the film and is the perfect overall feeling for the Mood Ring. It is a duet with lyrics that fit the theme of love at first sight:

I don’t know you
But I want you
All the more for that
Words fall through me
And always fool me
And I can’t react

The music itself portrays a sound that is simple and collaborative, as the two musicians play off of each other. It sounds homemade and unrehearsed, which adds to the rawness of falling in love. Since “Falling Slowly” was written for a romance movie, it is really perfect for the feeling,   as we create our own stories to go with each song.

All in all, it is fun and fullfilling to fit songs with moods. It tells a unique story and helps you embrace the feelings of the moment. I like to lose myself in music and having specific feelings to get lost in is all part of the fun.

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