Throughout my life, I’ve taken a lot of flack because I tend to love depressing music. Like a lot of Crohnies, I have depression, but my preferences go far beyond that. I’ve never been good at releasing emotions. In fact, to be honest, when I’ve added tears to any of my comics, it’s because those are the moments when I wish I’d been able to cry, not because I actually did cry. Instead of releasing difficult emotions, I tend to push everything down and then explode (or have a flare) every few years.
Music has always been one of the few outlets that gives me emotional release. When I can’t sleep and I stay up all night listening to music, it’s almost like my mind checks out and leaves my feelings to harmonize with whatever is playing. Sad music hurts, but man, it also helps me release otherwise constipated emotions. Music makes it ok for me to feel what I need to feel. And it’s just so good.
I could write books about how much music means to me. Even if I tried though, I could never do it justice. Instead, I’m going to take a risk, be more vulnerable than I prefer, and share some of my late night go to’s.
I present to you:
Hoot’s Insomniac Playlist for Feeling Feels
- Hope There’s Someone – Antony and the Johnsons
- Selective Memory – Eels
- It’s a Motherfucker – Eels
- Flower – Eels
- Suzanne – Leonard Cohen
- Famous Blue Raincoat – Leonard Cohen
- Details of the War – Clap Your Hands And Say Yeah
- Black Eyed Dog – Nick Drake
- Miles From Nowhere – Cat Stevens
- Trouble – Cat Stevens
- Trouble – Elliott Smith (Cat Stevens Cover)
- The Biggest Lie – Elliott Smith
- No Surprises – Radiohead
- Thirteen – Big Star
- Your Ex-Lover Is Dead – Stars
- Pale Blue Eyes – The Velvet Underground
- Someday Never Comes – CCR
- The Leftovers Piano Theme – Max Richter
- Comptine d’un autre été – Yann Tiersen
- Bron Yr Aur – Led Zeppelin