Shorty Outta State, She’s Gonna Break The Rules Though - She Could Do Whatever She Wants
Updated: Sep 17, 2022
🎶 bottles and coliseums... Sorry, that song's stuck in my head. I wonder if I should mention the song name & artist since the title of each of my posts are lyrics from a song...
Actually, ya know what? Let's talk about music. This is for everyone, but I'd hate to ignore the fact that music might hit a little differently for those of us with neurodivergent brains (see here for ADHD+Music podcast). Something about each note, each instrument, the way it all comes together with the beat and the rhythm and the melody... It's like the frequency my brain operates on, and that could be good or bad. Some tunes seriously just lift me the fuck up, others bring me right down. Either way, it's like I can actually feel the music running through my veins. And I didn't even get to the lyrics or vocals yet...
How many times have you heard a song for the first time and thought "YES, that's it someone gets it!" Or "holy shit I didn't think of it that way but it is so true!" Or even "good lord I am so happy I've never experienced that..."? Songwriters get it. But they also have the ability to influence us in special ways, not just validate us. I swear hearing the same words from a song can have a better impact than getting advice from someone else. Maybe it's the fact that it's combined with music or that it's coming from a virtual stranger or it's said (sung) so poetically, but it just resonates more. There are songs that I absolutely love but will literally turn off after the first 2 seconds because I know it'll have me deep in my feels. Then there are songs that come on my playlist that I keep repeating for my entire drive somewhere... it's like, getting helpful advice and validation and understanding without having to expose yourself to another human being.
Plus the voices... I have a wide range of musical interests; different genres and bands and artists. In any category I could encounter a voice that touches something in me, whether it be a note they hit or an emotion trembling, I fucking feel it. That's not to say every single song or artist I enjoy listening to has a "good" voice, some of the milliseconds of singing I feel the deepest could even be from an artist I'm not particularly that fond of overall. There's no explaining any of this, I do not know why I try.
Okay, well this is why I try. I'm "finding myself" and ~healing~ and starting over or starting fresh or what-the-fuck-ever. Some days are low, some are dark, some of those days are unfortunately both. I could read and write and exercise and watch funny shit to laugh at and talk with friends and family and so so many things... but honestly, nothing can compare to blasting the volume up on my music. It could be music that I'm currently really vibing with, my all time favorites, or songs that are guaranteed to make you smirk at the very least - literally drowning out everything else, even my own racing mind, and filling myself up with good* music can turn my day around. Shit it can turn my goddamn life around when I'm at that special place of 'oops we over corrected the pissy mood and now it's surpassed positive and we're floating somewhere in delusion. (Good god, someone please tell me they get that, I cannot be the only one and if I am.... ... ...)
Alright well for fuck's sake let's give you some tunes to listen to. I mean, this is really more so for anyone feeling down (no matter what "down" is for you or what level of it you're at) but I do think it can be uplifting no matter your current state of mind. Here are 5 I'm loving right now.
*I need to put a disclaimer that these are my current uplifting songs, some of which are always on the list but.. with ADHD I tend to forget things exist when they're not right in front of my face (or ears) and that they are not in order trust me I have TRIED selecting my favorites of all things and it changes, I change, shit changes, ch-ch-changeesss (not on the list but still decent).
Get You High by Habour I don't know exactly what it is about this song, but the opening melody/beat/instruments just does it. The lyrics are pretty on point too, thinking of anytime we've ever been crushing on someone new or even reigniting feelings for someone we're past that stage with -"I just wanna make you wanna make me yours"- it's been said a thousand times in hundreds of ways but something about that wording speaks to me.
Look What You Made Me Do by Taylor Swift. This isn't on my top TSwift songs, but when you're going through shit it's important to feel all the emotions and go through the 7 rings of Hell or the grief stages (same thing) and this is one of those anger songs that also pumps me up. Like not just revenge or payback, but also acting out or something. While it's obviously not good to blame others or the world for the shitty things that happen in life, taking ownership of ourselves does NOT actually mean to blame ourselves. This song helps refocus that for me.
Superbloom by Misterwives LOL I think I've used lines to this song multiple times for a blogpost title, I would have to write out every single lyric to fully express the divinity of this song. This is actually really hard to pick but I'm going with my gut and my gut says this is the line to talk about right now: "Never rained in the desert til I picked me for the very first time, it's darkest before the sunrise" - - I mean come the fuck on here. A little insight into "picking yourself" I've learned is that the rain doesn't come right away. Shit, I've been waiting for a small shower and each drizzle gets me more impatient. What am I hoping to happen? I don't really know, I guess just to feel better, to see clearer, to have answers to questions that I don't actually think are inconvenient of me to ask but... idk I suppose I have to repeatedly "pick myself" enough until it becomes more natural, and then maybe I won't be so blind to the answers in front of me. Let me have this little bit of odd delusion please, odd delusion gets me through too so try that out if you're feeling it.
She's A Bad Mama Jama by Carl Carlton lol I know, I KNOW. But it just lifts me up, okay? It's fun and funky and sometimes I gotta tell myself I'm a bad Mama Jama, get over it! Better yet, tell yourself that YOU'RE a bad Mama Jama too!
A-O-K by Tai Verdes Honestly there are so many Tai Verdes songs I could list right now but this is an ultimate. The beat is simple and happy in a "well I know it ain't all rainbows and butterflies but I like other shit too" kinda vibe. (Dear Jesus I hope my words make sense to somebody out there). I love the rhythm of the chorus and the lyrics fucking hit - "fuck all the hate, do a shimmy-shake, throw a middle finger up down the interstate" I may have done just that for no other reason than I damn well felt like it. But then there's this zinger too, "I'd be lying if I said I knew the way, I just eat shit and pretend that it's gourmet." Poetry I tell ya! Honestly, the people giving advice (that actually helps or guides or supports) are usually the ones who have been through shit, possibly still going through shit. I feel that line. Here I am typing and writing and giving some "listen to music" advice on the internet with zero qualifications or notariety... but I've been there, right now I'm there more so than ever before. I know how difficult it is, how impossible it seems. I'm here telling you what has worked for me and what is currently working for me, at least to some degree. I do not know the way to the best future or possible outcomes or permanent happiness and fulfillment and success, but DO know the way to "day-by-day" because I have been living that way for a while now. And I have in the past.
Right now, getting from AM to PM and that middle bullshit insomnia in between back to AM again, is listening to the music that lifts YOU up. These songs are just my opinion because they're currently helping me. But maybe they can help you too. At the very least I hope they motivate you to play some of your favorites, or even play some random ass playlist, shuffle whatever and you can pick out those songs that spark something.
Just a thought though. All I really know for sure is that if I am to be a song stuck in someone's head, I hope it's a good one: one that lifts that person up.
Xoxo,
Terri
