Mari Ness -

My musical tastes tend towards the classical, and I have different music for different needs, different places: Mozart, Faure and Pergolosi at work; Anuna, various Jeff Beal soundtracks, Bharamji and Maneesh while struggling with words while writing, and so on. (That's a very partial list.) But here's a very partial list of the songs that make me bounce:

Tom Cochrane, "Life is a Highway." "LIFE IS A HIGHWAY I'M GONNA RIDE IT ALL NIGHT LONG!" Many people have learned, to their cost, that standing near me when this song is playing can be deadly, deadly dangerous.

Ludwig van Beethoven, Symphony No 6, Pastorale. No, not because it brings to mind atrociously cute little flying horses and so on. Not my favorite of his symphonies – that would the 7th – but I find this one puts me into a calmer mood. Which means technically, I suppose, this one should really be more in the "music that calms me" group, but in this case, it has both a calming and cheering effect.

Joel McNeely, "The Kiss," from Last of the Mohicans.

Three Dog Night, "Joy to the World." Come on. This is on everybody's list, right? Sing it with me: "Joy to the fishies in the deep blue sea, joy to you and me." We can even sing it in harmony if you like.

Elvis Costello, "Veronica." Why precisely a song about Alzheimer's and aging would cheer me I have no idea. Maybe it's the beat. Maybe it's something else.

Louis Prima, "I'm Just a gigolo." This is another one that, based on the lyrics alone, probably shouldn't cheer me – after all, the constant repetitions of "I'm so sad and lonely," really should be getting me down. But maybe it's the way Prima sings it, maybe it's knowing that I'm not the only one getting occasionally sad and lonely.

Sinead O'Connor, "Daddy I'm Fine." This one, though, is because of the lyrics, and specifically for these lines:

Wanna make my own living singing/ Strong independent pagan woman singing.

Yeah.

Eurythimics, "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)". Some of you have had the unfortunate experience of being near me when this song, or a bit of this song, comes on, and to you, I apologize greatly. It is, I assure you, a completely Pavlovian response. Not a song I can play in the office. Incidentally, I also like the Thomas Anders cover of this.

Depreche Mode, "Personal Jesus.": I can hear some of you now: mariness? Depreche Mode? Seriously? Yep.

Charlie Daniels, "The Devil Went Down to Georgia." Even if I'm still convinced that the Devil actually sounds a hell of a lot better than Johnny does.

Bruce Hornsby, "Mandolin Rain." This shouldn't be on a cheery list, either, given the lyrics, but something about the very phrase "mandolin rain" cheers me up.

Pet Shop Boys, "Integral." So I'm driving behind C a few days before on our way to some place or other, and I start bouncing in the car. Bouncing. This is noticed. This is the problem with the Pet Shop Boys. Or specifically, this song.

The Party Ben remix of "Thank God I'm a Country Boy." Er. Move to the next song.

Earthsongs, "Raise Your Voice." Yeah, it's a hymn. Yeah, I don't really like hymms. Did I mention that I'm not always consistent in my musical tastes, or did you miss the "Thank God I'm A Country Boy" bit? In any case, if you missed this particular one, and you probably did, it starts off very quietly, with a single clear voice, and then moves into mad inspiration. At least for me.

Eric Idle/Monty Python, "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life." I think because I first heard this sung by crucified people. That, or the whistling.

The Verve, "Bittersweet Symphony."