“You can’t build a house of leaves and live like it’s an evergreen,” sings John Mayer on the song “Wheel.” He hits upon the truth that change is inevitable; it comes to attention more so in the early weeks of a new year, especially upon exiting a year which caused so many to desperately wish for a positive change. Change is not always welcomed openly, unless it is bursting out of a dark and cavernous season into a brighter one. Or at the very least, seeing a small speck of light at an exit to the cavern. This is a collection of songs that capture the feeling of positive change, fresh beginnings, and what it means to feel new.
You cannot have a new beginning without first an end. Some of these songs are goodbyes; whether bittersweet, like Ed Sheeran’s rendition of the traditional Scottish folk song “Parting Glass,” or longing for good riddance, like in Matchbox Twenty’s “These Hard Times.” Then there are songs such as “Feel Again” by OneRepublic and “Then Came The Morning” by The Lone Bellow, celebrating the positive change and new beginnings that finally come when you feel you’ve been stuck in a rough season for far too long.
Some of my favorites here are a little less obviously about change. They are songs that, when listening to them, make me feel new. Whether it’s simply the vibe of the song, like in Parachute’s “New Orleans;” or the way the lead singer of the band fun. sings, “For the first time in a long time I feel alive,” on “Barlights;” or how Kyle Riabko’s song “Carry On” reminds us that if a constant remains, even if that constant is simply perseverance or good people around you, good change will surely come.
Whether it’s a new year or a new state of mind (or the end of an old one), we hope these songs can accompany you amidst the changes.
- Then Came The Morning – The Lone Bellow
- The New Year – Parachute
- Wheel – John Mayer
- Barlights – fun.
- New Orleans – Parachute
- Parting Glass (Live) – Ed Sheeran
- These Hard Times – Matchbox Twenty
- Hit The Ground Running – Donavon Frankenreiter
- Carry On – Kyle Riabko
- This Feeling – Alabama Shakes
- Feel Again – OneRepublic
Happy New Year
Written and Curated by Anna Waggoner