It’s beginning to look a lot like seasonal affective disorder over here.
If you’re anything like me, winter has a way of settling into your bones – and it’s not just the occasional cold snaps out here in the pineywoods, but the quiet.
Winter means shorter days, longer nights and the gray monotony of early sunsets. All of these factors can certainly chip away at one’s energy and mood, which is why having a good slate of music to listen to isn’t some small seasonal pleasure, no, it’s a sort of emotional insurance policy; a soundtrack that warms us up from the inside out.
The ability of music to shift our mindset, sometimes almost instantly, is a phenomenon that has been studied through various scientific and pathological lenses, but the enjoyment that arises from it, to those who relish good music and possess the simple ability to pay attention, supersedes all the studies, no matter how well-funded they may be.
Music fills the gaps with rhythm, melody, color and comfort; with songs and pieces of music that make statements or tell stories. A solid wintertime playlist can pick up where sunlight leaves off. Upbeat tunes can help push through those sluggish mornings when the sky feels like it’s in a state of perpetual overcast, and softer, cozier songs can transform a dark evening into something soothing, as opposed to a cathedral of loneliness.
A good winter playlist also creates a sense of ritual. Whether you’re cuing up familiar favorites when you have your morning coffee or discovering new artists while winding down at night, musical routines help to ground us, and to give structure to days that can otherwise feel thrown together and pass by in a blur.
Winter is a time when social interaction also slows down a good bit, so music is a good companion: a reliable, uplifting, thought-provoking and ever-present friend.
Movement and possibilities of whatever is to come is also a great reminder that a quality winter playlist can serve as a conduit for. Songs, as my pal Gabe Wootton is often reminding everyone within earshot, are powerful things. The right song can bring meaning to a dour season; it can nudge us toward a walk outside, a bit of cleaning that’s been on the to-do list or to give a call to a friend. Those kinds of actions can keep the emotional fog from settling too deep into one’s bones.
Winter is inevitable, but sinking into the gloominess doesn’t have to be. Some of your pals here at the East Texan have picked a few seasonal favorites to help you recharge, reflect and find some warmth in melodies to offer comfort from the cold.
So, check out this mix of tunes, and we hope it won’t just accompany your winter, but transform it.
Chasing those Winter Blues Away –
The East Texan winter playlist
Emily Banks Wooten’s picks
My picks for the Seasonal Playlist are “Merry Christmas from the Family” and “Pretty Paper.”
• Robert Earl Keen “Merry Christmas From the Family” – Not necessarily for the faint of heart, Robert Earl Keen’s “Merry Christmas from the Family” from his 1994 album “Gringo Honeymoon,” is a favorite Christmas song around our household. The song describes, in painstaking detail, the Christmas gathering of a relatively dysfunctional family. While the highly sensitive may find parts of the song offensive, most listeners are sure to find something in it they can relate to from their own family’s holiday gatherings – once they quit laughing, that is. A live version also appears on his 1996 album No. 2 Live Dinner. Keen was born in Houston in 1956.
• Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison “Pretty Paper” – “Pretty Paper” checks the box for two Texas artists – Willie Nelson, born in Abbott, Texas in 1933, and Roy Orbison, born in Vernon, Texas in 1936. Willie wrote the song, and his producer pitched it to Roy, who had a hit with it. Willie later recorded his own version of the song in November 1964. The song tells the story of a street vendor who, during the Christmas season, sells pencils and paper on the streets. Willie said he was inspired to write the song after he remembered a man he often saw while he lived in Fort Worth.
Melissa Wheeler’s picks
First off let me say that I am so excited about this assignment, music is one of my things. I cannot function without it. Most people have their TV on constantly, mine is music. Secondly, this was extremely difficult. I kept going back and forth and my list was finally narrowed down to nine songs. So, you are getting three and even that was a back and forth.
• Randy Rogers Band “Steal You Away” – All these boys are from Texas but Brady Black on the fiddle has to be one of my favorite sounds of all time. Choosing any one particular song from them was hard, this one always makes me sway.
• Willie Nelson “If You Could Touch Her at All” – You cannot talk about Texas music and not include one of my all-time favorite troubadours. Again, it was hard to pick just one (I see a pattern). This is one of my favorites, holds a very special place in my heart.
• Rodney Crowell “After All This Time” – Mr. Crowell is a Houston native and has an impeccable discography. In my opinion this is one of the best written songs of all time. It gives me chills.
BONUS
• Kris Kristofferson/Janis Joplin “Me and Bobbie McGee” – This one is a double-edged sword. The late, great Kristofferson was a storyteller like no other, and this song was made for Janis. I have sung this to my kids, my nieces and nephews and now my grandchildren. Does it sound great? Probably not, but it’s fun and they love it.
Mollie La Salle’s picks
I decided to go with some local talent. So here ya go:
• George Jones – “He stopped loving her today” and “I don’t need your rocking chair”
• Janis Joplin – “Piece of my heart,” “Me and Bobby McGee” and “Mercedes Benz”
• Tracy Byrd – “Watermelon Crawl” and “Keeper of the stars”
Chris Edwards’ picks
• Parker Ryan “Ghosts” – Huntington’s own Parker Ryan has been making quite a few big waves with his homespun grooves. This early effort, which is a stark, acoustic cover of a haunting and reflective number written by Cherokee County’s own songsmith Gabe Wootton, shows just what makes Parker such a potent force. The young artist is no slouch as a songwriter, himself, but this is a great example of the right artist inhabiting the right tune to near perfection.
• Logan McCune “Where Are You Angel” – Nacogdoches (by way of Marquez) singer/songwriter Logan McCune has the goods to bring you mind of your own life’s highways through his catchy melodies and earnest vocal stylings. This song, from his debut studio album Father Margil (now THERE’S a great East Texan historical reference) asks where one’s guardian angel might be, and despite the wash-outs on life’s many roads, the narrator in this song still has faith in that angel. Good stuff.
• Jason Breedlove “Take the Ex Out of Texas” – Tyler County troubadour Jason Breedlove lends his smooth vocals to a western swing number written by another East Texan troubadour, Keith McCoy. This one pairs well with a good bourbon.
• Fred Limbston “Separation Anxiety” – Lufkin singer/songwriter Fred Limbston has the sort of reedy, emotive voice that sounds great next to a good winter chill. “This heart isn’t fickle/and life isn’t simple” is one of many heart-on-sleeve couplets from a song that brings to mind someone who gave their all to another, only to come up short in the reciprocation department.
• Alice in Chains “Frogs” – Although not a Texas act, the mighty AiC did play quite often in Texas back in their heyday, and this song, off their last album with the late, great (but sadly, tormented) Layne Staley, recently turned 30 years young. I’m including this song because, to me, AiC always sounded “wintry.” Out of all the four big Seattle “grunge” bands, Alice was by far the most traditional heavy metal act, although on their later recordings, they really showcased a variety of atmospherics and moods. This song, which on the surface is about a failed friendship and betrayal, cuts to the bone with sparse lyrics. When Staley sings, in his steely tone “Why’s it have to be this way?” you feel his pain. n
