Monday Music Marginalia: Episode 8

I was going to take this Monday off but instead I’ll keep it short and sweet. Today is Marathon Monday in Boston as runners take on the 26.2 run, roll, race, walk, stumble past the finish line in Boston. After a recovery as long as needed celebratory something, the days ahead could probably use a lot of stretching.

It has not gotten much use lately (shame on me) but one of my most used playlists was and should be my “stretch sessions”. Here are some of the songs on it and why they’re there.

Ouch

There is a part of stretching when everything hurts. Before you get to the good part, like so many good things, you have to work through the part that makes you want to curl up into a ball and cry a little.

• Verdi Cries 10, 0000 Maniacs
• Broken Arrow Robbie Robertson
• November Rain Guns ‘n Roses
• Helpless KD Lang
• Everybody Hurts REM
• Sprained Ankle Julien Baker
• Fix You Coldplay
• My Future Sarah Jarosz
• Thank Myself Earl St Clair

Release

Once your body stops fighting you, the release is magical and should be relished. This is the part when so many people say, “ah that’s good, I’m good” and rush through it. If you have the right music, and carefully calculate that you have more rime than you think. This is the sweet spot don’t rush it.

• Silent All These Years Tori Amos
• Right To Be Wrong Joss Stone
• Good Thing Earl St Clair
• Big Time Angel Olsen
• Wicked Game Chris Isaak
• I’m Yours Jason Mraz
• Patience Guns ‘n Roses
• The Promise Tracy Chapman
• Last Request Paolo Nutini

Relax

The instinct once you start to feel a release is to stop and move on. If you can though, this is the time to slow it down. Stretch so slowly you get a little deeper and get to a point of relaxation. It is like a setting powder on your makeup, a little finishing salt on the food you just prepared, that thing you didn’t know you were missing until you found it.

• Qi Phildel
• Thaïs Meditation, London Philharmonic
• The World Spins Julee Cruise
• It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody Weyes Blood
• Georgia Katie Pruitt
• Heart’s Content Brandi Carlile
• Dusklight Movement Jon Batiste
• Duvet Laurie Torres

Revive

Sometimes I can float right out of my stretch sessions but other times I need a little pep in my step. So I will grab my water bottle and queue up some songs to help me get going.

• Time To Wake III Phoebe Katis
• Closer to Fine Brandi Carlile, Catherine Carlile
• You’re Beautiful James Blunt
• Sign Your Name Across My Heart Sananda Maitreya
• I Can See Clearly Now Holly Cole
• Can’t Stop Earl St Clair
• Float Janelle Monae
• Feel Good Charlotte Cardin