Five Songs for Waking Up Fresh

I am a bit tired today, because my family just started a new schedule that involves all of us waking up earlier in the morning. I am definitely not a morning person and would sleep until the sun woke me up if I had my preference, so I can use a little musical assistance to help me wake up and get moving with (ahem) a pleasant mood.

The thing about choosing music for various moods, purposes and times of the day is that every person has individual preferences and personal attachments to different pieces of music. When I help clients put together lists of songs for various reasons, we talk about why certain songs come to mind, and that can be an additional reason for including – or, sometimes, excluding – a particular song.

All that being said, here are five songs that help me with waking up before sunrise:

1. Morning Mood from Peer Gynt Suite No.1, Op.46 – Edvard Grieg

I think this one was used in a cartoon or something because it seems that I’ve been hearing this song forever. Listening to this one makes me feel like rising slowly, stretching and yawning, then feeling ready to take on the day.

2. William Tell Overture – Gioachino Rossini

I love this entire overture because of two sections – the lovely English horn solo (I am an oboist after all!) and the section that became the Lone Ranger theme, which perhaps is the most familiar part. Back when we were dating, I included the Lone Ranger section on a compilation CD I made for my husband, so it’s a special song for him, too. I know for sure that this one was used in a cartoon with Daffy Duck and Porky the Pig, which you can see here.

3. The Stars and Stripes Forever – John Philip Sousa

My dad used to play a record of this on Saturday morning to wake all of us kids up to do housework. I hated it then, but it’s got a special place in my heart now. This song also gets me moving faster than a splash of cold water (which my father also threatened on those Saturday mornings!)

4. Extraordinary Machine – Fiona Apple

I first heard this song shortly after graduating from college and moving into the professional world, and it’s one I come back to often whenever I need a boost. It speaks of energy and ability and is musically interesting, too. (The bassoon motif is the best part in this one!)

5. Get Up ‘N’ Go – The Ditty Bops

The title of this one says it all! (The lyrics definitely fit the theme, too.) I love the Ditty Bops and their close-harmony singing. This song is peppy and light-hearted – great for the morning.

Although I tried to include songs with words, too, I tend to prefer instrumental music in the mornings because I can’t handle all the verbal input in the early hours. What kinds of music do you like in the morning? What are your favorite morning songs? Please share your favorites below!

6 Comments

  1. JoAnn Jordan on August 24, 2011 at 9:48 pm

    If my player awakened me with these, it wouldn’t last long. But, once I am awake, I think they would definitely get me moving.

    • soundscapemusictherapy on August 25, 2011 at 8:23 pm

      Ha! I definitely couldn’t handle these as an alarm clock, either. They help more once I’m out of bed.

  2. ladebiomusicacyl on August 26, 2011 at 8:34 pm

    For me this is one of the most beautiful songs which I have woke up in the morning. When I was student in the University, the first year in the residence when I was living, I must choose one song and in the morning the sound gone through the differents rooms, steps, and corners of the building…specially in my room 🙂

    Let the river run, (B.S.O “Armas de Mujer in Spanish, Working girl in English, with Melany G., I think this song won a Oscar Award): Let the river runhttp://open.spotify.com/track/2R7Bg8CbvJDmfiSRZ0qgOh

    • soundscapemusictherapy on August 27, 2011 at 8:58 am

      Hello! Thanks so much for sharing that song. I hadn’t heard that one before. It definitely has a wake up and get moving sound to it!

  3. Ashley Lundquist on September 10, 2011 at 2:33 am

    There is a great song that really gets me going in the morning. It is called “Good Morning” by Mandisa featuring Toby Mac. It is so upbeat and makes you think much more positively before your day even begins.

    • soundscapemusictherapy on September 10, 2011 at 3:08 pm

      Awesome! I hadn’t heard that one before. Thanks for sharing, Ashley!

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