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Moody Music to Inspire Creativity

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Have you lost your flow? The best creativity sometimes stems from being moody. And it just so happens I have the excellent collection of moody music for you to explore that is sure to get those creative juice flowing.

I will be adding to this list in the future - so check back often for some new tunes to add to your playlist. So get that paintbrush, pencil, or whatever you happen to get creative with ready. It is time to bring on the mood!

Purchase Songs on This List from iTunes!

Track Artist Album  
Colorblind Counting Crows This Desert Life
Strange Form of Life Bonnie "Prince" Billy The Letting Go
Pyramid Song Radiohead
Roads Portishead Dummy
Into Dust Mazzy Star So Tonight That I Might See
Devil Got My Woman Skip James The Road to Robert Johnson and Beyond, CD A
Three Hours Nick Drake Five Leaves Left (Remastered)
Clap Hands Tom Waits Rain Dogs
Pop Art Blue Zero 7 Yeah Ghost (Deluxe Version)

Table of Contents

Bonnie "Prince" Billy

Strange Form of Life

"And the softest lips ever
25 years of waiting to kiss them
Smiling and waiting
To bend down and kiss twice"

Strange Form of Life is a gorgeous song. I am not a huge fan of all of Will Oldham / Bonnie "Prine" Billy's work, but a few leave me simply breathless. This piece has that sort of glorious longing to it that is perfect for digging up reflection. Nothing spells out creativity like reflecting on your past.

Visit him on the web at bonnieprincebilly.com.

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Radiohead

Pyramid Song

"I jumped in the river and what did I see?
Black-eyed angels swam with me
A moon full of stars and astral cars
All the things I used to see"

Pyramid Song moves slow with a graceful melody. Thom Yorke almost seems half awake as he sings about dream-like visions. This is the song you let yourself go with. A lot of Radiohead's songs are sure to inspire creativity with poetic lyrics and unusual rhythms. However, Pyramid Song is among the best for those looking to sink into a bought of melancholy.

Visit Radiohead at radiohead.com.

Pyramid Song

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Tweaker

Ruby

"The color of my dreams they would be you Ruby
Oh if I could close my eyes and bring you to me
And push your head into make you not you not you not you but me"

It is worth mentioning that part of what makes Ruby such an amazing song is that it features the voice of Bonnie "Prince" Billy (Will Oldham). The way that this song flows from delicate to a moment of rage in melody make it the kind of song that sparks emotion. You'll find yourself singing along by the third play - at least.

Visit Tweaker at tweaker.net.

Ruby

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Portishead

Roads

"Ohh, can't anybody see
We've got a war to fight
Never found our way
Regardless of what they say"

Portishead always has this deep, haunting melody that sends your mind to another realm. Roads is no exception. Beth Gibbons exposes a certain feminine vulnerability in this song that leaves you feeling all too vulnerable yourself.

Visit Portishead at portishead.co.uk.

Roads

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Mazzy Star

Into Dust

"Still falling
Breathless and on again
Inside today
Inside me today"

Into Dust transports us to a simple and beautifully sad moment. The acoustic guitar lends to an intimate setting that one could surprisingly get lost in.

Visit Mazzy Star at mazzystar.nu.

Into Dust

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Counting Crows

Colorblind

"I am covered in skin
No one gets to come in
Pull me out from inside
I am folded and unfolded and unfolding"

Colorblind is one of the few songs I enjoy by Counting Crows. It is one of those songs that speaks honestly about who a person is and what makes them bleed. Nothing can beat the line "I am covered in skin / no one gets to come in." That in itself speaks volumes for its place here.

Visit Counting Crows at countingcrows.ning.com.

Colorblind

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Nina Simone

Black Swan

"The sun is falling and it lies in blood
The moon is weaving bandages of gold
Old black swan where oh where is my lover now
Where oh where is my lover now"

Nina Simone is a classic original. Black Swan is eerie and elegant all at the same time. Some parts of it can literally send shivers down your spine.

Visit Nina Simone at ninasimone.com.

Black Swan

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Nick Drake

Three Hours

"Three hours from speaking
Everyone's flown
Not wanting to be
Seen on their own"

Nick Drake makes for generally moody music. However, Three Hours has a special quality of being slightly optimistic and distressing all at once. It makes you feel as if you are on a strange trip to a quiet place in your soul. I'm not sure that anyone else's music could get you there as quickly as Nick Drake's.

Visit Nick Drake at brytermusic.com.

Three Hours

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Skip James

Devil Got My Woman

"I'd rather be the devil, to be that woman man
I'd rather be the devil, to be that woman man
Aw, nothin' but the devil, changed my baby's mind
Was nothin' but the devil, changed my baby's mind"

Well no moody music list would be complete without the blues. Skip James is my favorite when it comes to the blues. What is sadder than your woman sleeping around?

Read more about Skip James here.

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Tom Waits

Clap Hands

"Sane, sane, they're all insane
The fireman's blind, the conductor's lame
A Cincinatti jacket and a sack luck dame
Hanging out the window with a bottle full of rain"

Tom Waits is that gritty whisper in the corner that you can't seem to chase from your mind long after the song is over. Take in the sinister melody of Clap Hands and feel something devious.

Visit Tom Waits at tomwaits.com.

Clap Hands

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Zero 7

Pop Art Blue

"Well, it's all up from here
It's like I can taste opportunity near
I cut myself on barbwire getting wood for the fire
I was too busy staring at you, you"

I heard this one recently on Pandora. I had it set on my typical Massive Attack radio station. When I heard the beautiful vocalist along with the teetering melancholy beats - I was hooked. Repeat. What a smokey, sultry song! It just makes you feel a zillion emotions at once.

Visit Zero7 at zero7.co.uk.

Pop Art Blue

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Blessed!

Thanks to Jewelsofawe for blessing this lens on 07/27/2011.

Thanks to Photahsiamirabel for blessing this lens on 07/15/2011.

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anticloud

I have extremely varied musical tastes. I love moody music above all. There is just something about a song that moves you to sadness that brings out t... more »

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