There are some mornings where you feel like you’re “coffee black and egg white” – in other words, you’re as blank and numb as the static on a TV screen. Other mornings you may feel a zest of energy as you go about your routine. And then there are those mornings when you’re recovering from a night of partying or a one-night stand. No matter how you feel on your mornings, here is a “breakfast” playlist to get you going.
Number Five: “F*** and Run” by Liz Phair. “F*** and Run” is a song by Liz Phair, off of her 1993 indie-rock album Exile in Guyville. The lyrics straightforwardly describe a one-night stand that’s happened too many times and a girl that has this bad habit of sleeping with someone then never talking to them again. The song begins, “I woke up alarmed / I didn’t know where I was at first / just that I woke up in your arms / and almost immediately I felt sorry / cause I didn’t think this would happen again.” The last verse goes, “And I can feel it in my bones / I’m gonna spend my whole life alone / it’s f*** and run, f*** and run / even when I was seventeen / f*** and run, f*** and run / even when I was twelve.” This song is relatable to anyone who’s ever been promiscuous. Which brings me to the next track…
Number Four: “Promiscuity” by Ani DiFranco. “Promiscuity” is a song by Ani DiFranco, off of her 2012 album, ¿Which Side Are You On?. DiFranco is a poet, and the lyrics cleverly describe both promiscuous and monogamous relationships. The lyrics begin, “promiscuity is nothing more than traveling / there’s more than one way to see the world / and some of us like to stick close to home / and some of us are like Columbus.” The song continues, “and seeing the world through another’s eyes / is like busting a window in a house of lies / and in the end you make up your own mind.” The chorus accurately describes how sleeping around is a part of the growth process: “I mean how you gonna know / what you need / what you like / till you been around the block / a few times on that bike… / …I mean how you gonna know / who you are / what you feel / till you feel a few things / that just don’t feel real.” Repeated in the song are the words, “nature always gets her way,” which echoes sentiments of how sleeping around may help you figure out if you’re gay or straight but also how sleeping around can get you pregnant. The song has a folksy-jangly beat that’s perfect for cooking breakfast for yourself after you proudly strutted the walk of shame.
Number Three: “Saturdays” by Nelly Furtado. “Saturdays” is an upbeat song by Nelly Furtado, off of her 2003 album Folklore (before she turned mainstream). The song features the back-up vocals of Jarvis Church. The song describes waking up in a “hot motel,” followed by “magazine and diet coke” and the “linen mart.” The lyrics then describe more of this woman’s routine: “rock garden / where I used to play / people stare / part of their day / coffee break / lunch at noon / pumpernickel steak / green and orange room.” She then describes helping out her mother, enjoying a drive with the windows down till finally, “home I lay / after a shower clean / I hit my head / and I dream.” This song is perfect for those who have a routine to follow from the start of their annoying alarm clock – whether it’s things you have to do or things that simply please you.
Number Two: “Coffee & TV” by Blur. “Coffee & TV” is a song by Blur, off of their 1999 album 13. It features the vocals of guitarist Graham Coxon, rather than the usual vocals of Damon Albarn. The lyrics describe someone struggling with alcoholism and perfectly portray what someone craves when they’re hungover (“coffee and TV”). The chorus says it all: “So give me coffee and TV / history / I’ve seen so much / I’m going blind / and I’m brain-dead virtually / Sociability / it’s hard enough for me…” This song could be your theme if you tend to hit the bottle too much at night or if you simply feel numb to your surroundings on the morning after a bender (The track was also featured on the soundtrack to Cruel Intentions).
Number One: “Where Do I Begin” by The Chemical Brothers. This is by far my favorite song on this list. “Where Do I Begin” is a song by The Chemical Brothers, off of their 1997 album, Dig Your Own Hole. It features the soothing vocals of Beth Orton. The song features the same repeated lyrics: “Sunday morning I’m waking up / can’t even focus on a coffee cup / don’t even know whose bed I’m in / where do I start / where do I begin.” The track features a slow-techno groove that matches the dizzying feeling of waking up and not knowing where or even who you are, then it crescendos into a whirlwind of sound. The song has been featured in movies like Accepted, Monster and Vanilla Sky and is perfect for those who feel like a stranger to themselves after a night of heavy revelry or reckoning.