I consider myself a lucky person, maybe because I tend to do things that lucky people would do. I skip instead of walking more than the average person. I constantly find pennies, partly because I work a job where I handle a cash register, and little coincidences seem to go my way. Another lucky habit of mine is listening to my lucky music. In the spirit of Saint Patrick’s Day tomorrow, here are my five lucky songs and why they feel lucky to me.
“Sweet Carolina,” by Lana Del Rey
Picture this. The middle of Bardstown Road in the Highlands, circa 2021. My longtime friend Jude Mayfield and I were wandering through alleys, sharing a pair of brand new AirPods while listening to Blue Banisters. We were on what felt like an endless walk to a CD store so Jude could add to his collection. While jaywalking across Bardstown Road, his left AirPod fell out of my ear. I bent down to grab it from the pavement while still in the middle of the street. Jude suddenly yanked my arm so hard it nearly came out of its socket. I had been seconds away from being hit by a convertible. I do not remember which song from the album was playing, but since “Sweet Carolina” is my favorite, I like to imagine it was that one. Either way, the moment left me feeling incredibly lucky.
“Last Train to London,” by Electric Light Orchestra
I have had a long on-and-off relationship with hobby jogging. Recently, I have been back on the upswing after rediscovering this song. It showed up while I was shuffling through my archived liked songs, and I quickly made it my middle of the run pump up track. Whenever my legs start to hurt, and my mind wants to be anywhere but on the treadmill, this song helps push me through the last stretch. Its energy makes running feel fun again, which is why I consider it lucky.
“Baby I’m Yours,” cover by Arctic Monkeys
This song is sweet and simple, but the reason it feels lucky to me is the friendship it accidentally helped create. My friend Shae Bowers and I met during the fall semester of freshman year. When she told me she loved the Arctic Monkeys, I immediately went on about how much I loved them too. That was not exactly true. I really only knew their most mainstream songs, but earlier that week I had discovered their cover of “Baby I’m Yours.” My enthusiasm started a long conversation that turned into a great friendship. Years later we admitted that neither of us had been huge fans at the time. She was going through a phase and I was exaggerating my knowledge. Still, the moment worked out perfectly for both of us.
“Get Me Bodied,” by Beyoncé
Whenever I get control of the aux cord, which is not often, this is one of the first songs I play. It is upbeat, fun, and almost impossible not to dance to. One of my favorite things to do is dance terribly, and the night instantly becomes better if I can convince someone else to join me. If I manage to get even one friend dancing along, I consider the night a success. That small win makes the song feel lucky.
“Breakfast With Lou,” by Jesse Jo Stark
My mom is the person who shaped most of my music taste. Unfortunately, when I was between thirteen and fifteen, I went through a pretentiously rebellious phase and tried to reject anything she liked. I would only play music that felt different from her taste. Ironically, this was the one song she actually liked. At the time, it drove me crazy because I was trying to be rebellious, and she was not supposed to enjoy it too. Now that I am a little older, I realize the song was lucky. Without it, I probably would have been an even more annoying early teenager, and no one needed that.
