In this fast-paced world where everybody seems to be in a race to do as much with his or her time, listening to music can serve as a convenient way to relieve stress and anxiety.
Choosing the right songs, however, can sometimes be difficult. But if you’re into folk or folk-rock music, these songs can definitely help you lighten your mood and reflect on life and its challenges.
“Both Sides, Now”
This Joni Mitchell’s masterpiece is featured in several TV shows and films, including the Academy Award-winning “CODA.” The song uses metaphor to illustrate the disillusionment of life and love. Listen to “Both Sides, Now” on YouTube
“Longest Days”
“Life is short, even in its longest days,” as the memorable line from the song goes. John Mellencamp himself performed the song in episode 6 (“Longest Days”) of Cameron Crowe’s short-lived Showtime series “Roadies.” Listen to “Longest Days” on YouTube
“All My Days”
From Alexi Murdoch’s debut studio album “Time Without Consequence,” the song is about searchingfor what you are looking for in life. Listen to “All My Days” on YouTube
“Not Dark Yet”
Nobel Laureate Bob Dylan penned this somber and reflective song from the point of view of someone who is approaching death. As the lyrics of the song goes, “Behind every beautiful thing, there’s some kind of pain… It’s not dark yet, but it’s getting there.” Listen to “Not Dark Yet” on YouTube
“April Come She Will”
One of Simon & Garfunkel’s less popular songs, “its lyrics use the changing nature of the seasons as a metaphor for a girl’s changing moods.” The song is featured in the film “The Graduate,” which the duo provided soundtrack for. Listen to “April Come She Will” on YouTube
“Secret o’ Life”
As the song title suggests, James Taylor reveals that the secret of living happily is to live for the moment and let the future take its own course. Listen to “Secret o’ Life” on YouTube
“The Hard Way Every Time”
Jim Croce has written some of the most beautiful American folk songs, and this is one of his best, albeit less known songs, which is about life’s trials and learning the hard way. Listen to “Hard Way Every Time” on YouTube
“World Spins Madly On”
A charming song by the folk-pop duo The Weepies about being stuck in a past relationship while the rest of the world is moving on. The song is featured in at least a dozen TV series. Listen to “World Spins Madly On” on YouTube
“The Wind” by Cat Stevens
This spiritual song by Yusuf Islam, aka Cat Stevens, will always be remembered as the song that Penny Lane (played by Kate Hudson) danced to in one of the most poignant scenes in the film “Almost Famous.” Listen to “The Wind” on YouTube
The edited copyright-free image used for the featured image in this blog post is from Unsplash. Cover photo by Alvaro Reyes.

Daniel is an avid lover of music and films. While most people his age would spend their leisure time playing online games, he enjoys creating playlists and movie lists. Daniel has also written opinion pieces for various publications. He studied Political Science at Adamson University and is currently an associate at the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation. He would never say no to a cold beer!
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