Hear me out: Adults should listen to lullabies, too
This isYou Won't Regret It, a weekly column featuring recommendations, tips, and unsolicited advice from the Mashable culture team.
Ever find yourself feeling unbelievably fucking stressed? Same!
Usually, when my brain begins to feel like a storage unit packed to the brim, I put in my headphones and escape the chaos of the world by listening to music.
But on those rare occasions when most of my favorite music is simply too much to handle — when even the soothing sounds of Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevens, and Imogen Heap add to my anxiety — I listen to lullabies. Yes, that's right -- I'm talking straight-up songs created for babies.
Adults need lullabies in their lives, too, okay? And before you @ the hell out of me, hear me out.
SEE ALSO:Your shower is the best place to listen to musicI'm not suggesting that you unwind to classic renditions of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" or "Baa Baa Black Sheep." (Though if you're into that, I, a 25-year-old woman confessing her love for lullabies, will not judge.)
What I'm talking about are Rockabye Baby! lullabies — twinkly covers of undeniably good songs meant for...cool babies, I guess.
If you enjoy The Beatles, Michael Jackson, and Prince, there are lullabies out there for you. And if you're into more current artists like Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, or Justin Timberlake, or Blink-182? Great! STAY WITH ME, because I'm about to change your life.
How did we get here?
My interest in hip-as-hell lullabies began about 10 years ago when my cousin had a baby. I took a trip to Houston, Texas to meet the little guy, and because he was a newborn, he pretty much slept the entire time. Whatever. I get it. No worries!
On the first day of my visit, as I stared into the crib marveling over his incredibly cute li'l face, a familiar sound floated into my ears: An unusual version of Bob Marley's "No Woman, No Cry."
This was some incredibly toned-down shit, so chill that I felt like I was floating on a damn cloud. In that moment I was so incredibly zen that I wanted to cry. I went to the CD player (this was, after all, a decade ago) and discovered that I was listening to Lullaby Renditions of Bob Marley. I've been hooked on the gentle jams ever since.
What makes lullabies so great?
Sometimes I just want to de-stress with calming sounds, but soothing fake nature noises make me uncomfortable, and serene meditation music bores me to tears.
What's great about lullaby renditions, though, is having the luxury of enjoying songs you love in a more tranquil way that you ever thought possible.
With soft bells, quiet drums, and sound effects border on comical at times, the transformed tunes let you listen to the Beastie Boys and Eminem while maintaining a level of extreme calm. They let you clear your mind and jam to the Hamilton Soundtrack without the stress of trying to out-rap Lin-Manuel Miranda. They've even managed to out-soothe already calming Coldplay songs — a feat which I previously thought was impossible.
Lullabies don't have be a regular addition to your daily playlist, and lord knows they're not for me. But once every month or so, when circumstances call for it, these relaxing covers let me enjoy my favorite songs in a different, more mellowed out way.
There are tons of lullabies available on Spotify, and if Rockabye Baby! is missing your favorite artist, Music Box Mania has an even more extensive library.
Sometimes adults are stubborn fools
When you think about it, babies have really mastered the art of relaxation. When they cry, adults sing them soothing music. When they drift off to sleep, they're cozy and relaxed in their cribs, listening to the soft lull of soothing music emitting from a nearby speaker.
Meanwhile, when adults are stressed, we try to find comfort in the hellscape that is social media. When we should be trying to fall asleep, we stare at our phones instead, scrolling, texting, watching Netflix, and occasionally even dropping our devices on our faces. We need some soothing music!
I mean, what makes a person stop listening to lullabies anyways? Age? Forget that!
Sure, it might be slightly embarrassing, but if a rendition of The Cure's "Friday I'm In Love" designed for the ears of a newborn provides me with even an ounce of comfort while the world around me burns, you bet I'm going to listen.
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