My Ultimate Migration Playlist – Songs To Get You Through Migrating

During the stress of moving overseas, you’re bound to have times when you feel at complete lows and ridiculous highs. And if there’s one thing that has the power to lift your mood when you’re feeling at your lowest, it’s got to be music.

When we started our countdown to moving to Australia I created a playlist of songs about Australia or from Australian artists which I pretty much played to death before we migrated. I wouldn’t even know where it is now but that playlist got me through the last 6 or so months before we made our big move.

Since then, I’ve heard so many songs that reminded me of the migration process so I’ve decided to create the ultimate migration playlist to help get you through the tough days! Of course it’s going to be subjective based on your personal taste in music but most of these songs I’ve picked based on the emotions they evoke and their poignant lyrics.

So here it is:

 

Pompeii – Bastille

But if you close your eyes,
Does it almost feel like
Nothing changed at all?
And if you close your eyes,
Does it almost feel like
You’ve been here before?
How am I gonna be an optimist about this?

 

Rather Be – Clean Bandit

We’re a thousand miles from comfort, we have travelled land and sea
But as long as you are with me, there’s no place I’d rather be
I would wait forever, exalted in the scene
As long as I am with you, my heart continues to beat

 

Spectrum – Florence & The Machine

When we first came here
We were cold and we were clear
With no colors in our skin
We were light and paper thin

Say my name
And every color illuminates
We are shining
And we will never be afraid again

 

It’s My Life – Bon Jovi

It’s my life
It’s now or never
I ain’t gonna live forever
I just want to live while I’m alive
(It’s my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said
I did it my way
I just wanna live while I’m alive
It’s my life

 

Heart & Mind – Winterbourne

(skip ahead to around 1 minute when the song starts as it was a hidden track on the EP)

I’m gonna sit in silence
And hope to hear my heart somehow
Cause I want to leave this island
But the voice in my mind’s too loud

It’s not the way that I live, it’s all I give
It’s the road that I have found
It’s not that I do not care, but this mess in my head
Is a weight on my shoulders now

 

Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself – Jess Glynne

I’m standin’ on top of the world, right where I wanna be
So how can this dark cloud be raining over me
But hearts break and hells a place that everyone knows
So don’t be so hard on yourself, no

 

Fly Away – Lenny Kravitz

I want to get away
I want to fly away
Yeah yeah yeah

I got to get away
Feel I got to get away
Oh oh oh yeah

 

It’s The End Of The World As We Know It – R.E.M.

It’s the end of the world as we know it
It’s the end of the world as we know it
It’s the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine

 

The Climb – Miley Cyrus

There’s always gonna be another mountain
I’m always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes I’m gonna have to lose
Ain’t about how fast I get there
Ain’t about what’s waitin’ on the other side
It’s the climb

 

The Draw – Bastille

In my left hand there is the familiar
In my right hand there’s the great unknown
I can see the madly different grass there
But I’m drawn to wilder nights at home

Don’t listen to your friends
See the despair behind their eyes
Don’t listen to your friends
They only care and want to know why

 

Keep On Moving – 5ive

I woke up today with this feeling.
That better things are coming my way.
And if the sunshine has a meaning,
Telling me not to let things get in my way

Get on up when you’re down, baby,
Take a good look around.
I know it’s not much, But it’s okay.
We’ll keep on movin’ on anyway

 

Leaving On A Jet Plane – Peter Paul & Mary

‘Cause I’m leaving on a jet plane
I don’t know when I’ll be back again

 

Stronger – Kelly Clarkson

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn’t mean I’m lonely when I’m alone
What doesn’t kill you makes a fighter
Footsteps even lighter
Doesn’t mean I’m over cause you’re gone

 

Closing Time – Semisonic

Closing time
Time for you to go out to the places you will be from
Closing time
This room won’t be open till your brothers or your sisters come
So gather up your jackets, move it to the exits
I hope you have found a friend
Closing time
Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end

 

Time Of Your Life – Green Day

Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go
So make the best of this test, and don’t ask why
It’s not a question, but a lesson learned in time

It’s something unpredictable, but in the end is right,
I hope you had the time of your life.

 

And whatever you do, if you’re leaving South Africa DO NOT under any circumstances put these songs on your list (once you’ve been away from South Africa you can listen to these songs without getting emotional, well, maybe!):

Africa – Toto

Scatterlings Of Africa – Johnny Clegg

 

Weeping – Bright Blue

 

African Dream – Vicky Sampson

Impi – Juluka

 

What songs would you put on your migration playlist? I’d love to hear yours in the comments.