A
successful day has to start right. With phones serving now as both music
players and alarm clocks, most people have a huge selection of wake up tunes at
their disposal. Below are songs to set an alarm to, ones for various situations
and types of sleepers.

“Where
the Streets Have No Name” – U2

Not
just for the Badger football team, U2’s opener to The Joshua Tree builds slowly and creates this wonderful feeling
that the day is slowly coming to life, and that it will not disappoint. Throw
late arriving bass and drum lines, and the song eventually reaches an intensity
to rouse anyone out of bed. The perfect song for anyone who loves a morning cup
of coffee.

“Bleecker
Street” – Simon and Garfunkel

The
pair’s New York Nostalgia creates the same feeling as “Where the Streets Have
No Name”, imbuing the listener with the sense that the day could not possibly
be short of excellent. Unlike U2’s song, however, it does not build to the same
intensity. This is for the person who loves a whisper in their ear and telling
them that it’s time to get up.

“BFG23!”
– Nostrap

This
little known song can be downloaded for free from the audio section of the
Newgrounds website. The brief, gentle introduction and eventual addition of
guitar and then drums provide increasing incentive to wake and turn the alarm
off. Its bear certain similarities to “Where the Streets Have No Name”, but
never reaches the same peak energy, providing a gentler reveille. That was the
track for the morning coffee drinkers, and “BFG23!” is the song for the morning
tea drinkers.

“A
Wallet” – Incondite

Another
free download, “A Wallet” was made by a group of longboarders who decided to
compose their own songs to accompany their videos. Similar to Explosions in the
Sky, except that the beginning features a few warped sounds before the
relatively soft song. For any who has to be shaken out of bed, this song
provides that little shove.

“Everything
Not Forbidden Is Compulsory” – Pacific Proving Ground

The
fast but soft picked guitar to open the song provide more of a jolt than some
of the other offerings on the list, and it eventually opens up into a loud
chorus with crashing drums. The chorus usually proves the final straw that
forces people out of bed. This song is for the person who hits the snooze, and
likes to wait a little before getting up.

“The
Swimming Song” – Vetiver

Some
songs were made for summer. Vetiver’s hit comes in with mellow banjo riffs, and
gentle vocals to match. It provides a shove, but the welcome kind, not a shake
or a scream. This is not the single for someone who wants to stay under the
covers and protest the winter cold. This is for the California type, the ones
who can wake to sunshine and warmth every day, and for the Wisconsin types who
know how to enjoy brief springs and summers.

“Wake
Up” – Rage Against the Machine

Some
people place their alarm clocks far away from their bed, to force them to get
out. “Wake Up” is for anyone who requires such measures. Even the most
dedicated Rage Against the Machine fan will admit that Morello’s riff does not mix
well with morning grumpiness. This is song, as an alarm, could wake a bear from
hibernation. Set it accordingly.

“Suite:
Judy Blue Eyes” – Crosby, Stills, and Nash

CSN’s
classic is seven and a half minutes of musical ideas not to be snoozed, and
certainly not to be turned off. “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” must be heard in its
entirety; its highs and lows must both be savored. This is for somebody who not
only seeks an alarm clock tune, but somebody who wants a soundtrack to their
early morning routine.

“Bitter
Heart” – Zee Avi

There
are times where nothing can match the tone of a gentle, simple, female voice. Zee
Avi’s hit single is classy and easy going, and never fails to make a person
smile, even if the sun has not yet risen. If the “Swimming Song” is a
celebration of warmer weather, then “Bitter Heart” is that song to get through
the winter with.

“No
Woman, No Cry” – The Fugees

Covering
Marley’s classic, the Fugees have provided an alarm option with more rhythm
than the others on the list. The trio’s song is also fun to sing, between the
familiar lyrics and simple vocals. This is for the person who dances while
getting dressed, and for the person looking to sing in the shower.