By MussoliniHeadkick
The Highest Notes of Ecstasy
It’s just a noun isn’t it?
No, actually, I don’t think it is, because it isn’t just a thing, it describes something. What thing does it describe? I don’t hear you ask.
Well, apparently it describes an overwhelming feeling of great happiness or joyful excitement. An emotional or religious frenzy or trance-like state, originally one involving an experience of mystic self-transcendence. In a more modern context, of course, it is synonymous with an amphetamine-based recreational drug having euphoric effects, typically taken in the form of a pill and particularly associated with clubbing and dance music subcultures.
To these definitions I might add that from your nominations that it is a feeling of lightness that is evoked by the sheer joy of existence. A feeling of happiness in the simple beauty of everyday things and existence. Ultimately, from my own experience, the feeling of ecstasy is not just one of individual fulfilment and euphoric self-discovery but one that connects the self to the whole of human or natural existence, a sense of overwhelming empathy.
I hope that this playlist reflects all those aspects of ecstasy that your nominations have evoked in my mind and body.
I hope you can feel it coming on!
PS. Only one list obviously as there can’t really be an alternative to the superlative of absolute ecstasy?
The All-Together Ecstatic A-List Playlist:
Boston – More Than a Feeling (ShivSidecar)
Jackie Wilson – (Your love keeps lifting me) Higher and Higher (Marconius)
Donna Summer – I Feel Love (happyclapper)
The Delays – Nearer Than Heaven (ParaMhor)
Rihanna – Diamonds (happyclapper)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Different Today (happyclapper)
Karl Jenkins – Benedictus (Loud Atlas)
Primal Scream – Higher Than The Sun (Barbryn)
Thompson Twins – Vendredi Saint (Maki)
A Guy Called Gerald – Voodoo Ray (SongBarLandlord)
Phuture – Trax (Tarquin Spodd)
Leftfield – Space Shanty (happyclapper)
Camisra – Let Me Show You (SongBarLandlord)
Basement Jaxx – Do Your Thing (SongBarLandlord)
Sister Sledge – Thinking of You (Severin)
The O’Jays – Stairway to Heaven (DiscoMonster)
Incognito (feat. Jocelyn Brown) – Always There (Nicko)
Pleasure – Joyous (Uncleben)
Mellow Candle – Feeling High (ShivSidecar)
Blue Aquarius – At The Feet of the Master (Fred Erickson)
Brittany Howard – Stay High (tincanman)
Repete – Everything That Rises (ParaMhor)
Guru’s Ecstatic Wildcard List:
E Zee Posse – Everything Starts with an E
Josh Wink – Higher State of Consciousness
Rhythm is Rhythm – Strings of Life
St. Etienne – Nothing can stop us
Spiritualized – Shine a Light
Elgar - Nimrod
These playlists were inspired by readers' song nominations in response to last week's topic: High notes: songs about or inducing a state of ecstasy.The next topic will launch on Thursday after 1pm UK time.
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