1. The Blood of Cu Chulainn- Mychael & Jeff Danna

2. The Kiss- Randy Edelman & Trevor Jones (The Last of the Mohicans)

3. Jai Ho- A.R. Rahman, Sukhvinder Singh, Tanvi Shah & Mahalaxmi Iyer (Slumdog Millionaire)

4. Now We Are Free- Hans Zimmer (Gladiator)

5. Never an Absolution- James Horner/Sissel (Titanic)

Music is an essential part of effectively building emotion in movies. Powerful songs add an extra layer of force to intense/moving scenes. Think about the first time you watched “The Last of the Mohicans.” The sexual chemistry has been building between Daniel Day-Lewis and Madeleine Stowe for what seems like hours. Then, after a fierce day in the doomed English fort, their eyes meet across the campfire. They walk toward each other, slowly, as those magical notes ignite into a fervor reflecting the intense passion between the characters. ”The Kiss” is the spice in that scene making it so forceful. Each of the scores represent the important role music plays in film, even though it’s not typically the main focus. 

Honorable Mention: “Where Are You Christmas” by Faith Hill (The Grinch), “The Steward of Gondor” by Howard Shore & Billy Boyd (The Lord of the Rings-Return of the King), “Anyone Else But You” by The Moldy Peaches (Juno), “Accidentally in Love” by Counting Crows (Shrek 2), “Strangers Like Me” and “You’ll Be in My Heart” by Phil Collins (Disney’s Tarzan), “The Secret Wedding” by James Horner & London Symphony Orchestra (Braveheart), “Titans Spirit” by Trevor Rabin (Remember the Titans)

1. Midnight Train to Georgia- Gladys Knight

2. Oh, Atlanta- Alison Krauss

3. Georgia on My Mind- Ray Charles

4. The Devil Went Down to Georgia- The Charlie Daniels Band

5. Why Georgia- John Mayer

Everyone likes to feel special. In the same way a broken-hearted 15-year-old can relate to Taylor Swift, any home-grown Georgian can relate to these fun tunes. Come on, what self-respecting Georgia citizen doesn’t love a great song singing the praises and wonders of his domain? John Mayer’s “Why Georgia” talks about driving up I-85. If you know anything about Georgia, you know 85. I can’t even begin to count the number of unfortunate incidents when traffic on 85 has cost me a plane flight, my sunny diposition, or my sanity as thousands of people watch me beat the dashboard while I scream profanities. People love hearing songs they can relate to: love, heartache, partying, etc., but nothing gets an audience more riled up than a song about their hometown/state. Don’t believe me? Go to a Tennessee football game and watch the fans when the marching band starts playing “Rocky Top.” Go anywhere in the state of Alabama and hear the volume go up a notch or five anytime ”Sweet Home Alabama” comes on the radio. Count the number of students riding around the LSU campus blasting “Callin’ on Baton Rouge.” These songs establish emotional and tangible connections, not only between the listener and the musician but also among the listeners as a group. These songs become a source of collective bonding and comradery.

Honorable Mention: “What About Georgia” by Miranda Lambert, “Georgia” by Ludacris feat. Jamie Foxx, “Chattahoochee” by Alan Jackson

1. Old Man- Neil Young

2. Say Goodbye- Dave Matthews Band

3. Sara- Fleetwood Mac

4. Groovin’ Slowly- John Butler Trio

5. Nightswimming- R.E.M.

Sometimes you just need something to play in the background; something you can ignore if you need to (although I recommend you don’t). These songs are a beautiful combination of musical flow and moving lyrics. While the mellow nature of these tunes might make them  appear soft-spoken on the surface, nothing could be further from the truth. The real power of these songs is the way they hit you with a quiet, unexpected force. The reward comes when the listener goes beyond the delicate exterior of these soothing songs and gets to the core of what they’re really about. So, take a deep breath, leave your worries in the surf, and let the smooth rhythm wash over you in a wave.

Honorable Mention: “Kozmic Blues” by Janis Joplin, “Sullivan Street” by Counting Crows, “Angie” by The Rolling Stones, “The Sounds of Silence” by Simon & Garfunkel, “#41″ by Dave Matthews Band, “Smoke and Ashes” by Tracy Chapman, “Revelry” by Kings of Leon, “This is the Thing” by Fink, “Soulshine” by Warren Haynes (Note: “Live at Bonnaroo” album), “Night Moves” by Bob Seger, “Elias” by Dispatch

1. Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You- Led Zeppelin

2. Maggot Brain- Funkadelic

3. Black- Pearl Jam

4. Little Wing- Jimi Hendrix

5. Just Couldn’t Tie Me Down- The Black Keys

If discretion is your game and Marvin Gaye’s “Sexual Healing” is just a little too forward for you, try these subtle sexy tunes. The shredding guitar in all five of these songs (especially “Maggot Brain”) will melt your mind and your inhibitions away into a forgotten lump on the floor. I must warn you though, playing these songs without restraints will more than likely result in immediate gravitation to the first human being in sight. Be weary. These songs will show you how drug-like music can be; numbing your mind, sending shivers down your spine, and causing goose bumps to take over your arms and legs. In this case, however, I recommend that you just say ‘yes.’

Honorable Mention: “In the Air Tonight” by Phil Collins (Note: Best on album “Serious Hits…Live!” and watch out for drums at 4:17), “Dream On” by Depeche Mode, “Where Did You Sleep Last Night” by Nirvana (Note: Best on album MTV Unplugged in New York), “Sex and Candy” by Marcy Playground, “God Put a Smile on Your Face” by Coldplay, “Woman Like a Man” by Damien Rice, “Glycerine” by Bush, “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd, “Stranglehold” by Ted Nugent, “It’s Been a While” by Staind

1. Take a Picture- Filter

2. Hard Sun- Eddie Vedder

3. No Rain- Blind Melon

4. Atlantic City- The Band

5. One Big Holiday- My Morning Jacket

There truly is nothing in the world more cathartic than rolling your windows down on a beautiful day, blasting your favorite songs, and driving around with no place to go- no agenda, no worries; just you, your tunes, and the road. The key to this experience is the music. No angry energy, no noisy friends yapping in your ear and asking you to turn it down every five minutes so they can make phone calls, and absolutely no sad bastard music. The purpose of this excursion is to feel, if only for a moment, a total and complete appreciation for the good things in your life and the beauty in the world around you. The songs I have chosen give you a light and carefree feeling. They’re easy listening and you can’t help but smile every time you hear that first note sail through the wind.

Tips: a pack of cigarettes for all you smokers out there, a sexy pair of sunglasses, a good route (Athens residents should try Macon Highway going out toward Eatonton), and a buddy who can enjoy the moment with you

Honorable Mention: “Flake” by Jack Johnson, “Tangled Up in Blue” by Bob Dylan, “Funky Tonight” by John Butler Trio, “Lot of Leavin’ Left to Do” by Dierks Bentley, “Big Yellow Taxi” by Joni Mitchell, “Take Your Mama” by Scissor Sisters, “From the Cradle” by Widespread Panic, “Cornbread” by Dave Matthews Band, “Kid Things” by Counting Crows, “Better Way” by Ben Harper