A recent study has suggested that music can lower blood pressure and improve health. Since March is National Optimism Month, we have a perfect opportunity to list songs with a positive attitude. 

1. Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive Andrews Sisters; Greatest Hits (Curb)
2. Better Life Keith Urban; Be Here (Capitol)
3. Float On Modest Mouse; Good News For People Who Love Bad News (Epic)
4. Life Is Beautiful Amy Correia; Carnival Love (Capitol)
5. Sound Of Sunshine Michael Franti & Spearhead f/Cherine Anderson; Single-The Sound Of Sunshine (Boo Boo Wax/Capitol)
6. Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams (And Dream Your Troubles Away) Frank Sinatra; Songs For Young Lovers & Swing Easy (Capitol)

GreenBookofSongs.com® has many more songs on this topic! See our categories Happiness, Motivation and Optimism.

When faced with tragedy that leaves us at a loss for words, there is music. Our thoughts are with Japan.

1. Calling All Angels Jane Siberry with k.d. lang; When I Was A Boy (Reprise)
2. I Grieve Peter Gabriel; Up (Geffen/Interscope)
3. If I Rise Dido; ST/127 Hours (Interscope)
4. We Are Each Other’s Angels Chuck Brodsky; Fingerpainter’s Murals (Waterbug)
5. You Are Not Alone Mavis Staples; You Are Not Alone (Anti/Epitaph)

For more songs about coping with disaster, see GreenBookofSongs.com® categories Faith & Hope, Help, Losing & Loss and Trouble, among others.

For this year’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration, we chose a range of folk songs that express the history, accomplishments and passionate love of country of the Irish. On this day, the Green Book is all Irish!

1. Fields Of Athenry Paddy Reilly; The Sound Of Irish Folk (Digitalpressure/Dolphin Group)
2. Hills Of Donegal Peter Tomelty; Essential Irish Pub Songs Collection-C (Arran)
3. It’s A Great Day For The Irish Frank Parker; St Patrick’s Day Party (Sony)
4. Pat Works On The Railway Cottars; Forerunner (Rounder)
5. Song For Ireland Mary Black; Raised On Songs & Stories-Collected Irish Ballads-C (Digitalpressure/Dolphin Group)

For more songs on this subject, see GreenBookofSongs.com® category Countries: Ireland.

In previous lists for Women’s History Month, SongsAbout.com has looked at female heroes, the feminist movement, and the spirit of women who will not be kept down. For Women’s History Month 2011, we focus on women at work – the discrimination, the low pay, but also the ability and determination to do whatever work they choose.

1. 9 to 5 Dolly Parton; 9 to 5 And Odd Jobs (RCA) Don’t be fooled by the humor. Parton’s description of harassment, low pay and underappreciation is no joke.
2. Company Time Linda Davis; Shoot For The Moon (Arista) This song describes the classic bind: a single mother torn between caring for her children and the discriminatory workplace where she earns the paycheck to support them.
3. Dirty Sheets Saffire-The Uppity Blues Women; Hot Flash (Alligator) A blues song about cleaning women who labor all week, yet can’t afford rent — all the more tragic because it is just as true as it was when released 20 years ago.
4. I’m Gonna Be An Engineer Peggy Seeger; Period Pieces-Women’s Songs For Men And Women (Tradition) Remember the bad old days, when girls were discouraged from careers in science? Let’s not go back.
5. Mill Worker Cris Williamson; Circle Of Friends (Wolf Moon) The soul-killing drudgery of factory work leaves this single mother wondering how she ended up in a dead-end life.
6. She’s Not Just A Pretty Face Shania Twain; Up! (Mercury) To close the list, a song in the spirit of women’s independence. Women can do any job!

For more songs on this subject, see GreenBookofSongs.com® categories Feminism and Work: Women in the Workplace.