Song suggestions for retrospective slideshow?

December 18, 2006 9:56 AM

Need song suggestions for an end-of-year company slideshow.

I'm looking for a few songs to accompany a ~140 slide (@ 3 secs/slide) show of candid employee shots from the past year, displayed Ken Burns style.

The tempo should be fairly slow, and I'm looking for an almost-melancholy but not depressing feel to give people the warm fuzzies when watching. Acoustic guitar feels right. Bonus if the lyrics are somehow relevant to a year-end retrospective, but it's not a deal-breaker.

The overall sound and pacing of Nick Drake's "Pink Moon" are pretty close, but the lyrics are irrelevant to the subject matter. I may end up using it as one of the songs anyway.

A track like "Time of My Life" from Green Day would be just about perfect in terms of sound, pace and lyrics, if it weren't so horribly overused for projects just like this and essentially cliche at this point.

posted by wubbie to Media & Arts (14 answers total)

Possibly something by Jose Gonzales? Similar vibe as Nick Drake, but a bit happier.
posted by tmcw at 9:59 AM on December 18, 2006

I second the Jose Gonzales, but add the recommendation that you end it with a peppy song to wake people up after 5ish minutes of melancholy slides.
posted by awesomebrad at 10:08 AM on December 18, 2006

'trapeze swinger' by iron and wine is about the right length, tempo, and mood...
posted by noloveforned at 10:09 AM on December 18, 2006

Wow - was just thinking Iron and Wine.
posted by beccaj at 10:15 AM on December 18, 2006

Everyone loves "Sweet Caroline" during sentimental slide shows.
posted by ODiV at 10:23 AM on December 18, 2006

There are some really great songs by The Kings of Convenience that meet this criteria
posted by BrodieShadeTree at 10:26 AM on December 18, 2006

A Phish 2001 [ the familiar - dah, dahhh, dah dah! - followed by mid-tempo endless noodling, repeat] jam? Its familiar but fresh, entertaining but not distracting. Listen here. If you like it, email me for a higher fidelity copy.
posted by trinarian at 10:48 AM on December 18, 2006

Cheesy suggestions (but you can't escape that with forced sentimentality):
Queen, One Year of Love
The Zombies, This will be our year
The Gentle Waves, Let the Good times Begin
posted by elkelk at 11:18 AM on December 18, 2006

A track like "Time of My Life" from Green Day would be just about perfect in terms of sound, pace and lyrics, if it weren't so horribly overused for projects just like this and essentially cliche at this point.

Except that song is really sad and is originally titled "Good Riddance," which sends exactly the wrong message.

I'd second the Zombies track suggestion, or recommend some upbeat, warm jazz like maybe Trane's version of "My Favorite Things," which everyone will recognize and grin at.
posted by beaucoupkevin at 12:26 PM on December 18, 2006

There are some Neko Case songs you could use, in particular Star Witness, but there are so many others. She fills me with what can only be called 'melancholy hope' . I think I want this song played at my funeral.
posted by loosemouth at 12:30 PM on December 18, 2006

Sun Kil Moon - "Gentle Moon"
Sun Kil Moon - Neverending Math Equation"
Mark Kozelek - "Salvador Sanchez" (Free download from Pitchfork)
Hem - "He Came to Meet Me"
Milton Mapes - "Your Sweet Voice"
The New Amsterdams - "Picture in the Paper"
posted by puritycontrol at 2:37 PM on December 18, 2006

The Sockpuppet Blues is a nice one.
posted by koeselitz at 3:03 PM on December 18, 2006

"One Shining Moment," the song used at the end of the NCAA men's basketball championship game. Works especially well if there are a bunch of sports fans at your company.
posted by SisterHavana at 3:28 PM on December 18, 2006

Something by Damien Rice? Amie or Coconut Skins perhaps?
posted by Robot Rowboat at 4:56 PM on December 18, 2006