Everyone needs a good playlist.

That’s why we’ve rounded up our favorite songs to last you through the winter — and beyond.

Each Ebbtide staff member picked three songs they love and described why they love them. Read along as you listen, and maybe you’ll discover a new favorite or two.

Leuel Bekele, Arts and Entertainment Editor

“Superman Lover” by Johnny “Guitar” Watson (1976)

From the guitars and the melody to the subjects and the way they intertwine, this song gets me going.

“Amiga De Minha Mulher” by Seu Jorge (2011)

I don’t know Portuguese, but listening to this song makes me want to.

“TUESDAY!” By Seiji Oda (2020)

I love the Bay Area sound, and this song takes it to a new level.

Erin Krogh, Visuals Editor

“Fire” by Waxahatchee (2020)

I only started listening to Waxahatchee about a month ago but she is one of the first artists in a long time that I instantly liked. The song “Fire” has a really intense singing at the intro that really caught me off guard when I first heard it (it almost sounds bad?) but now it’s one of my favorite songs.

“Strawberry Blond” by Mitski (2013)

I love all of Mitski’s songs because they make me feel sad but also cool which is really the only winning combination if I need to be sad. However, “Strawberry Blond” is one of her more upbeat and positive tracks. I love to put it on when I am starting a long walk or drive because it puts me in a good head space and I can sing along and lose track of time.

“Black Sheep” by Metric (2010)

I have been listening to “Black Sheep” because Brie Larson does a cover of it in “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.” I had no idea it originally was by one of my favorite middle school/high school bands.

Yita Rivera, Online Editor

“The Lady in Red” by Francis Goya (1988)

I like all popular songs within the past 80 years, especially when they are remade into what most people call “elevator music.” It’s the melody and music remade into instrumentals without vocals; very soothing. I listen to this type of music all day long.

“Be Thankful for What You’ve Got” by William DeVaughn (1980)

My son’s birthstone is a diamond. I always used to drive him around in my car when he was a baby until he fell asleep, and when he got older he would continue to fall asleep in the car. It was funny. This song reminds me of how special all three of my diamonds (sons) are to me, and it makes me smile.

“Holy” by Justin Bieber (2020)

Every time one of his songs comes out on the radio I actually shout “it’s the Biebs” then I feel like some psycho fan and think “control yourself, Yita.” What else can I say? I love the Biebs.

Larissa Odabai, Marketing Manager

“Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen (1978)

One of my all-time favorites because every. Single. Time I hear it, I feel like “I’m burning through the sky, yeah.”

“Stairway To Heaven” by Led Zeppelin (1971)

This song has absolutely everything someone with a good taste in music could wish for.

“Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd (1975)

The love of my life kissed me the very first time when this song was playing on the radio. Fun fact: I always get goosebumps at the final part: “We’re just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl year after year/ Running over the same old ground, what have we found?/ The same old fears, wish you were here.”

Emma Dortsch, Copy Editor

“Bizarre Love Triangle” (Album Version) by New Order (1986)

“Bizarre Love Triangle” has made the top 10 songs on my Spotify Wrapped for the past three years — which makes sense, because I’m always tempted to play this 80s techno-ballad on repeat. The song has a great bass line and a fantastic arrangement of synth layers and sounds; a specific favorite of mine is the piercing orchestra hit that seems like a single-note illustration of the beginning lyric “I feel a shot right through with a bolt of blue.” The shimmery, rollercoaster-like string-based track before the chorus also never fails to captivate me — if falling in love were audible, I’m pretty sure it would sound just like that.

“Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” by Kate Bush (1985)

“Running Up That Hill” has been stuck in my head for the past month after I noticed a reference to it in Fiona Apple’s song “Fetch The Bolt Cutters.” Kate Bush’s earnest and passionate vocals give the song’s already emotionally charged lyrics a certain weight that makes them stick with me — to the point where I’ve found myself dramatically singing the chorus over and over nearly every day while I’m getting ready. I also adore the cacophony of voices near the end that are a trademark Bush peculiarity.

“Shameika” by Fiona Apple (2020)

Whenever I put this track from Apple’s latest album on, I find something new to appreciate — the tumultuous piano, the drive behind the rhythms and lyrics, the variety of instruments — this is a perfect example of a song that sounds better the louder you play it since there’s so much going on. I’m a big fan of how the song is basically a statement of self-affirmation and how it reminds listeners that there are always people on your side. “Shameika” has been nominated for two 2021 Grammy awards, so if you like it and are planning on tuning in, make sure to listen up during the rock section!

Nova Clark, Editor-in-Chief

“Everybody Gets To Go To The Moon” by The Three Degrees (1971)

I’ve loved this song from the moment I first witnessed The Three Degrees performing it in a nightclub scene from William Friedkin’s “The French Connection.” It has everything you need: Fantastic vocals, a grade-A horn section and an added splash of personality from each singer that shines through during their mid-song banter. Its optimistic lyrics can be applied to any situation, making it a versatile anthem for hope. The tune exudes happiness to the point of being bittersweet — and when you listen to it, you’ll feel instantly elated.

“Adult Education” by Hall and Oates (1983)

This song brings me back to the fall of my freshman year: when I loved Hall and Oates and couldn’t relate to anybody else in my class. Since then, it has prevailed as one of my all-time favorites of theirs. The twangy guitars, big ‘80s drumbeat and hypnotic outro create a driven yet melancholy ambience that’ll leave you longing for more. Anyone who feels disconnected from their peers will be able to relate to the lyrics, which resonated with me so much that I decided to immortalize them in my yearbook as my senior quote: “Believe it or not, there’s life after high school.”

“In My Own Way” by Jessica Harper (1981)

I’ve been listening to this song on a regular basis since September. While it originates from Richard O’Brien’s zany rock opera “Shock Treatment,” it also stands perfectly well on its own as a poignant ode to love and desperation. Its sound features an ever-so-subtle nod to the new wave genre which, at the time, was just making its way onto the scene. Through her singing, Jessica Harper excels at creating a moody atmosphere that conveys a longing to express her feelings — after all, the lyrics themselves read like a letter.