Hurricane Sandy Playlist: 9 Tracks to Get You Through the Wind and the Rain

Hurricane Sandy is no joke. As Maryland Governor Martin O’Mally blunted stated, “There will undoubtedly be some deaths.” For those of us living in the Northeast, a storm of this magnitude is not something we’re normally prepared to deal with. So I looked outside of my home region for a little bit of guidance and found out that our friends in states like Florida and Louisiana frequently throw hurricane parties, where people gather in anticipation of being deprived of power, water, and other basic necessities. However, that doesn’t stop everyone from having a good time. Since we can’t all be together in one room, consider this your formal invitation to my virtual hurricane party: a playlist to get you through Sandy.

1. “Bangs” by Brick + Mortar

Hurricane lyric: “Ready or not … ”

If you're not properly prepared for the storm, go out and do what you gotta do. Do I really think that I’ll be drinking water out of my bathtub? Nope. But I filled that bad boy up anyway.

Hurricane lyric: “I gotta sit back and somehow relax.”

I know taking a breath is much easier said than done, especially for the people getting hit by the brunt of storm, but if there were any song to could calm you down during this insanity, it’s “Slow It Down.”

3. “Dreamers” by Savoir Adore

Hurricane lyric: “You can stay where you are, so don’t you worry.”

Unless you’re being told to evacuate. Then it’s definitely not true.

4. “Hurricane” by Bob Dylan

Hurricane lyric: “And the newspapers, they all went along for the ride.”

The media presence over Sandy is absolutely huge right now. All of the 24-hour news channels are running coverage of the storm, and CBS even interrupted the Jets-Dolphins game yesterday to broadcast a speech by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. You know people are freaked out about something when a major network interrupts a football game for it.

5. “The Diaz Brothers” by The Mountain Goats

Hurricane lyric: “See the sky open up and rain down.”

It's just begun raining here in New York City yet, but wow — some places are just getting pounded. Since going outside to watch this would be, you know, dangerous, just listen to this track and picture it in your mind’s eye.

6. “Make It Known” by Foxygen

Hurricane lyric: “I walk around, I watch the children play down Broadway.”

Didn’t you hear what I just said? Everyone who’s walking around outside right now (CNN showed a family strolling down the boardwalk on a New Jersey Shore and joggers running along the Hudson River), please get inside. It’s about to go down.

7. “The Only Place” by Best Coast

Hurricane lyric: “Why would you live anywhere else?”

Earlier today, I received a text from a friend of mine who lives in Los Angeles: “How’s the hurricane?” she asked. “We have a hurricane, too. A hurricane of sunshine.” I normally despise this sort of unabashed love some of my friends have for the California lifestyle, but right now I’m giving a long, hard think over whether or not they’re right.

8. “Make It Rain (Remix)” by Fat Joe, et al.

Hurricane lyric: “You see I order one bottle … ”

Hurricane lyric: “Time flies when you’re having fun.”

Lots of obvious choices for the “Sandy” name (and it was very tempting to have a little John Travolta on this playlist), but this one by the Allah-Las rang the most true. When it comes down to it, there’s nothing more you can do other than prepare for the worst and hope for the best. And if you do that, maybe you’ll be able to have fun.

Check out the playlist on Spotify. Click here.