Connect with Nature, part 5: Listen to songs about Nature

Ever since the first time I walked among mountains as an adult and felt myself coming home I’ve known at a deep level, that we as humans are supposed to be connected with Nature. After all, we’re part of Nature. Just as much as anything else that lives and grows on this planet. Could that connection or the re-establishing of it is the reason why going into and connecting with Nature helps us reduce our stress levels?

When you’ve been following me for a while, it can’t have escaped your notice that being connected with Nature is incredibly important to me. It is why (mountain) hiking plays such a significant part in the work I do with clients.

As I’ve mentioned before in this series, there are plenty of people who live in an urban environment with no or limited access to any natural space, let alone the Great Outdoors.

Then there are those who live such stressful lives they think they don’t have time to connect with Nature. There are even some who are afraid of it.

So when you are not in a position to benefit from the stress-reducing capabilities of direct contact with Nature (up to 68% stress reduction), an alternative way to re-establish the connection with both it and yourself is through listening to a playlist filled with songs about Nature.

1.) Rocky Mountain High by John Denver

When I was in my early twenties I was a big John Denver fan. I also passed through the Rockies by train on my way from Chicago to Los Angeles.

Ever since returning to those mountains to properly explore them has been on my bucket list. No wonder therefore that this song is one of my favourite JD songs.

Describing both their beauty and the destructive effects of development it is a song that describes not just the Rocky Mountains, but virtually every mountain range on our planet.

Now he walks in quiet solitude the forest and the streams
Seeking grace in every step he takes
His sight has turned inside himself to try and understand
The serenity of a clear blue mountain lake

And the Colorado rocky mountain high
I’ve seen it raining fire in the sky
You can talk to God and listen to the casual reply
Rocky mountain high

2.) What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong

This song, beautiful in its simplicity, has been recorded by many great artist, but the first was jazz and trumpet great Louis Armstrong.

I first heard it as part of the soundtrack to ‘Good Morning Vietnam’ where it was used to highlight the discrepancies between the peace of every day life and the horrors of the war.

The lyrics have stayed with me and express beautifully what a truly wonderful world this planet of ours is.

I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom, for me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world

I see skies of blue and clouds of white
Bright blessed days, dark sacred nights
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world

3.) The Elephant Song by Kamahl

I don’t know if it was written as such, but the song became an anthem for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in the 1970’s, when it was a huge hit.

Being a lover of both elephants as well as big orchestrations, I loved this song.

Being an anthem for the WWF it of course has a message too: stop killing all the animals and start respecting them instead.

Tell me said the elephant
Tell me brothers if you can
Why all the world is full of creatures
Yet we grow in fear of man

Tell me said the elephant
Tell me why this has to be
We have to run from man and hunter
Never safe and never free

4.) Morning has broken by Cat Stevens

Originally a christian hymn from the 1930’s and often sung at church services for children, this song became a big hit for Cat Stevens when he recorded it in 1971.

Morning has broken like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird
Praise for the singing
Praise for the morning

Praise for them springing fresh from the WordSweet the rain’s new fall, sunlit from heaven
Like the first dew fall on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where His feet pass

5.) Earth Song by Michael Jackson

Calling attention to what is being done to the planet this song has traces of blues, gospel and opera. Jackson wrote it as a wake-up call to humanity to make us aware of the dire situation of both animals and planet earth.

What about sunrise
What about rain
What about all the things that you said
We were to gain
What about killing fields
Is there a time
What about all the things
That you said were yours and mine

Did you ever stop to notice
All the blood we’ve shed before
Did you ever stop to notice
This crying Earth, these weeping shores

What songs are on your Nature playlist? Any of the ones mentioned here?

Share in the comments below, on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.

As always …

Go dare greatly!

— Gerdi

Discover more ways to connect with Nature:

• Connect with Nature, part 1: Virtually connect with Nature
• Connect with Nature, part 2: Listen to sounds of Nature
• Connect with Nature, part 3: Read a book with Nature as a main character
• Connect with Nature, part 4: Look at images of Nature
• Connect with Nature, part 6: Watch a Nature TED Talk
• Connect with Nature, part 7: With Natural Classics