Fifteen Musical New Year's Resolutions for 2010

Hey, there's only one week left in the year! Must mean its time to start stockpiling champagne and party poppers and thinking of all the things that are wrong with you that should probably get fixed in 2010. Yikes. If you, like I, are feeling the general need to be resolute but aren't quite sure where to start, here are fifteen suggestions in the form of pretty great songs to get you started, beginning with a selection from the very dapper Dent May, pictured right. Really, who wouldn't want to take self-improvement advice from such a classy fella?

1. Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele - "26 Miles (Santa Catalina)"
Those marathons ain't gonna run themselves.

2. Buck Owens - "Act Naturally"
Even if it makes you the biggest fool to ever hit the big time.

3. Nellie McKay - "Baby Watch Your Back"
Sign up for those self-defense classes you've been putting off. Hi-YA!

4. The Beatles - "Carry That Weight"
Or, you know, just lift some.

5. Lykke Li - "Dance Dance Dance"
Do it more if you can, learn if you can't.

6. The Byrds - "Don't Doubt Yourself, Babe"
If you do, you ain't goin' nowhere.

7. Belle & Sebastian - "Don't Leave The Light On Baby"
And perhaps consider switching said lights to compact flourescent bulbs!

8. Fleetwood Mac - "Go Your Own Way"
Optional sub-resolutions: Change the things that you feel, tell me why everything turned around, call it it another lonely day.

9. Thao with The Get Down Stay Down - "Know Better Learn Faster"
If you can get Andrew Bird to play his violin along with you as you do so, BONUS.

10. Ben Folds - "Learn To Live With What You Are"
Even if what you are is a... celebrity TV show judge?!

11. Langhorne Slim - "Say Yes"
To sounding like Cat Stevens, and to everything else.

12. Radiohead - "Stop Whispering"
Like ambition, gossip makes you look pretty ugly.

13. The Avett Brothers - "Tear Down the House"
Or at least take all your old junk to a thrift store.

14. Josh Ritter - "Wait for Love"
You know you will.

15. Mates of State - "Gotta Get A Problem"
If there's nothing wrong with your life, fix that.