On days like this, when the blues jump up and bite me, it’s hard to know how to deal with it. Musically, I mean. Do I play sad songs and wallow, or do I play upbeat material and try to jolly myself out of the doldrums? Somehow this morning, with the rain beating down and the sky and impenetrable gray, I picked Mel Tormé to help me get through.

This is a sudden shift, because lately I’ve been listening to what the satellite music service calls Classic Country. Talk about wallowing! I’ve been on the barstool next to Merle Haggard while he was sitting and drinking, and I’ve been moaning the end of a love affair with George Jones. But I’ve also been riding 120 through town with Moe and Joe, so it wasn’t all bad.

But today was a day for the old standards, and I was mightily upset when the CD player refused to play “In a Sentimental Mood,” by Dr. John. I had to move on to “Standard Time,” by Steve Tyrell. The music suited my need to feel what I was feeling, but it also lifted me out of the depths. Not all the way out, but it helped.

I’ll tell you what brought me the rest of the way back. Late this afternoon the sun came out. It was still raining, but the light managed to seep through and bring everything (including me) back to life. When I realized the crazy nature of the weather, I looked for the rainbow, and for once I found it.

Wouldn’t you know, the Singers and Standards satellite channel tonight played Eva Cassidy’s transcendent version of “Over the Rainbow.” That prompted me to put Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s recording of the song on the CD player (not inconvenient, since I keep that CD right next to it). I don’t have a copy of Judy singing it, or I would have listened to that, too. Everything looks better tonight.