Soundtracks

[wojelah]

The more time I spend on the treadmill, the more I become unhealthily addicted to my mp3 player and my earphones. The player's a Zen Stone, and is perfect for this - it's teeny and light, and I wrap the armband around my wrist instead. The earphones are Sennheisers and wrap around my ears so that they do not move, EVER, which is great.

The best thing, though, is the music list - there are songs that keep me trundling on, no matter HOW craptacular I feel. Many of them are the result of your recommendations here - thanks! I have also learned that the goofier the music, the better apparently. Here's the top baker's dozen, in no particular order - the ones I pray show up for the last mile, the last hour, the last whatever, so that I can stumble along to the finish line on their energy.

I've linked to audio clips or YouTube vids that use the music - about the videos? I make NO CLAIMS as to the vid. I just went looking for the song. (I make no claims to having good taste in music, either. Most of these I love deeply anyway, but they all pretty much have a strong, quick, steady tempo and a solid beat, plus lyrics that make me think/laugh/get distracted/focus as needed, so that I can coax myself through another session.

• Summer of '69 - Bryan Adams. This song comes on, I don't care - I am happy. It's like being in my car with the windows down, speeding along)

• The Fiddlin' Ladies - The Chieftains, with guest musicians. No lyrics here, but it's a fun piece of fiddle music, with a great rhythm, and varies around a theme enough that suddenly I look up and it's ten minutes later.

• Standing Outside the Fire - Garth Brooks. Guitar. Tempo. Words I like and a little sting on the guitar that makes it easier to grit my teeth and go.

• Old Dominion (scroll down for clip on CD track list) - Eddie From Ohio. I -love- EFO - their harmony is tight, and they are having so much fun with this song.
  

• Authority Song - John Mellencamp (during the Cougar days). Again, great beat, and lyrics that fit what I'm feeling about the time I want to just give up.
  

• Affirmation - Savage Garden. Fast and light and I actually do believe those things. Plus, running is my own personal affirmation of sorts.
  

• Holdin' Out For A Hero - Bonnie Tyler. There is just so much win in this song I don't know where to start.
  

• Burnin' Love - Wynnona. Again, a large part of this one is that I love how much fun she's having. It's another car-trip song with the windows rolled down, and it makes me happy.
  

• We're Not Gonna Take It - Twisted Sister. Beat. Lots and lots of beat, and angry, and from there, determination.
  

• 500 Miles - The Proclaimers. Because I can barely handle ten miles, so the concept of 500 lends some perspective. The tempo's right, and the beat is steady, and I just like it. Always have.
  

• I Got My Mind Set On You - George Harrison. There's a point at which my brain just shuts down and all I can think about is finishing, and this song doesn't require my brain to follow along, because there's maybe ten words, and they repeat over and over and over, which is the verbal/vocal equivalent of what my feet are doing at that point.
  

• We Didn't Start the Fire - Billy Joel. There's also a point at which I want to be anywhere other than on the treadmill, and in high school we had a teacher who made us learn about every single thing in the song, and I can distract myself running through each of them. Plus it's a quick tempo and repetitive, so my feet keep going while my brain's away.
  

• Kyrie - Mr. Mister. I've always liked this song, and I have no idea why, but it sets a good set of images in my head and makes me feel good, and by such small things do I manage not to fall off the treadmill.

What's on your list?

Comments

[irony-rocks.livejournal.com]

Hunh. I posted one up at my journal, but now I may post up my running favorites. Nice idea!

[wojelah.livejournal.com]

Ok, I -loved- that video, and am now perusing the new links you put up. Awesome. If you have any other brainwaves you'd like to share, I wouldn't be saying no. :D

[ubiquitous-girl.livejournal.com]

I don't recognise many, but zomg, Summer of 69, I love that song. And 'We didn't start the fire', that one brings back childhood memories, although I haven't heard it in years. ^.^

[wojelah.livejournal.com]

-Seriously-, Summer of '69 is my ultimate happy song. The video's RIDICULOUS, but the song = PURE LOVE.

[ubiquitous-girl.livejournal.com]

I have to admit, I hadn't seen the video before. But it is quite ridiculous. :p

[beanpot.livejournal.com]

Hmm, off the top of my head? Some of the stuff on my running mix that gets me through the 90 min runs are:

Schoop and Push it by Salt N Peppa

walk this way - aerosmith

A good bit of Guns and Roses, Def Leppard

I'm a believer - Smash Mouth

Footloose - Kenny Loggins

Hazy Shade of Winter - Bangels

End of the World as We Know it - REM

Going the Distance - Cake

And of course...Baby got back - Sir Mix a lot

[wojelah.livejournal.com]

These are -fantastic-. I have the REM and Kenny Loggins, and other Bangles stuff, but the others are going to have to get added in. Thanks!