Monday, January 7, 2008

My Top 10 Running Songs

Some cyber-magic toy tied to my blog tells me what key words visitors used to arrive here (no worry; that's about all it tells me), and one of the most popular is the phrase 'best running songs.' I've noticed in other blogs that everybody has their favorite running songs, so here, in no particular order, is my Top 10 (and, like me, they are so '70s):

- Johnny B. Goode -- Chuck Berry
- After Midnight -- Eric Clapton
- Everybody's Everything -- Santana
- Foot-Stompin' Music - Grand Funk Railroad
- Born to Be Wild -- Steppenwolf
- Sweet Hitchhiker -- Creedence Clearwater Revival
- Radar Love -- Golden Earring
- Rock and Roll -- Led Zeppelin
- Born to Run -- Bruce Springsteen
- Gonna Fly Now (theme from Rocky) -- Bill Conti (we all gotta dance at the top of those steps)

The all have a strong beat that DRIVEs me. Honorable mention includes:

- Run Through the Jungle -- Creedence Clearwater Revival
- Theme from Shaft -- Isaac Hayes (I wish this was the theme music that played whenever I walked into a room)
- Crazy on You -- Heart
- Another One Bites the Dust -- Queen
- Call Me the Breeze -- Lynyrd Skynyrd
- Looking for a Hero -- Bonnie Tyler
- Saturday's All Right for Fighting -- Elton John
- Hot Rod Lincoln -- Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen
- Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers -- ZZ Top
- Smoke on the Water -- Deep Purple
- I'm a Man -- Chicago*
- Money for Nothing -- Dire Straits*

* these two start off slow, and I have a tendency to slow down with them

Can't say I didn't warn you. It's elevator music at 'the home.'

4 comments:

Joe said...

Bruce Springsteen - Born To Run
Thunder on the Mountain Bob Dylan
In the Morning Razorlight
Pull Shapes The Pipettes
My Rippin Humps RMX Black Eyed
Mientele Los Bunkers
Mr. Brightside The Killers
In the Morning Razorlight
Whoo! Alright Yeah The Rapture
Jardin Liquits
Turn Into Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Amor Los Amigos Invisibles
A Dónde Van Los Muertos?Kinky
TV Los Dynamite
Leave Before The Lights Arctic Monkeys
Pull Shapes The Pipettes
Aló Plastilina Mosh
Radio The Stupids
Love Me Like You (Live KCRW)The Magic Numbers
Forever Lost The Magic Numbers
Somebody told me The Killers

and others...

George said...

I don't think our radios are tuned to the same station . . . thanks!

TBM said...

When we lived in Texas, we had an awesome treadmill (that we left when we moved to the UK). I loved that thing. Good luck with your training!

ClimbingAndRunning said...

Thanks, my list: on site climbingandrunning.com

Beautiful Day (U2), always the first the start a marathon

I Won’t Back Down (Petty), inspirational

Californication (RHCP), its California!

Born to Run (Springsteen), need I say more!

Blue Sky Mine (Midnight Oil), great beat

Allison Road (Gin Blossoms), true running

Are You Still Having Fun (Eagle Eye Cherry), upbeat and self-explanatory

Romeo and Juliet (Dire Straits), a long mindless song

White Flag (Dido), most inspirational

Mr. Jones (Counting Crows), beat and more beat

Peace of Mind (Boston), flashbacks!

Take it as it Comes (Doors), you have to run fast with this

Shakin (Foreigner), the first few notes push you!

Miracles (Jefferson Starship), great long song for long stretches

Whole Lotta Love (Led Zeppelin), nanaanaaa etc.!

Long May Your Run (Neil Young), perfect running and car song

Green Grass and High Tides (Outlaws), the best running song for length and tempo

Revolution (Pretenders), motivational

Don’t Stop Me Know (Queen), the second best running song, starts and ends strong

Changes (Yes), great guitar licks and lyrics (”I’m moving through some changes …”)

Because The Night (10,000 Maniacs), tempo, tempo, tempo

Full Force Gale (Van Morrison), high energy song and windy

Time For Me To Fly (REO Speedwagon), a true running and moving along song

Band On The Run (Paul McCartney), love the second half

Bang and Blame (R.E.M.), beatful tune

I Need A Lover (Pat Benatar), lyrics and melody and tempo great

Black Horse and The Cherry Tree (KT Tunstall), can’t help but run fast to this one

It’s Gonna Get Better (Genesis), always motivating

Stand Or Fall (The Fixx), defiant!

Alison (Elvis Costello), another Alison song (must be a back-story and there is)

Take It Easy (Eagles), a very happy strumming song

Got It Made (CSN), meaningful - very meaningful