10 Songs On The Run
I've ignored a bunch of comments and emails that asked me about what I listen to when I run because, I swear, I kept meaning to write this post. If I ignored your question and you think I'm a big dickhead who thinks he's too important to answer your question, well, whatever. It's not like I walk around all swelled up with my own importance. In fact, I'm usually stewing in some form of self loathing or pity. Oh, believe whatever you want then. I'm your image.
NOTE: I'm not making any arguments for the quality of the following music, beyond the fact that it keeps me moving.
Okay. Let's just get this first one over with so you can tease me, we can all agree to disagree, forget it, and move on. The greatest running music of all time is... The Collected Works Of Limp Bizkit.
Say whatever you want because I'm not listening (la la la fingers in my ears la la la). Limp Bizkit is audible testosterone and when one of their 7 tracks on my running playlist pops on, my balls swell the size of my ego and I want to smash all your teeth out. And guess what. That makes me run faster. Good is not the issue here. Wes Borland is not a good guitar player. Nonetheless, his guitar sounds like a flexed muscle. Enough said. We're just not going to agree.
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If the upbeat version of Forever Young doesn't make you shake your ass, I'm pretty sure we can't be friends. We just live in two separate worlds that can't be reconciled. This song makes me think of my kids laughing, the early morning when you're by yourself, and trains. It's the train vibe that gets into your stride and makes you shed a happy tear. What does enthusiasm and joy sound like? The upbeat version of Forever Young by Bob Dylan.
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"Young... Strapped... And I don't give a fuck / I'm hopelessss / I live the thug life losin' my focus BAYBY! I'm troublesome."
Taking some liberties with the lyrical context, running hurts, and the only way to keep going is to not give a fuck. No one gave less of a fuck than Tupac Shakur. A lot of people SAY they don't give a fuck. But Tupac DID NOT - in any way, shape, or form - give a fuck. RIP nigga.
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It's a scientific fact that this song makes you want to have sex. And wanting to have sex makes you run faster, also a scientific fact. Can anyone rock a tamborine and a pink unitard harder than PJ Harvey? Doubt it.
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It's just a minute. Run like hell. For a minute.
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I'm oddly comforted by the escalating number of miles that are a long drive inside a car and all the hey alright I might be goddamns. I can't really explain why. It's just a good song to run to. It, like, takes care of you.
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Maynard James Keenan is a genuinely angry man and good angry songs make good running songs because running is, for the most part, a terrible thing to do. Try playing Shiny Happy People by REM while you run. Then play Hooker With A Penis. I rest my case.
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This is a jumpy little song about a chick who likes rough sex in the morning. So there you go.
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This is another jumpy one that gets me moving. I love this song because it sounds like Cobain is having fun in the beginning with his deep hick voice before he launches into his standard gravel shrieky thing. I like thinking about Kurt Cobain having fun. I wish he had more.
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This is a staple just because we are. We still are.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Reader Comments (22)
Aw, great post. I love to think of you running like fuck to Pearl Jam mayhem. Nice.
If I listened to music while I run, it would very likely be Tool. Awesome.
No wonder it took you so long to write this post. You had to go track down all those videos. Jeez, dude, way to make work for yourself.
(repeats to herself)
"I will not judge you for LImp Bizkit. I will not judge you."
Dammit.
Ain't it a shame I don't have this mix? I like Moby for running, despite what Eminem said about him.
These are great!
I'm taking notes...
Can I also suggest Go by Pearl Jam and Salvation by the Cranberries for that full on sprint thing?
Get 'Em Up, Oakenfold featuring Ice Cube. One of the most wholly misogynistic rants ever laid down in a studio, but I find it hilarious and damn if it doesn't get my blood pumping, everything moving.
my alltime favorite running song is Paint it Black (not even a Stones fan....I KNOW!) and I think I mighta discovered a few new favorites in this post.
merci beaucoup!
I totally had to pause my James Blunt to check this out.
This is exactly what I would have expected. Except maybe some Lady Gaga in there.
Who am I to judge the Limp Bizkit? I have Eminem in my running list. Its not like that's really any better.
Really? I've got Eminem in the "lyrical genius" box and Limp Bizkit in the "dumb ass but good to run to" box.
I can't/won't/wouldn't judge you for running to Limp Bizkit because I saw them live once and had a great time.
Forever Young brings to mind Great Wolf Lodge and huge bucket of water falling around J ...L slippin' and slidin' down the huge slide in the sparkley black suit! Congrats to L for keeping up with the 1/2 mile run!
Maybe its just me with the Eminem. I feel like some kind of anti-feminist when I'm running along and "Shake That" comes up on the playlist. Then I get pissed at the lyrics. Then I get pissed that I feel like I'm supposed to be pissed at the lyrics. I have completely contradictory anger over that song, is what I'm saying.
Isn't it awesome that the one area our musical taste completely intersects is TUPAC??? Didn't we bond over Hit 'Em Up? I could run a thousand miles if that song played over and over and over. Fine, maybe I'm exaggerating. Maybe more like 999 miles. Let's not end our friendship over it. It was an honest mistake.
I was going to say something snotty when I saw the Limp Bizkit, but since you put 2 Pearl Jam songs in your mix, I'll be nice.
Tool has always been my soundtrack of choice whenever I felt like I needed to punch something, but instead chose to listen to an angry man punch something with his voice. I listen to Tool quite a bit.
No Disturbed? That's good running music too.
Just a suggestion since you clearly like Pearl Jam. Add Rear View Mirror. Works for me but I'm a formerly battered wife and I can really get going when I hear it.
"sex on fire" is a good one to add a little sprinting in my run. it's fast enough that i feel like i want to keep up with the tempo. otherwise, tool? check. pearl jam? check. 'vanas? check.
you have picked three (well two) of my favorites, tool and pj twice....nice.
i already shot you a message on FB but i dont know how much you check that so i would like to suggest Dope "Die Motherfucker Die" thats a good angry song that will get ya moving.