Okay, since my running music playlist is rather eclectic and expansive this will probably be a multi part series on my playlist, because like every good pretentious music snob (aka: every college student) my music choices are smart and IMPORTANT and YOU will be a better person because I have taken the time to introduce you to what I like. You’re welcome.
I have also decided to limit each post to easily-digestible segments of ten songs and I’ll pretend to have some sort of overreaching theme for why I picked these particular ones.
Today’s edition is …. Newest additions!
These aren’t even necessarily new songs, or even new songs to me, they are songs that have been recently added to my playlist. As a side note, my playlists as always titled RFYL, which means Run For Your Life, which represents for a promise and a threat to me! And when I have a themed playlist, such as a Disney running playlist, it is titled DRFYL. See what I did there?
Okay, so the 10 most recent additions to my playlist are:
1. The Phoenix, Fall Out Boy
The very first lyrics in this song are, “Put on your war paint!” And when the beat starts I feel like I am getting ready for battle and can kick everyone’s ass. I also personally feel an affiliation to the phoenix and rising from the ashes because every longer than ever before run I do, I feel like I reclaiming something I once was yet also being better than before.
2. Step in Time, Mousercise
This song was a compromise because I had wanted to original version from the Mary Poppins soundtrack, but it is over 8 minutes long and there are a lot of “dead” spaces (for lack of a better description, where you are waiting for the music to build which is fine for a car ride, but when you are counting on the music to explode with energy it can feel interminable. The Mousercise version is a tight less than two minutes ball of fun, plus it has the added bonus of reminding me when I was six years old running around the house with my sisters dancing to it.
3. Rewrite this Story, SMASH cast
This was an experiment in not having a song that has a fast tempo but I really, really like on the playlist. This song has such tight harmonies that I get goosebumps when it reaches its fever pitch.
4. Cups (radio version), Anna Kendrick
Just because I really like this song 🙂
5. Can’t Hold Us, Macklemore
There’s just something about songs that make you feel like you can do anything! And they lyrics are cheeky, “Give a little speed to a great white on Shark Week” always makes me smile, because like any good student of Liz Lemon and 30 Rock, I do try to live every week like it’s Shark Week. AND he references Plinko! The song is amazing. Macklemore is amazing.
6. Thrift Shop, Macklemore
This one of those rare songs that I feel the explicit version is the only one worth listening to. That also makes in a RFYL playlist exclusive in my life because that’s the only time I will never have kids with me and can revel in the R rated lyrics. As a former Sailor, I have developed a real appreciation for when curse words are used with purpose and great affect and this song turns swearing into a word-smithing art form. Plus, have you seen the music video to this song? It is hilarious! It seems like a Weird Al version of a song, but it’s not- it’s the original. I actually didn’t really care for the song until I saw the music video, and then I realized the spirit in which the song was performed and totally got it.
7. Birdhouse in Your Soul, They Might be Giants
One of those songs I can’t believe took me this long to add to my RFYL. As an eighth grader, They Might be Giants were the band de jour, although it was the Mmmm Mmmmm Mmmmm song that was most popular. But this song is funny. And Tiny Toons had music videos of Particle Man and Istanbul. Which I am now realizing I don’t have either one in my playlist. That’s going to have to be remedied!
8. Let’s Go to the Mall, Robin Sparkles
I DARE you to listen to this song and not smile. Separating it from the whole HIMYM aspect of it (if such a thing is possible) makes the song extremely confusing, but, well, I have the point of reference so I can laugh when I listen to it. And it is not vocally demanding, so it is very easy to sing along to when you are almost out of breath- expect that giggle takes a surprising amount of energy to get out!
9. Little Wonders, Rob Thomas
Another song I added just because it means a lot to me. I’m not going to go into details about why this song and the movie it’s from, Meet the Robinsons, literally changed my life when I saw them because it’s not really for random public consumption. But if you are ever in town and want to buy me a drink, I’ll share my story. But even without all of that, God, I love these lyrics. I love how in life you never know which flashes of everyday are going to be seared into memory that they can be perfectly recalled forever.
10. All These Things I’ve Done, The Killers
While it’s not the most bouncy, peppy song of the Killer, which is why it so long to be added to the playlist, for heaven’s sake, the very first lyrics are, “When there’s nowhere else to run …” And it has a great build. You can’t help but build up speed as the song carries on.
So what about you? What are your recent finds for good songs to run to? Feel free to leave suggestions in the comments. I am on the hunt for new songs not that I have to make my playlist twice as long to last through a marathon!
BTW, my run this weekend is 15 miles, which will be the first time I have gone a distance beyond the half marathon. Cheers!
Poor Unfortunate Soles 