I love listening to music when I run. Choosing the right songs is always a challenge, and sometimes a song that I think will be great on the run turns out to be a turd. The reverse is true as well, which is why my playlist is full of guilty pleasures. Nickelback, anyone? The Beastie Boys? Or that heavy metal song that got me moving when I was struggling at Chicago this year, No Giving Up by Crossfade?
Hey, whatever it takes. Don't judge.
I can honestly say that it's pretty rare for me to put pop or dance songs on my playlists. That's just not my style. Those songs get on my nerves, and no one likes that feeling when they're running. Music should motivate you, but it should also relax you. I look to music to take my mind off my effort on the road.
This old rocker likes her music loud and fast. That's probably why rap also appeals to me. I should qualify that because some rap is just too raunchy for me. If there's a plethora of the n-word, singing about hos and bitches, well, that just isn't motivating to me. But otherwise, I'm pretty open minded. If it has a strong beat and is good to run to, that's all that matters. I have some Eminem on my playlist (what runner doesn't?) because his songs about overcoming adversity get me moving and have helped me push through many a tough run.
By the way, did you know Eminem has taken up running? This article in Men's Journal says that the rapper took up working out and running to help overcome his addictions to alcohol and prescription drugs. He lost 80 pounds in the process. Maybe he figured with all of us out there grooving to his poetry, he may as well join us, right?
Anyhoo, this past year, I've been adding some of the classics from my high school days to my running playlists. You know you're old when the songs you used to listen to in high school populate the oldies station playlist! One of the local radio stations still plays the same music it used to play in the 1970s. when I worked at Fotomat. Only the DJs have changed.
So for today's Tuesdays' on the Run linkup, I decided to share my Classic Rock Run playlist. As you will see, some of these songs sound as fresh as they did back in the day. And some others probably were never very good, but like all the songs on my playlists, those songs qualify because they're good to run to. While songs from the 1980s and even 1990s are heard on the oldies station, I decided to make this playlist only about the 1970s.
Funny how hearing a lot of these songs on the run takes me back to some memory from my younger years. For example, both the songs by Aerosmith, from the album Toys in the Attic, remind me of the party room in my parents barn. While my parents were inside the house, oblivious to what was going on in the barn, quite often I'd entertain friends up there. We always behaved ourselves--to a certain extent!
The pictures are fading but the memories I'll cherish! You may recognize some of these ladies from my kayaking posts! |
Van Halen takes me back to driving north across the Illinois-Wisconsin border where the drinking age was 18. We lived about 15 minutes from the border and spent a lot of time at bars in those small Wisconsin border towns. What can I say? We had a lot of fun. My sister and I listened to "Running with the Devil" when we got behind the wheel, but it doesn't have a great bpm for running. Instead, for this playlist, I included "Panama". I also have listened to "Hot for Teacher" ("I've got my pencil..."), "Right Now", and "Jump" for running in the past.
The boys that we were friends with listened to southern rock. Lynyrd Skynyrd, Molly Hatchet, the Outlaws--those were the songs they played in their cars and at parties. Lynyrd Skynyrd had a lot of good songs that you could sing to, but what better song to run to than "They Call Me the Breeze...I keep blowin' down the road..."
And then there's Led Zeppelin. The winter of 1978-79 still holds the record for the most snow for this area. I was driving a 1973 Firebird, complete with the bird on the hood. Yep, I was the coolest. Although I do wish I had that car now! Imagine what it would be worth. That winter, I listened to Led Zeppelin IV until I think I wore out the needle on my turntable. "Rock and Roll" never gets old. Another Zeppelin song, "Livin' Lovin' Maid" is another rocker that I rotate through my playlists.
Pull out the air guitar. We're gonna rock!
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Are you on Spotify? You can check out my other playlists: https://open.spotify.com/user/1262216360
Let's follow each other! I'm always looking for new tunes to run to.
What do you listen to when you run? Pop? Rock? Rap? A mix? Any classic rock songs you think I should add to this list?
I'm adding this post to Tuesdays on the Run! That would be with Marcia, Erica, and Patti! Be sure to chase the links and check out what everyone else is listening to.