Stefani's Top 10 - Running Songs

People ask me a lot what's on my running playlist.  I think I have a pretty darn good list and I'm always happy to share.  Here are my top 10 favorite right now (I tried to limit it to 5, I couldn't do it).

I was trying to figure out what these songs have in common.  They cover many genres (pop, disco, 80's, rock, English rock, indy, alternative,) and many time periods (Highway Star came out in 1972, Runaway Baby in 2010 - and everything in between)

But in the end they have to be upbeat and have interesting lyrics. Something a lot of my favorites have is a time to clap your hands or whistle, a distinct drum beat or make some sort of lyrical noise (Buddy Holly is the perfect example with "Ooo-ooo and you know I'm yours. Ooo-ooo and I know you're mine" - weirdly enough I like doing that while I'm running, people probably think I'm a nutcase, "but I don't care what they say about me anyway, I don't care 'bout that" - lyric humor from Buddy Holly;) Some others are Freeze (Frame by J. Geils Band, 15 Storey Halo by ABC, Wild Boys by Duran Duran

I'm also a fan of a mildly heavy guitar (is that an oxymoron?) but with some variety not just a steady stream of guitar.

Songs where the guitar makes a train-like sound are particularly good (Highway Star, Aerosmith's Train Kept a Rollin', Ozzy Osbourne's Crazy Train, Train in Vain by The Clash, Monkey Wrench by Foo Fighters - just to name a few)

Top 10 running songs (in no particular order)

Roam - B52's - video (I don't want the B52's to be favorites - I guess I want to be more current or something, but they consistently make me run well. Roam's gotta be in the top ten.)

Joker and the Thief - Wolfmother - video (I also love Woman by Wolfmother. This song was featured in last season of Chuck.  I'm glad others like it too.)

Runaway Baby - Bruno Mars - audio with lyrics (this is a fun song with clever lyrics - gotta love Bruno)

Highway Star - Deep Purple - audio (not my style of music - but this song is consistently one of my favorite running songs)

Backstage - The Donnas - audio (From the Freaky Friday Soundtrack - it's funny that one of my other favorite running songs - that didn't make the list, mostly because I'm embarrassed about it - is also from Freaky Friday called Ultimate by Lindsey Lohan. See? Embarrassing.)

Sorry Sorry - Rooney - audio with lyrics (again, I appreciate the clever lyrics)

Underdog - Spoon - video (this also fits in the category of my Top 5 favorite songs, the fact that it's a good running song is just gravy)

Buddy Holly - Weezer - video (This is a good example of something that started out as a good running song and then graduated into my everyday playlist.  I also learned, while doing this blog post, that the video for this song was filmed as if it were a part of the TV show Happy Days. It's totally corny and just makes me like it even more.)

Dead on Arrival - Fall Out Boy - video (so, if you're really watching all these videos, I'm apologizing in advance for the split second view of a guy in a thong, ick... sorry :/)

Good Day - The Click Five - audio with lyrics (so, many years ago I thought I had discovered a fun new band called The Click Five, and then come to find out Afton knew all about them because of Hannah Montana. Really?  I'm not sure what the connection was but it made me feel dumb for liking (pre) teenybopper music. But the fact is I do like it even still, and not just this group.  But I listened to some covers of this song and I really do like The Click Five's style - others don't do them justice.  Also this was my inspirational song in November when I ran the Santa Barbara Half Marathon. I tend to have inspirational song when I'm doing a long run.  A random song will come on and, surprise, I have a burst of energy. If for nothing else, I've gotta love it just for that reason.)

Bonus
Does Your Mother Know - ABBA - video (This is my very best warm up song!! I have my playlist set up so this song always plays first.  I don't know what to do with myself if I something goes wrong and another song comes on first.)

So for what it's worth, this is all you ever wanted to know, and more about my running music.  While making this post I was listening to some of the different songs from my list and, even though this day was slated for a different kind of workout I got all jazzed about running and decided I'd go out.  I've been trying to beat my time per minute (without much success) and today I killed it by 20 seconds per mile (that was even with going up the killer hill in our neighborhood).  Ya, I pretty much rock! See what a little good music will do for your motivation?)

Tell me what your favorite running/workout songs are...