Welcome to another Saturday night of music, memories, and conversations.
I’ve been learning to run, and I’ve found music to be a big help for that. It has me wondering — do you use playlists for specific purposes? Or do you just make a playlist of stuff you like; or do you not use them at all? I was just thinking this morning how I’m old enough to remember the much more labor-intensive process of making mixtapes. You had to know the time of each song, or in my younger years, wait for a song you wanted to come on the radio, and just wing it on the timing thing.
I have two “learn to run” playlists that I switch out. First one has what I think is the perfect warm up song, Arabesque by Coldplay. They worked with Nigerian and Palestinian musicians on this song, and I love the message — we share the same blood. It’s good to start on a positive note.
And Nina Cried Power by Hozier featuring Mavis Staples. Another one with a positive, empowering message.
And some more up-tempo things — gotta have good, upbeat stuff if I’m gonna run. Wild Horses by Snow Patrol is one of those up-tempo songs, and the chorus: “What are you holding back? I know you’ve got wild horses enough inside of you.” Also, one of the lines became my mantra during a really tough time: “Ooooh, it hasn’t finished you, it’s only that it feels that way”. And some more up-tempo songs:
U2 — You’re The Best Thing About Me (taken from what someone said when working on a charity project with Bono, that the best thing was getting to also work with his wife. Ali)
U2 — Atomic City, a new song and so happy and bouncy, totally my style. “Love is God and God is love and if your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough”
Snow Patrol — Shut Your Eyes, an especially good one this time of year (“shut your eyes and think of somewhere, somewhere cold and caked in snow”)
U2 — Elevation just a good upbeat rocker
Coldplay — Something Just Like This again, just a super-upbeat song. It’s also on my “exuberance” playlist.
Snow Patrol — Take Back The City, a song I think belongs on every running playlist. Great tempo and just really positive.
There’s more in this list, but I want to move on to the second one.
2nd list:
U2 — Ultraviolet, a great song for warm-up. Good tempo for getting started, and I love how Adam’s bass just pulls me through the song.
U2 — I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight. Funny story about this song: I walked the half of the Austin Marathon 7 or 8 times. Walking 13.1 takes a loooooong time, so I have a super-long playlist for it. There is a hill. Okay, in Austin, there’s lots of hills but this one is The Evil Hill. It comes after you’ve already gone 11 miles. (and you got up at 4 am to get to the race, because traffic is crazy), anyway it looks like a vertical climb at that point in the race. Twice in the years I did the race, this song came up as I got to the Evil Hill. Why it’s funny — the chorus starts “It’s not a hill, it’s a mountain as you start out the climb”
Alejandro Escovedo — Velvet Guitar, one of two “my feet will move” songs in this list. I love how it soars. Seriously, listen to this song and tell me it wouldn’t help you run.
U2 — City of Blinding Lights, the song I would always turn on in my head back in my triathlon days when I didn’t think I’d make it. It would make me feel like I could fly. Again, just soaring.
U2 — The Miracle of Joey Malone, another positive, rocking song. Also has a line I find comforting: “all the stolen voices will some day be returned”
Snow Patrol — Take Back the City, Gary’s love letter to Belfast, a happy song with a great beat for running.
Coldplay — Adventure of a Lifetime, just a happy song
December — Alison Stewart. They’re a Scottish band, friends of mine, fellow U2 fans. We met on the U2 fan Facebook page during their tours in the 20teens. This song is a tribute to Bono’s wife Ali. So positive. And the line about the leap of faith...gets me every time.
Both lists have more uptempo running songs, then some mellower ones to cool off to.
I also have playlists of just happy music that I listen to on the way to work. (I work in a call center, I need all the help I can get). And I have a “lullaby” playlist of calm, mellow songs like U2’s Stay; Coldplay’s Paradise; Snow Patrol’s Chasing Cars, and others. I like playlists. Do you like/use them?
Gentle reminder: Please continue to put the name of your selection in your comment along with your song. Those of us on our phones? We really appreciate it. And people using screen readers need this in order to identify the video.
You know how this works — Put your quarter in the slot and your song in the comments. This is your Saturday night jukebox and the party starts NOW~!
Upcoming diarists:
8/3: genuinemoderate
8/10: varro
8/17: ???
8/24: theghostofjohndewey
and September, too
