April "Celebrate" Playlist - One Little Victory

I did the practice training 5K "fun" run on April 2. A couple of days later, it is easy to wax philosophical, so I will start with what learned.

First, that the cheerful organizers will celebrate anything, even the solo 5K runner, the schlub that showed up in her Old Navy techno hoodie while everyone else was in their waffle tees and shiny spandex. Also, that I have some sort of inner resolve not to quit, even when the superego, that bitch, won't shut up. I also learned that it's difficult to do the job with crap equipment and went out to buy some real sneakers as opposed to the no-arch supporting sham footwear I was wearing. It's like walking on clouds!

I also learned that the right music will work miracles in getting you to get into gear. The first song on my ipod as I took off was World Party's "Ship of Fools," also known as what the heck was I thinking with that one?

So this month's playlist will consist of the songs I yanked into a file on iTunes to create the ultimate 5K runner's high for a figure skater trying to complete the Fifth Third River Bank Run. As this is a work in progress, I apologize to my readers (*crickets*) if this is long-winded. I plan on ranking each song as a warm up (WU), gearing up (GU), peak (P), and slow down (SD). Any on the bubble will be ranked as such. I'm guessing I will need 90 minutes of tunes.

Draw the Line, Aerosmith - P - driving bass line for a steady pace

Devil in Stitches, Bad Religion - GU - rockabilly punk sound

Venus, Bananarama - P - driving disco beat with attitude, kind of consider this diva, pretty girl music

Good Vibrations, The Beach Boys - *bubble* - Brian Wilson's pop symphony is wonderfully orchestrated, but that would be a problem for someone who will be attempting a steady pace. Not sure where to put it in the lineup, so it may go.

Paperback Writer, The Beatles - GU - has a nice clackly clack groove that will set a good pace

Across the Universe, The Beatles - WU/SD - dreamy pace, nice escapsim

Sabotage, The Beastie Boys - P - Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Tighten Up, Archie Bell & The Drells - GU - bouncy, happy fun time

Good Things, BoDeans - WU/SD - positive yet soft

Gonna Make U Sweat, C+C Music Factory - P - Everybody Dance NOW!

F#$* You, Cee Lo Green - P - I almost gave up on a jog when this song came on and I finished the 5k. It stays.

Supergirl, Cibao Matteo - P - asain punk with a go girl vibe.

Better Be Home Soon, Crowded House - SD - fitting for the end

The He Kissed Me, The Crystals - *bubble* - I love the song, but not sure where it should go

Jai Ho!, Pussycat Dolls - P - driving beat with a bit of Indian spice

Groove is in the Heart - P - "we're going to dance and have some fun..."

Ya Gotta Be, Des'ree - WU - positive affirmation song

Run Baby Run - Garbage - *bubble* - love Garbage, but not sure where to put this

Special, Garbage - GU - guess that determines the fate of the above song

My Sweet Lord, George Harrison - WU - nice pace, sweet song

Race with the Devil, Girlschool - P - c'mon! a title like that by an all-female British metal band?!

Dog & Butterlfy, Heart - SD - a favorite song that is gentle and soaring

Violet, Hole - P - Courtney Love at her most aawesome

Legend of a Cowgirl, Imani Coppola - GU - love the sample and her clever lyrics

Closer to Fine, Indigo Girls - *bubble* - a favorite with no home

I Do, J. Geils Band - P - bouncy and infectious

Do Ya Wanna Touch?, Joan Jett - P - attitude x 2

Calypso, John Denver - WU - something in the chorus speaks to me and inspires me

Just Like Heaven, Katie Melua - SD - magic in the remake

Bad Romance, Lady Gaga - P - gagaohlala, roma oh la la

Telephone, Gag and Beyonce - P - how can I not when I visualize those two going batshit crazy?

Supernova, Liz Phair - P - volcano

Bring Me Some Water, Melissa Ethridge - GU - searing blues, but maybe not a good reminder that I will be parched by time I get to this one on the playlist?

We Run This, Missy Elliot - P - love the pop of the bongos

The Girl That I Knew Somewhere, The Monkees - GU - sunny little song

Hot Child in the City, Nick Gilder - Gu - runnin' wild and lookin' pretty (yes, I know it's about a teenage hooker)

Go, No Doubt - P - 80s techno, in the 90s

Try a Little Tenderness, Otis Redding - GU - felt like taking Otis and Duckie on the road with me

Crazy Train, Ozzy Osborne - P - too easy

Maybe I'm Amazed, Paul McCartney - *bubble* - sigh

Down By the River, PJ Harvey - GU - love the fuzzy

A Million Miles Away, The Plimsouls - GU - is it about love or running?

The Glitter Prize, Kay Hanley - *bubble* - free song tossed in as a WTH

Tattoed Love Boys, The Pretenders - P - aggressive and blsitering, but in a good way!

Under Pressure, Queen and Bowie - *bubble* - trying to block negative, and this song has negative images and an unfortunate connection to Vanilla Ice

Higher Ground, Red Hot Chili Peppers - P - punk funk

Drop Dead Gorgeous, Republica - P - another aggressive positive punk girl song

It Takes Two, Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock - P - whoaw!

Cherry Bomb, the Runaways - P - more aggressive girls, me likey

New World Man, Rush - *bubble* - I think Dave calls it time signature changes, but I think too many changes like that would mess me up.

Driven, Rush - GU - more f-ing time changes, but I think more tolerable than Mr. Signal Turning Green above

One Little Victory, Rush - P - see title of entry

Sleepwalk, Santo and Johnny - SD - bringin' her down

Cecilia, Simon and Garfunkel - GU - clapalong chorus to put spring in step

Run Run Away, Slade - P - glam rock bagpipes, oh yeah

Killer, Seal - *bubble* - great bass groove, but it takes 57 seconds for the song to start

My Blue Heaven, Smashing Pumpkins - SD - soft piano, strong visual

100%, Sonic Youth - P - title says it all

Eaten By the Monster of Love, Sparks - P - "don't let it get me!"

Vasoline, STP - P - "search for things that we can't see"

Stranglehold, Ted Nugent - *bubble* - long and sexy, maybe too long

When Will I See You Again, Three Degrees - WU/SD - soaring vocals that may be more appropriate for gearing up, hmm...

Fell in Love with a Girl, The White Stripes - P - such joy

I'm Not In Love, 10cc - WU/CD - big boys don't cry...