Running Music: Spencer Davis Group 'Keep On Running'

See the list so far here.

Next up:

Spencer Davis Group ‘Keep On Running’

Yes, I accept this is the most obvious song I could pick, but if I thought it was rubbish then I’d have left it out.

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve heard this at running events, as well as other sports. The guy on the PA at Brentford does like a sixties classic or two. I’ll be surprised if I don’t hear it on April 17 while running the streets of London.

This song always reminds me of the
Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2002. I expect I did know it before then, but this is the first time it stuck in my head, massively helped by the somewhat limited musical choices on offer.

I know the organisers of
London 2012 will have rather bigger issues to resolve at the moment, but I hope someone is being delegated to bring a slightly bigger record collection than just five songs.

All we heard throughout the Athletics competition at the City of Manchester Stadium were:

Tina Turner ‘Simply the Best’
Queen ‘We Are the Champions’
Monty Python ‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life’

One other which escapes my memory at the moment, and the Spencer Davis Group. Not a Manc classic from
The Smiths or Stone Roses to be heard anywhere.

These five songs would be played throughout the evening session of the athletics, and is one of my abiding memories of that week. Another being the rather odd, lucky seat competition which I only heard from the warm up track, never actually saw it in action.

Jon Ridgeon would ask the crowd to stand up. Then, everyone except those in one stand were told to sit down. Next, everyone apart from one row were asked to be seated. Lastly, a seat number was called out and, hopefully, one lucky prize winner would be the last person standing.

Since this would happen before the first race, I always thought this was asking for the chosen seat to be without its occupant and something of an anti-climax. Even if the winners were selected from people that had entered the stadium, there’s every chance they’d be in the queue for a beer, burger or the bog before settling in for their evening’s entertainment.

The Spencer Davis Group are as well known for being the launch pad for the career of Steve Winwood as any other aspect of their CV.

‘Keep On Running’ reached number 1 in the UK in 1966, and is a cover of the
reggae track by Jackie Edwards. (Note, I found two versions by Jackie Edwards on Youtube)

Running Music: Full List

This page will have the complete list of songs which I write about, updated as the weeks pass.

To recap, the point of this list is, I often get songs stuck in my head while running. More often than not they’re ones I hate, or at best, find irritating.

I’m not in favour of the idea of running to music, not least as the beat could encourage you to run at a pace which you hadn’t planned to. However I am in favour of using music to motivate, clear the mind, relax or anything else that helps your preparation, I might even listen to some of these on the morning of April 17th.

All these songs either relate to running in their title, or have some connection to the story of my first marathon.

And so the list is:

The Clash ‘London Calling’
Blog Post
Youtube Link

Arcade Fire ‘Keep the Car Running’
Blog Post
Arcade Fire original on Youtube
Foo Fighters Cover on Youtube

Iron Maiden ‘The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner’
Blog Post
Youtube Link

Canned Heat ‘Let’s Work Together’
Blog Post
Youtube Link

Tom Petty ‘Runnin’ Down a Dream’
Blog Post
Youtube Link

Spencer Davis Group 'Keep On Running'
Blog Post
Youtube Link

All American Rejects 'Move Along'
Blog post
Youtube Link

Lindisfarne 'Run For Home'
Blog Post
Youtube Link

Thin Lizzy 'Running Back'
Blog Post
Youtube Link

Bruce Springsteen 'Born To Run'
Blog Post
Youtube Link

Neil Young 'Long May You Run'
Blog Post
Youtube Link

Kate Bush 'Running Up That Hill'
Blog Post
Youtube Link

REO Speedwagon 'Take it on the Run'
Blog Post
Youtube Link

Lemonheads 'Outdoor Type
Blog Post
Youtube Link

Jimmy Cliff 'You Can Get It If You Really Want'
Blog post coming soon
Youtube Link