See the full list here.
Next up:
Lemonheads ‘Outdoor Type’
This song didn’t appear on my original list of 20 when I started writing this section of the blog. It was a late substitution after I’d referred to it in the first music post.
One of the reasons for writing about music alongside the other aspects of the marathon build up, is the role I think it can play in race preparation, be that to motivate, calm nerves, take your mind off what you’re about to do or just because of some daft superstition.
During my brief flirtation with acting, before each night of one production, I wouldn’t leave the house until I’d listened to what were my favourite two songs at the time, one of which being this track from the Lemonheads’ ‘Car Button Cloth’ album. If you’re about to do something which will make you nervous or where relaxation is vital, including a short bit of music-based, mind focusing time during your preparation means you’re more likely to be in control when it comes to the big moment, whatever that might be.
Essentially this is letting the brain escape into another world, allowing for relaxation of both body and mind. Books are another option, when on the way to job interviews in the past, I’ve decided my time on the tube has been better spent in the company of an audio book, rather than thinking about the answers I might give to questions I’ve no idea if I’ll be asked. I’m in no position to do any last minute research under Central London, so I may as well think about something else.
The title of this song, ‘Outdoor Type’, is very appropriate. If you’re not then you’re going to find the months of training even more tough than the average. It’s clear the character in this song is the last person you’d find running, unlike the unfortunate other half in the relationship who appears to be finding out their new love ain’t quite what they thought they were.
“I’ve never slept out underneath the stars,
The closest that I came to that was one time my car,
Broke down for an hour in the suburbs at night,
I lied about being the outdoor type.”
Any music festival regulars have met someone like this who is clearly only there because it’s the cool thing to do.
I also like these lines:
“I can’t go away with you on a rock climbing weekend,
What if something’s on TV and it’s never shown again?”
I’m sure if we thought about it we all know someone like that.
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Thursday, 31 March 2011
Thursday, 24 March 2011
Running Music: REO Speedwagon 'Take it on the Run'
See the full list here
Next up:
REO Speedwagon ‘Take it on the Run’
So far this list has included the likes of The Clash, Arcade Fire, Iron Maiden, Thin Lizzy and Neil Young. All legendary in their own right – even Arcade Fire despite having a far smaller back catalogue than the others.
What this list is lacking though is an 80s power ballad!
And who better to provide one than REO Speedwagon.
‘Take it on the Run’ was released in 1981, during the band’s most commercially successful era. Much as I love this song, I can’t help wonder how it was received by those that had followed the band from it’s inception in 1967, throughout a decade when their music was far less pop-minded.
I’m sure there are people reading this post that can relate to the moment of mixed feeling, as your favourite band hits the big time, whilst producing music that just isn’t quite the same as it used to be.
Reading the lyrics, there’s not a lot going on here to link to running, other than the title. The song is a blokes message to his girlfriend, after hearing rumours from a mate that she’s been unfaithful.
“Heard it from a friend who
Heard it from a friend who
Heard it from another you been messin' around.”
All sounds a bit sixth form college to me.
I hate the term guilty pleasure, I don’t believe you should feel ashamed of any music you like, well, with in reason perhaps.
In short this is a bit of fluffy, catchy 80s pop-rock. Maybe a bit too catchy as I can be pretty damn sure if this gets into my head on marathon day, it ain’t going anywhere!
Next up:
REO Speedwagon ‘Take it on the Run’
So far this list has included the likes of The Clash, Arcade Fire, Iron Maiden, Thin Lizzy and Neil Young. All legendary in their own right – even Arcade Fire despite having a far smaller back catalogue than the others.
What this list is lacking though is an 80s power ballad!
And who better to provide one than REO Speedwagon.
‘Take it on the Run’ was released in 1981, during the band’s most commercially successful era. Much as I love this song, I can’t help wonder how it was received by those that had followed the band from it’s inception in 1967, throughout a decade when their music was far less pop-minded.
I’m sure there are people reading this post that can relate to the moment of mixed feeling, as your favourite band hits the big time, whilst producing music that just isn’t quite the same as it used to be.
Reading the lyrics, there’s not a lot going on here to link to running, other than the title. The song is a blokes message to his girlfriend, after hearing rumours from a mate that she’s been unfaithful.
“Heard it from a friend who
Heard it from a friend who
Heard it from another you been messin' around.”
All sounds a bit sixth form college to me.
I hate the term guilty pleasure, I don’t believe you should feel ashamed of any music you like, well, with in reason perhaps.
In short this is a bit of fluffy, catchy 80s pop-rock. Maybe a bit too catchy as I can be pretty damn sure if this gets into my head on marathon day, it ain’t going anywhere!
Thursday, 17 March 2011
Running Music: Kate Bush 'Running Up That Hill'
See the full list here
Next up:
Kate Bush ‘Running Up That Hill’
“And if I only could,
I'd make a deal with God,
And I'd get him to swap our places.”
I wonder how many people have thought that in the last few miles of a marathon?
My favourite Kate Bush song is actually ‘Don’t Give Up’, the duet with Peter Gabriel. An optimistic and encouraging number for a marathon you might think, but since I don’t plan to be considering quitting at any stage, I decided it wasn’t relevant.
Neither is ‘Running Up That Hill’ in the context of the London Marathon, although it could be argued running 5.2 miles more than I will have done before is something of a metaphorical mountain.
‘Running Up That Hill’ can be found on the 1985 album ‘Hounds of Love’, from where it was the first single release, peaking at number 3 in the UK. The track was originally to be titled ‘Deal With God’, but EMI bosses feared this wouldn’t be received well in countries such as the US, potentially sacrificing crucial radio play.
Next up:
Kate Bush ‘Running Up That Hill’
“And if I only could,
I'd make a deal with God,
And I'd get him to swap our places.”
I wonder how many people have thought that in the last few miles of a marathon?
My favourite Kate Bush song is actually ‘Don’t Give Up’, the duet with Peter Gabriel. An optimistic and encouraging number for a marathon you might think, but since I don’t plan to be considering quitting at any stage, I decided it wasn’t relevant.
Neither is ‘Running Up That Hill’ in the context of the London Marathon, although it could be argued running 5.2 miles more than I will have done before is something of a metaphorical mountain.
‘Running Up That Hill’ can be found on the 1985 album ‘Hounds of Love’, from where it was the first single release, peaking at number 3 in the UK. The track was originally to be titled ‘Deal With God’, but EMI bosses feared this wouldn’t be received well in countries such as the US, potentially sacrificing crucial radio play.
Saturday, 12 March 2011
Running Music: Neil Young 'Long May You Run'
See the full list here
Next up:
Neil Young ‘Long May You Run’
Having written about an obvious, well known song last week, I thought I’d go for the opposite this time.
Neil Young is someone whose music I’ve been aware of for as long as I can remember, yet I’ve never really explored it to the extent I probably should have. I’ve heard ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’ on the radio loads, I saw Pearl Jam do an excellent cover of it at the Leeds Festival one year. Recently, thanks to Planet Rock, ‘Harvest Moon’ has gone from being a song I knew to one I listen to almost on a daily basis. My Neil Young knowledge has, until recently, been a bunch of songs from throughout his career. I’m slowly but surely filling the gap in my musical knowledge by discovering more.
When I compiled the list from which I was going to pick a song from each week to write about, I added this one simply because the title was relevant, and I thought it would be something a little different to include. Along with the Thin Lizzy track from a couple of weeks ago, ‘Long May You Run’ is one of my favourites on the list.
To be accurate, this song is actually by The Stills-Young Band, and is the title track from a 1976 album which, at one stage, was meant to be a full offering with David Crosby and Graham Nash involved. The latter pair were only briefly on board however, instead releasing their own album in the same year.
The song ‘Long May You Run’ was written about a car Neil Young was especially fond of, and was the album’s first single. Young performed the track at the closing ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver – 2012 take note of what can be done. Let’s hope the Spice Girls rumour remains nothing more than an idea.
The only version I could find to link to is a live one, but very good it is too.
Next up:
Neil Young ‘Long May You Run’
Having written about an obvious, well known song last week, I thought I’d go for the opposite this time.
Neil Young is someone whose music I’ve been aware of for as long as I can remember, yet I’ve never really explored it to the extent I probably should have. I’ve heard ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’ on the radio loads, I saw Pearl Jam do an excellent cover of it at the Leeds Festival one year. Recently, thanks to Planet Rock, ‘Harvest Moon’ has gone from being a song I knew to one I listen to almost on a daily basis. My Neil Young knowledge has, until recently, been a bunch of songs from throughout his career. I’m slowly but surely filling the gap in my musical knowledge by discovering more.
When I compiled the list from which I was going to pick a song from each week to write about, I added this one simply because the title was relevant, and I thought it would be something a little different to include. Along with the Thin Lizzy track from a couple of weeks ago, ‘Long May You Run’ is one of my favourites on the list.
To be accurate, this song is actually by The Stills-Young Band, and is the title track from a 1976 album which, at one stage, was meant to be a full offering with David Crosby and Graham Nash involved. The latter pair were only briefly on board however, instead releasing their own album in the same year.
The song ‘Long May You Run’ was written about a car Neil Young was especially fond of, and was the album’s first single. Young performed the track at the closing ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver – 2012 take note of what can be done. Let’s hope the Spice Girls rumour remains nothing more than an idea.
The only version I could find to link to is a live one, but very good it is too.
Thursday, 3 March 2011
Running Music: Bruce Springsteen 'Born To Run'
See the list so far here
Next up:
Bruce Springsteen ‘Born to Run’
So I’ve reached the halfway point of my list of 20 songs which vaguely relate to running, or the London Marathon.
Following The Clash, Arcade Fire, Iron Maiden, Canned Heat, Tom Petty, Spencer Davis Group, All American Rejects, Lindisfarne and Thin Lizzy, this week we come to the previously advertised obvious song on the list.
In summer 2003, Bruce Springsteen was playing Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester, a relatively short train journey from Leeds, where I was living at the time.
I seriously considered going, but, for once, was a responsible student and gave it a miss. One of my final exams was to be the following morning, and Bruce would come back.
Having still never seen Bruce Springsteen live, and not having found my degree to be a massive amount of use since, I do sometimes wonder if I should have gone. I mean, how difficult would the exam have been with only marginally less sleep than I imagine I got anyway?
Apparently ‘Born To Run’ came out at a point when Springsteen was at something of an all or nothing stage in his career. His previous work hadn’t seen him enjoy quite the success which early critical acclaim suggested he should. It was Springsteen’s first world-wide single release in August 1975, although it made little impact outside the US, where it reached number 23 on the Billboard Chart.
Next up:
Bruce Springsteen ‘Born to Run’
So I’ve reached the halfway point of my list of 20 songs which vaguely relate to running, or the London Marathon.
Following The Clash, Arcade Fire, Iron Maiden, Canned Heat, Tom Petty, Spencer Davis Group, All American Rejects, Lindisfarne and Thin Lizzy, this week we come to the previously advertised obvious song on the list.
In summer 2003, Bruce Springsteen was playing Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester, a relatively short train journey from Leeds, where I was living at the time.
I seriously considered going, but, for once, was a responsible student and gave it a miss. One of my final exams was to be the following morning, and Bruce would come back.
Having still never seen Bruce Springsteen live, and not having found my degree to be a massive amount of use since, I do sometimes wonder if I should have gone. I mean, how difficult would the exam have been with only marginally less sleep than I imagine I got anyway?
Apparently ‘Born To Run’ came out at a point when Springsteen was at something of an all or nothing stage in his career. His previous work hadn’t seen him enjoy quite the success which early critical acclaim suggested he should. It was Springsteen’s first world-wide single release in August 1975, although it made little impact outside the US, where it reached number 23 on the Billboard Chart.
Thursday, 24 February 2011
Running Music: Thin Lizzy 'Running Back'
See the list so far here
Next up:
Thin Lizzy – 'Running Back'
Looking at the list of songs I’ve made to include on this blog, I appear to be in the middle of a bit of a run of 70s rock. The next two weeks will also fall into that category and will include one of the most obvious choices of the lot.
My big musical discovery of last year was, not some exciting new band playing in the backroom of a pub, but that Thin Lizzy’s ‘Jailbreak’ album is an absolute belter.
‘Jailbreak’ proved to be Thin Lizzy’s commercial breakthrough, and features their biggest hit single ‘The Boys Are Back in Town’.
Their was much disagreement in the band over the production of ‘Running Back’. Phil Lynott and producer John Alcock sought a session musician to replace some of the parts played by guitarist Brian Robertson. The objective was to turn bluesy elements into a more commercial, radio friendly sounding track.
‘Running Back’ was initially planned to be the lead single, however ‘The Boys Are Back in Town’ was chosen instead. ‘Running Back’ appeared as the B-side on the follow-up ‘Jailbreak’.
Another song worthy of checking out from ‘Jailbreak’ is
‘Romeo and the Lonely Girl, which features fantastic drumming from Brian Downey.
Next up:
Thin Lizzy – 'Running Back'
Looking at the list of songs I’ve made to include on this blog, I appear to be in the middle of a bit of a run of 70s rock. The next two weeks will also fall into that category and will include one of the most obvious choices of the lot.
My big musical discovery of last year was, not some exciting new band playing in the backroom of a pub, but that Thin Lizzy’s ‘Jailbreak’ album is an absolute belter.
‘Jailbreak’ proved to be Thin Lizzy’s commercial breakthrough, and features their biggest hit single ‘The Boys Are Back in Town’.
Their was much disagreement in the band over the production of ‘Running Back’. Phil Lynott and producer John Alcock sought a session musician to replace some of the parts played by guitarist Brian Robertson. The objective was to turn bluesy elements into a more commercial, radio friendly sounding track.
‘Running Back’ was initially planned to be the lead single, however ‘The Boys Are Back in Town’ was chosen instead. ‘Running Back’ appeared as the B-side on the follow-up ‘Jailbreak’.
Another song worthy of checking out from ‘Jailbreak’ is
‘Romeo and the Lonely Girl, which features fantastic drumming from Brian Downey.
Thursday, 17 February 2011
Running Music: Lindisfarne 'Run For Home'
See the list so far here
Next up:
Lindisfarne ‘Run For Home’
When I started regularly going to gigs I decided to keep a list of every band I saw. This was especially useful for music festivals, as I might discover I’d seen one of the big draw main stage acts in one of the smaller tents a couple of years earlier.
A random selection from over a decade of live music includes:
U2 at Wembley Stadium – 1997 (supported by Richard Hawley’s old band the Long Pigs).
The Smashing Pumpkins last UK show before they split in 2000.
AC/DC at Milton Keynes Bowl – 2001
The first person I saw at a music festival was PJ Harvey at Reading in 2001.
Red Hot Chilly Peppers supported by James Brown at Hyde Park – 2004
Muse at the new Wembley and the Rolling Stones at the Isle of Wight Festival – 2007.
Plus, Frank Turner (at last count 13 times but that might not be right), Ash (7 times), Feeder (6 times), Biffy Clyro (5 times) and Iron Maiden (4 times – including headlining Reading and playing Twickenham Stadium).
All this leads to the perhaps surprising news that the first gig I ever went to was?
Seventies Geordie folk rockers
Lindisfarne (Edinburgh Fringe August 1996 in case you were interested in the date). I saw them again in Sheffield in 1998.
Formed as Brethren in 1969, the band developed their sound and line up at a Whitley Bay folk club. Gaining a major record deal in 1970, the name change to Lindisfarne and their debut album under that banner followed soon after.
Thanks to a
novalty version by Paul Gascoigne released in 1990, to some Lindisfarne’s best known song is
‘Fog on the Tyne’, the title track from what became the UK’s biggest selling album in 1971.
After splitting for a few years in the mid 70s, Lindisfarne reconvened in 1977. Among the songs to appear from the album which followed was ‘Run For Home’, a top ten hit in the UK and the band’s first chart success in the US.
The song is inspired by life on the road as a touring musician and the feeling created by a home coming. Its signature lyrics are the important bit for a marathon runner:
“Run for home, run as fast, as I can, running man, running for home”.
What running “as fast, as I can” will look and feel like in the last few miles of a marathon remains to be seen.
Lindisfarne were a cracking live band, they’ve long since split again, this time for good. I like every song on this growing list, some more than others, this one being among my favourites.
Next up:
Lindisfarne ‘Run For Home’
When I started regularly going to gigs I decided to keep a list of every band I saw. This was especially useful for music festivals, as I might discover I’d seen one of the big draw main stage acts in one of the smaller tents a couple of years earlier.
A random selection from over a decade of live music includes:
U2 at Wembley Stadium – 1997 (supported by Richard Hawley’s old band the Long Pigs).
The Smashing Pumpkins last UK show before they split in 2000.
AC/DC at Milton Keynes Bowl – 2001
The first person I saw at a music festival was PJ Harvey at Reading in 2001.
Red Hot Chilly Peppers supported by James Brown at Hyde Park – 2004
Muse at the new Wembley and the Rolling Stones at the Isle of Wight Festival – 2007.
Plus, Frank Turner (at last count 13 times but that might not be right), Ash (7 times), Feeder (6 times), Biffy Clyro (5 times) and Iron Maiden (4 times – including headlining Reading and playing Twickenham Stadium).
All this leads to the perhaps surprising news that the first gig I ever went to was?
Seventies Geordie folk rockers
Lindisfarne (Edinburgh Fringe August 1996 in case you were interested in the date). I saw them again in Sheffield in 1998.
Formed as Brethren in 1969, the band developed their sound and line up at a Whitley Bay folk club. Gaining a major record deal in 1970, the name change to Lindisfarne and their debut album under that banner followed soon after.
Thanks to a
novalty version by Paul Gascoigne released in 1990, to some Lindisfarne’s best known song is
‘Fog on the Tyne’, the title track from what became the UK’s biggest selling album in 1971.
After splitting for a few years in the mid 70s, Lindisfarne reconvened in 1977. Among the songs to appear from the album which followed was ‘Run For Home’, a top ten hit in the UK and the band’s first chart success in the US.
The song is inspired by life on the road as a touring musician and the feeling created by a home coming. Its signature lyrics are the important bit for a marathon runner:
“Run for home, run as fast, as I can, running man, running for home”.
What running “as fast, as I can” will look and feel like in the last few miles of a marathon remains to be seen.
Lindisfarne were a cracking live band, they’ve long since split again, this time for good. I like every song on this growing list, some more than others, this one being among my favourites.
Thursday, 10 February 2011
Running Music: All American Rejects 'Move Along'
See the list so far here.
Next up:
All American Rejects ‘Move Along’
This is one of those more tenuous choices, included thanks to a combination of lyrics, personal memories and, the deciding factor, because I like it.
I’ve never been one for analysing lyrics, not least because I’m not very good at it. To me, this song appears to be a person speaking to someone that is having a hard time, giving them the “stick at it” speech and offering to be there in the moment of need.
“So a day when you've lost yourself completely
Could be a night when your life ends
Such a heart that will lead you to deceiving
All the pain held in your
Hands are shaking cold
Your hands are mine to hold
Speak to me”
The part of ‘Move Along’ which stood out to me, and which I’m relating to marathon running, is the chorus. So when the person in the song is telling their friend to keep at it, to me their saying “you might be ready to quit, your legs might feel like their on fire, but you can do this, you really can”.
“When all you got to keep is strong
Move along, move along like I know you do
And even when your hope is gone
Move along, move along just to make it through”
I warned you it was tenuous.
The memory relates to the bike challenge I did in 2006, six days from London to Berlin as a fundraiser for Scope, arriving for the opening weekend of the World Cup.
I burnt a load of songs onto a couple of CDs, and this one from All American Rejects was my favourite at the time.
About forty of us met at
Wembley Stadium, or the building site that it was then, early one Sunday morning. We spent the next couple of days getting to Harwich for our ferry crossing. The next four days saw us travelling through Northern Germany, where it struck us how little signs there were that one of the biggest sporting events in the world was about to start. In England flags were everywhere, giving the impression that the competition was in the UK, and we were cycling to Berlin to get away from it. The first football image to be discovered was in Hamburg. One of our party went for a walk and discovered our hostel was on the edge of the red light district, what a careless mistake to make. On one window a person kicking a ball had been drawn.
Day four was a one hundred miler, something I’d done before so wasn’t too concerned about. Many on the trip hadn’t and, with the exception of the Irish bloke that never seemed far from a beer (stereotype ahoy), there was lots of good behaviour on show.
Not unreasonably, the three digits on the milometer was a cause for much celebration for those for whom this was a first time, and of course it would have been rude for the rest of us not to show our support and share in their feeling of achievement.
So for the rest of the distance the trip took on the appearance of a stag week on wheels. Once in Berlin and in free time mode, many of us were up for forty eight hours straight, longer if you include the full day on a coach back to London. The story of that weekend can wait for another day though.
‘Move Along’ is the title track from the All American Rejects second album, released in July 2005. The single didn’t come out until 2006 however.
The song didn’t make the top forty in the UK, but has to date sold over one million downloads in the US.
It has been used in US TV advertising campaigns for coverage of the 2008 Olympic Games, and, more excitingly, Lego!
Next up:
All American Rejects ‘Move Along’
This is one of those more tenuous choices, included thanks to a combination of lyrics, personal memories and, the deciding factor, because I like it.
I’ve never been one for analysing lyrics, not least because I’m not very good at it. To me, this song appears to be a person speaking to someone that is having a hard time, giving them the “stick at it” speech and offering to be there in the moment of need.
“So a day when you've lost yourself completely
Could be a night when your life ends
Such a heart that will lead you to deceiving
All the pain held in your
Hands are shaking cold
Your hands are mine to hold
Speak to me”
The part of ‘Move Along’ which stood out to me, and which I’m relating to marathon running, is the chorus. So when the person in the song is telling their friend to keep at it, to me their saying “you might be ready to quit, your legs might feel like their on fire, but you can do this, you really can”.
“When all you got to keep is strong
Move along, move along like I know you do
And even when your hope is gone
Move along, move along just to make it through”
I warned you it was tenuous.
The memory relates to the bike challenge I did in 2006, six days from London to Berlin as a fundraiser for Scope, arriving for the opening weekend of the World Cup.
I burnt a load of songs onto a couple of CDs, and this one from All American Rejects was my favourite at the time.
About forty of us met at
Wembley Stadium, or the building site that it was then, early one Sunday morning. We spent the next couple of days getting to Harwich for our ferry crossing. The next four days saw us travelling through Northern Germany, where it struck us how little signs there were that one of the biggest sporting events in the world was about to start. In England flags were everywhere, giving the impression that the competition was in the UK, and we were cycling to Berlin to get away from it. The first football image to be discovered was in Hamburg. One of our party went for a walk and discovered our hostel was on the edge of the red light district, what a careless mistake to make. On one window a person kicking a ball had been drawn.
Day four was a one hundred miler, something I’d done before so wasn’t too concerned about. Many on the trip hadn’t and, with the exception of the Irish bloke that never seemed far from a beer (stereotype ahoy), there was lots of good behaviour on show.
Not unreasonably, the three digits on the milometer was a cause for much celebration for those for whom this was a first time, and of course it would have been rude for the rest of us not to show our support and share in their feeling of achievement.
So for the rest of the distance the trip took on the appearance of a stag week on wheels. Once in Berlin and in free time mode, many of us were up for forty eight hours straight, longer if you include the full day on a coach back to London. The story of that weekend can wait for another day though.
‘Move Along’ is the title track from the All American Rejects second album, released in July 2005. The single didn’t come out until 2006 however.
The song didn’t make the top forty in the UK, but has to date sold over one million downloads in the US.
It has been used in US TV advertising campaigns for coverage of the 2008 Olympic Games, and, more excitingly, Lego!
Thursday, 3 February 2011
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)
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)
Thursday, 27 January 2011
Running Music: Tom Petty 'Runnin' Down A Dream'
Click here for previous songs and a short explanation as to why I’m writing about music on a running blog.
Song 5:
Tom Petty ‘Runnin’ Down A Dream’
It’s one of the signs that something is beginning to take over your life when you start to dream about it.
Some people take analysing dreams very seriously. I expect if you thought about it you know at least one person that obsesses about the meaning of what went on in their head whilst asleep a little too much.
I’m no psychologist, nor am I a dreamologist (or whatever they’d be called), but I’ve always thought dreams were a mish mash of random recent thoughts, conversations and experiences you’d had. If you deconstruct the last dream you can remember, I expect you could trace each part to something from the past few days. The closest I get to the analytical is to say, no matter how small the thing you trace back to might seem, the likelihood is it relates to something, or someone, who is important to you in some way, be that positive or negative. Hence why it’s stored away in your subconscious, coming out to play when your brain lets its guard down.
As marathon training is a large part of my life right now, it stands to reason that it will be appearing in dreams. The twist might be that I run the marathon with a friend it occurred to me the other day I’d not seen for a while, or maybe a character in a book I’m reading. The latter would give me a choice of either
Winney the Pooh or
David Bumble Lloyd from the past week. Perhaps, combining Pooh Bear, Bumble and my football team of choice, I might dream I’m on a training run being chased by a swarm of bees. Incidentally, the obsessive dream analyst would at this point, go off on one about trying to run away from the pressures of everyday life. “That dream means you need to get away from it all, need to make significant changes to your life”, or some other such rubbish.
All this, in a round about way, leads into this week’s song choice – don’t mention roundabouts or I’ll dream about
Zebedee tonight, or Milton Keynes!
‘Runnin’ Down A Dream’ is taken from ‘Full Moon Fever’, Tom Petty’s first solo album (minus the Heartbreakers).
Released in 1989, the track was sandwiched by two of Petty’s best known singles, ‘I Won’t Back Down’ and ‘Free Fallin’.
The song has been used to promote a number of sports in the US, most notably as the theme song for the
NBA (National Basketball Association) finals.
Song 5:
Tom Petty ‘Runnin’ Down A Dream’
It’s one of the signs that something is beginning to take over your life when you start to dream about it.
Some people take analysing dreams very seriously. I expect if you thought about it you know at least one person that obsesses about the meaning of what went on in their head whilst asleep a little too much.
I’m no psychologist, nor am I a dreamologist (or whatever they’d be called), but I’ve always thought dreams were a mish mash of random recent thoughts, conversations and experiences you’d had. If you deconstruct the last dream you can remember, I expect you could trace each part to something from the past few days. The closest I get to the analytical is to say, no matter how small the thing you trace back to might seem, the likelihood is it relates to something, or someone, who is important to you in some way, be that positive or negative. Hence why it’s stored away in your subconscious, coming out to play when your brain lets its guard down.
As marathon training is a large part of my life right now, it stands to reason that it will be appearing in dreams. The twist might be that I run the marathon with a friend it occurred to me the other day I’d not seen for a while, or maybe a character in a book I’m reading. The latter would give me a choice of either
Winney the Pooh or
David Bumble Lloyd from the past week. Perhaps, combining Pooh Bear, Bumble and my football team of choice, I might dream I’m on a training run being chased by a swarm of bees. Incidentally, the obsessive dream analyst would at this point, go off on one about trying to run away from the pressures of everyday life. “That dream means you need to get away from it all, need to make significant changes to your life”, or some other such rubbish.
All this, in a round about way, leads into this week’s song choice – don’t mention roundabouts or I’ll dream about
Zebedee tonight, or Milton Keynes!
‘Runnin’ Down A Dream’ is taken from ‘Full Moon Fever’, Tom Petty’s first solo album (minus the Heartbreakers).
Released in 1989, the track was sandwiched by two of Petty’s best known singles, ‘I Won’t Back Down’ and ‘Free Fallin’.
The song has been used to promote a number of sports in the US, most notably as the theme song for the
NBA (National Basketball Association) finals.
Friday, 21 January 2011
Running Music: Canned Heat 'Let's Work Together'
So far:
The Clash ‘London Calling’
Arcade Fire ‘Keep the Car Running’
Iron Maiden ‘The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner’
And next:
Canned Heat ‘Let's Work Together’
They played the
Brian Ferry version of this song before the teams came out at Griffin Park on Monday night, ahead of the
Johnston’s Paint Trophy Southern Area Final first leg between Brentford and Exeter – I know that’s a mouthful but a potential trip to Wembley is a potential trip to Wembley, no matter what you call it.
Having blogged about guide running being all about teamwork last week, this seemed the perfect song to put on the list.
Plus, I did actually have it in my head while doing a lap of Richmond Park last night.
Written by Wilbert Harrison and originally titled ‘Let’s Stick Together’, the Canned Heat cover appeared on the 1970 album ‘Future Blues’. The song became their biggest UK success, reaching number 2 on its release in January 1970.
The Clash ‘London Calling’
Arcade Fire ‘Keep the Car Running’
Iron Maiden ‘The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner’
And next:
Canned Heat ‘Let's Work Together’
They played the
Brian Ferry version of this song before the teams came out at Griffin Park on Monday night, ahead of the
Johnston’s Paint Trophy Southern Area Final first leg between Brentford and Exeter – I know that’s a mouthful but a potential trip to Wembley is a potential trip to Wembley, no matter what you call it.
Having blogged about guide running being all about teamwork last week, this seemed the perfect song to put on the list.
Plus, I did actually have it in my head while doing a lap of Richmond Park last night.
Written by Wilbert Harrison and originally titled ‘Let’s Stick Together’, the Canned Heat cover appeared on the 1970 album ‘Future Blues’. The song became their biggest UK success, reaching number 2 on its release in January 1970.
Saturday, 15 January 2011
Running Blind
As well as often being asked how I run, people are intrigued to know what it feels like to run when you can’t see where you’re going.
For those that haven’t followed earlier posts, my lack of sight means I have light and dark perception only, therefore I have no option but to run with a guide. I’m 31, and have been blind for over half my life, so I’m very comfortable facing challenges people might consider tricky without the ability to see what you’re doing.
I am attached to my running buddy by way of a sweatband bandanna, knotted in the middle to form two loops. I hold one, the guide the other, leaving us enough room to run as freely as possible, whilst allowing the guide to retain control for obstacle avoidance purposes.
A guide running partnership is all about teamwork, relying on confidence, communication, understanding, anticipation and practise. Like a sprint relay team, tennis or badminton doubles pair or defensive unit in football, when you don’t have these, you’re chance of success becomes much harder.
Above all though, trust is absolutely crucial if the blind runner is going to perform to the best of their ability, and that’s on both sides. The runner has to have one hundred percent confidence that the guide is going to do everything they can to ensure accidents are avoided. The guide has to be confident that they have the runner’s trust and that the runner will respond to instructions quickly, as well as trust in themselves to make the crucial calls at the right time, not being overly protective whilst not taking unnecessary risks. Both have to understand that a problem may occur, work hard to prevent this from happening or minimise their impact, but, when something doesn’t go to plan, it must not be allowed to have a negative effect on the bigger picture. A jockey will come off their horse, a cyclist will crash, a footballer will miss an open goal, a cricketer will drop a catch they should hold, the strong minded doesn’t let it affect them. If you run and you can’t see where you’re going, it’s inevitable something will go wrong at some point: that’s sport, live with it!
Anticipation becomes more of a factor the faster you run. I spent twelve years concentrating on track sprinting, with the 100 metres my most successful distance. Regardless of your level of sight, reaction times are vital, how fast you come out of the blocks can be the difference between winning and losing. I was always among the fastest starters in groups I would train with, beating people to the 30 metre mark even though they’d run the 100 metres in 11 seconds, whilst my personal best was 12.5. When I would run 200 metre races people standing at the finish line would sometimes be concerned I had false started as to them, I would move between seeing the smoke and hearing the gun: I managed to master the art of going on the B of bang. With this in mind, I am able to run fast, safe in the knowledge that I will respond, even if a warning is late.
When writing about Tadworth Ten recently, I made reference to the challenging ground conditions. This race was a perfect example of where the runner/guide relationship working well results in a strong performance. There were stretches of off road with many a bump in the ground where a sighted person could break an ankle if they weren’t concentrating. Where we ran on road, it was mostly down hill, and pretty steep. Jim, my guide on that occasion would later comment that my running was either courageous or foolhardy. Truth be told, it was probably a bit of both, but I’m only ever going to try something like that if I have faith that the person I’m attached to can take action if needed. In the case of Tadworth, had I been running with a lesser guide, or someone I wasn’t used to, my time would have been significantly slower.
How much information I like to be given does depend on the situation. There’s the minimum, curbs, tree roots, people and so on, but in a race situation I may ask the guide to tell me things which might help when fatigue becomes an issue.
“There are ten people ahead and I believe we can catch them,” they might say. This is a judgement I’m unable to make but is exactly the sort of thing which I would use to drive me on. There remains a sprinter hiding inside me and my competitiveness means I get a kick out of the knowledge I’m picking people off.
Sometimes, no matter the amount of information I’m given, not being able to focus on a target, or look at what’s around me, can be a challenge. The moment when fighting fatigue is when this becomes an issue. As the body and brain gets tired, thoughts lurking in my subconscious take over, think of it as like daydreaming in boring meetings, or thoughts keeping you awake at night. Often this takes the form of songs going round and round my head; frustratingly they’re usually ones I hate. I hope by writing about ones I like which I’m associating with running, or the London Marathon, might mean the likes of
Fall Out Boy and
The Script can be replaced with some decent stuff at my mental hour of need.
It’s said boxers go to some dark places in the mind when pushing themselves to the limit and beyond. I’m no psychologist, but I do know that if I feel I’m not running well, this thought can easily get tangled up with any other negative ones which might be lerking in my subconscious. Of course this can happen to anyone, and dealing with this is all part of toughing it out, a challenge I’d like to think I rise to. A word from the guide about how they think I’m running, a comment about who is around us or an update on mile splits and the brain is focused on the job again.
Whether being able to admire the scenery would make a difference to this mind wandering I can’t say, I’m sure were I watching out for obstacles this concentration would keep me occupied. Alternatively I’d be brought back to reality with a bump by running into a tree. All together now:
“George George George of the jungle, strong as he can be!”
(Photo taken by Nigel Rothwell of The Stragglers)
Friday, 7 January 2011
Running Music: Arcade Fire/Foo Fighters 'Keep the Car Running'
I know picking a song called ‘Keep the Car Running’ suggests I’m planning on taking a sneaky turn down a side street and blagging a lift on the big day. I have, ahem, only chosen this song because it has the word ‘run’ in its title, and because it’s ace of course, honest.
Music has the power to influence even the most extreme mood changes. How often do we hear of people turning to certain songs when in an hour of emotional need?
Although we can lose ourselves in books, TV, film, theatre or art, forgetting the outside world or by way of escapism from issues that are dominating our thoughts, music has the ability to worm its way into our lives where other, less portable artforms can’t.
How many times have you heard someone say “this song reminds me of”, before launching into the anecdote which they always remember when they hear said piece of music.
Songs connect with people, provoking special memories, inspiring through lyrics, lifting the mood or,
as already blogged, helping to motivate.
I say all this as the next song on my list is one of those, memory tracks which, on one occasion, did wonderful things for the mood as well.
Between 2001 and 2009 I attended over twenty music festivals, from massive events like
Leeds and
Reading, to smaller, more relaxed alternative such as
Guilfest.
Inevitably some are better than others, who’s playing, how the event is organised, the weather and people you're with all having a major impact on how good your weekend is. What turned out to be my last ever visit to the
V Festival was easily my least enjoyable.
I was already losing interest in V, their choice of artists was drifting more and more towards mainstream pop. 2007 still had enough going for it, with Foo Fighters, Manic Street Preachers, Primal Scream, Basement Jaxx and Emma Pollock holding their own amongst Pink, Kanye West, Lemar, The Kooks and Mika.
It turned out to be easily the coldest festival I’d been to; I don’t think we experienced anything warmer than 15 degrees all weekend. It rained, a lot, meaning our tent flooded, so I was bored, wet, cold, grumpy and ready to get the hell out!
Then the Foo Fighters played their cover of Arcade Fire’s ‘Keep the Car Running’ during their headline set. A brilliant song covered in style and suddenly things weren’t so bad after all.
So, I present to you, live performances of both versions, the original by
Arcade Fire which is an absolute belter, and
the Foo Fighters cover.
I never did go back to V, but that experience was just a blip as I have since had fantastic weekends at both Leeds and Guilfest.
(Photo is of a classic American car taken in Cuba. It just happened to be the best car picture I have, I'm not showing off, honest!)
Sunday, 2 January 2011
Running Music: The Clash 'London Calling'
I don’t like the idea of running to music.
It can be very frustrating in races when you’re trying to get past someone and they can’t hear you’re coming because they’ve got headphones in. Plus, I always think you miss out on the atmosphere of the day, there’s people standing in the cold encouraging you and you can’t hear them because you’re listening to something else.
I also think it’s counter productive for your own performance. It’s very easy to be lead by the beat of the music you’re listening to, and therefore run at a tempo which isn’t suitable.
Listening to music in the gym is different. Unless you’re creative and include hills and sprints when setting up, running on a treadmill is desperately dull. Also, most gyms play music and I can guarantee it’ll be shit, therefore taking your own helps your sanity.
The one time I made a gym playlist it featured Pearl Jam, the Pixies, Flaming Lips, Green Day, Feeder, Depeche Mode, Arctic Monkeys and Goldfrapp, infinitely better than the tuneless, thumpy dance music my leisure centre of choice was offering: blimey what a grumpy old man I sound!
Using music to motivate, calm nerves, take your mind off what you’re about to do or just because of some daft superstition is fine in my book. I remember, during my brief flirtation with acting, before each night of one production, I wouldn’t leave the house until I’d listened to what were my favourite two songs at the time,
Sheryl Crow ‘Change’ and the wonderful
‘Outdoor Type’ by the Lemonheads. If you’re about to do something which will make you nervous or where relaxation is vital, including a short bit of music time during your preparation means you’re more likely to be in control of your emotions when it comes to the big moment, whatever that might be.
Although I don’t run to music, I often get songs stuck in my head. Usually when I’m tired, and I can pretty much guarantee it’ll be a song I don’t like.
With this in mind, and because I thought it would make for an interesting addition to this blog, I’ve come up with a twenty song, London Marathon playlist.
When I first thought about doing this I had planned to post one song per week, but there’s less than twenty weeks to go until London so that won’t work. You’ll get one per week, until the last week when I may have to post one per day, or something.
Most of the songs I’ve picked have ‘run’ in the title, with a few exceptions, not least, the rather obvious first choice.
The Clash ‘London Calling’
Taken from the album of the same name, released in the year I was born (1979), this song has become something of a London signature tune, despite its lyrics not entirely reflecting the Capital in a great light.
Concerns over social violence and the risk that if the Thames might burst its banks then Central London would flood are prominent, as is reference to world events such as the Three Mile Island nuclear accident earlier that year.
The video shows the band performing the song on a boat, on a rainy winter night, very appropriate for marathon runners.
The song has been critically acclaimed as the band’s finest moment, obviously these statements are their to be argued. We can be certain of hearing it a lot during the 2012 Olympics, and it’s as good a way as any of starting this part of my marathon blog.
It can be very frustrating in races when you’re trying to get past someone and they can’t hear you’re coming because they’ve got headphones in. Plus, I always think you miss out on the atmosphere of the day, there’s people standing in the cold encouraging you and you can’t hear them because you’re listening to something else.
I also think it’s counter productive for your own performance. It’s very easy to be lead by the beat of the music you’re listening to, and therefore run at a tempo which isn’t suitable.
Listening to music in the gym is different. Unless you’re creative and include hills and sprints when setting up, running on a treadmill is desperately dull. Also, most gyms play music and I can guarantee it’ll be shit, therefore taking your own helps your sanity.
The one time I made a gym playlist it featured Pearl Jam, the Pixies, Flaming Lips, Green Day, Feeder, Depeche Mode, Arctic Monkeys and Goldfrapp, infinitely better than the tuneless, thumpy dance music my leisure centre of choice was offering: blimey what a grumpy old man I sound!
Using music to motivate, calm nerves, take your mind off what you’re about to do or just because of some daft superstition is fine in my book. I remember, during my brief flirtation with acting, before each night of one production, I wouldn’t leave the house until I’d listened to what were my favourite two songs at the time,
Sheryl Crow ‘Change’ and the wonderful
‘Outdoor Type’ by the Lemonheads. If you’re about to do something which will make you nervous or where relaxation is vital, including a short bit of music time during your preparation means you’re more likely to be in control of your emotions when it comes to the big moment, whatever that might be.
Although I don’t run to music, I often get songs stuck in my head. Usually when I’m tired, and I can pretty much guarantee it’ll be a song I don’t like.
With this in mind, and because I thought it would make for an interesting addition to this blog, I’ve come up with a twenty song, London Marathon playlist.
When I first thought about doing this I had planned to post one song per week, but there’s less than twenty weeks to go until London so that won’t work. You’ll get one per week, until the last week when I may have to post one per day, or something.
Most of the songs I’ve picked have ‘run’ in the title, with a few exceptions, not least, the rather obvious first choice.
The Clash ‘London Calling’
Taken from the album of the same name, released in the year I was born (1979), this song has become something of a London signature tune, despite its lyrics not entirely reflecting the Capital in a great light.
Concerns over social violence and the risk that if the Thames might burst its banks then Central London would flood are prominent, as is reference to world events such as the Three Mile Island nuclear accident earlier that year.
The video shows the band performing the song on a boat, on a rainy winter night, very appropriate for marathon runners.
The song has been critically acclaimed as the band’s finest moment, obviously these statements are their to be argued. We can be certain of hearing it a lot during the 2012 Olympics, and it’s as good a way as any of starting this part of my marathon blog.
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