Category Archives: music

The Eye of The Tiger

Posted on by annieem

A colleague and I have been giggling for weeks over this song.  It came up during a faculty meeting, oddly, and he and I were the only other folks who remembered the Survivor tune created specifically for Rocky III: it seems our other co-workers were either not into popular culture 28 years ago, or under the influence, so to speak, and thus missed the fabulous early 80s.

Since that meeting, my colleague and I have heard this song regularly–almost weekly–on a variety of tv shows, the radio, at his kids’ concert. We call each other up every time we hear it and have a giggle over it.   It’s quite discombobulating.

But, tomorrow is the half marathon I’ve been training for, and that song is going to be on my Ipod’s playlist.  It’s the perfect running song.  So think of me running in my  running skirt, bopping along the 13.1 miles and singing:

It’s the eye of the tiger, it’s the cream of the fight
Risin’ up to the challenge of our rival
And the last known survivor stalks his prey in the night
And he’s watchin’ us all in the eye of the tiger

Oh, if you missed this song, here ya go:

Who Knew?

Posted on by annieem

As is my annual tradition, I enter the living room during the Super Bowl only during strategic moments: when hubby calls me to watch a funny commercial,  when the half time show begins, and during the last few moments of a close game.

So, this year’s middle aging half time show was performed by The Who, a band that I listened to regularly, if not attentatively, during parties and “other” memorable gatherings with friends.  At first, I feared Roger Daltry was a bit short of breadth, and I just couldn’t get over how much he looked like an accountant, all dressed up to go to the disco and order a Mai Tai.  Townsend looked a little more like a gracefully aging-perhaps still stoner-rock star, but I did notice that he wasn’t always in tune with a few lyrics.

Yet, I thoroughly enjoyed the show, the spectacle, of it all.  How could I not enjoy a concert that was especially meant to tug on my emotional memories, and those of “my generation”–(a song played at least during one commercial so far) ?

Afterward the way too brief half time show, I went to the web to investigate this band I hadn’t thought about in eons, but their official website was so clogged with traffic, I had to make due with Wikipedia.  Then I went to Itunes to download a few songs (the 2010 Annie Em is constantly on the look out for running music, and hey, The Who, who knew?), and the Itunes store, too, was overloaded with folks like me. Their Greatest Hits album is already highlighted as a best seller…

I guess I’m not the only person who is buying music rather than watching The Game (hubby is rooting for the Saints, so that woo-hoo I just heard might be good news for those who like the underdogs?).

Running Music Suggestions?

Posted on by annieem

Recently in More magazine (geared to women over 40—I read it at the gym), there was an article on those women over 40 who are athletic and muscular, including Holly Hunter, Madonna and, oddly, Sarah Jessica Parker (who seems too thin to be “muscular” in my book, but, whatever).  It seems that women over 40 who follow strict diets and workout routines have more pronounced muscles for various hormonal/aging reasons.  Thus Guy Ritchie’s now infamous criticism of his ex.

That is so NOT me.

But I do run—a lot–albeit not so fast (I also eat and drink a lot, to, you know, mitigate the too-muscular affect). And since I do run 40+ miles most weeks, I need a lot of music. 

So, my plea to you all this week is: can you recommend any running music for my Ipod? Below is a sample of the sort of music I like. Let’s just say my tastes run to pop/rock, but I’m open to new sounds.

Rock Lobster: B52s

Stay the Night: Chicago

You Know I’m No Good: Amy Winehouse

Cell Block Tango: Bebe Neuwirth and Co

Funky Ceili: Black 47

Philadelphia Freedom: Elton John

My Confession: Curtis Salgado

Late in the Evening: Simon and Garfunkel

I Want You to Leave: Pink

Drunk Daddy: Cherry Poppin’ Daddy

And When I Die: Laura Nyro

I Wanna Be Sedated/Ramones

Paradise By the Dashboard Light: Meatloaf

Hey Ya: Orleans

Essence: Lucinda Williams

Running on Empty: Jackson Browne

All I Wanna Do: Sheryl Crow

Jackson: Johnny Cash and June Carter

These are the Days: 10000 Maniacs