The P Speaks: Ruminations on the Running Mix

The iPod was already a wonderful thing, and then Nike made it just a wee bit better with the Nike+iPod device* that tracks your mileage, tells you your speed, and lets you crank out music that may actually motivate you to run faster/farther. This brings us to the topic du jour: the all-important running playlist.

I have two critical theories about running playlists:

1) songs can’t lollygag – they have to start with some rhythm within the first 5 seconds AND
2) you have to have a lot of songs in the queue just in case what pops up isn’t motivating you forward. That’s what the fast forward button is all about.

Of course, it’s all subjective to cadence and personal taste, and my taste tends towards the older and the funkier, with a dash of hip-hop for good measure. With that preamble out of the way, here are some of my favorites from my running mixes.

Getting in the Groove

A Guy Called Gerald – Voodoo Ray
Archie Bell + the Drells – Tighten Up
Arctic Monkeys – Almost anything from Whatever People Say I Am…, including Red Light Indicates Doors Are Secured, Fake Tales of San Francisco, You Probably Couldn’t See For the Lights…
Average White Band – Pick Up the Pieces
Bonzo Dog Doodah Band – Humanoid Boogie
Charles Leonard – Funky Driver on a Funky Bus

Disco Tex + His Sex-O-Lettes – Get Dancin’
Earth Wind & Fire – Shining Star
Electric Six – Dance Commander
Elvis Presley – A Little Less Conversation (JXL Radio Edit Remix)
James Luther “Jim” Dickinson – O How She Dances
Jimmy Smith – Stay Loose (Lyrics Born Remix)

Jungle Brothers – Feelin’ Alright
Kool Moe Dee – I Go to Work (Bad Boy Bill Vocal Mix)
Labelle – Lady Marmalade
LCD Soundsystem – Losing My Edge and Daft Punk is Playing at My House (the 45:33 thing he did specifically for Nike/iTunes doesn’t do it for me)
Lee Dorsey – Everything I do Gohn be Funky (from Now On)
L.T.D. – (Every Time I Turn Around) Back in Love Again

Lyn Collins – You Can’t Love Me if You Don’t Respect Me
Lyrics Born – Callin’ Out
Manu Chao – tons of material works for a fast-paced mix – try Welcome to Tijuana or Que Paso, Que Paso, or The Monkey
Marah – The Catfisherman
Maroons – Lester Hayes
M/A/R/R/S - Pump Up The Volume
Propellerheads – Take California (this song goes on and on – great in the middle of a set when you might be thinking of cutting your workout a little short…)

Ramsey Lewis – Do What You Wanna (Mr. Scruff’s Soul Party Mix)
Rufus + Chaka Khan – Tell Me Something Good
Sly + the Family Stone – Dance to the Music
Sugar Pie Desanto - Git Back
The Coup – lots to chose from, but Wear Clean Draws and ShoYoAss are winners
The O’Jays – For the Love of Money

Thievery Corporation – Who Needs Forever?
Tony Joe White – Polk Salad Annie
Tower of Power – What is Hip?
Willie Bobo – Fried Neckbones and Some Home Fries (Dan the Automator Mix)
Young MC – Bust a Move
Zeph & Azeem – That Type of Music

*Despite the hype, you don’t need Nike shoes to make this gadget work – just invest a couple bucks in one of these or any type of key wallet/shoe pouch.

Tags: funky playlist, Nike+, running mix, running playlist