Motivational Stereo Speakers

a.k.a. Songs that I would work out to if I was still going to gym…ok, I will…I swear…I’ll get back by the end of the month!

This month’s list came pretty quickly to me. These are songs that always give me that energy boost or pump-up whenever they pop up in the shuffle on my iPod. Think of them as aural Red Bull. Drink it in! It’ll give you wings…but not the Paul McCartney kind as there aren’t any Macca songs this month…

HBO FEATURE PRESENTATION THEME by Ferdinand Jay Smith
This one carries some nostalgia as I watched HBO in the early 80s quite a bit growing up. Seeing the camera zoom through the town and into the sky to reveal that ultra-cool giant HBO logo was mesmerizing as a kid…especially when accompanied by this theme song. It’s a shame that it’s a thing of the past as this brief but powerful track almost always signaled that something big or cool was about to begin. I actually used to do a version of this singing the letters “H..B…Ohhhh…oh-whoaaa…HBO! HBO!” to kick off the comedy/music act I’d do at campus coffeehouse. Uncle Sam and his brother can attest to this…I highly recommend playing this before popping in a movie in your player on DVD nights.

CAN YOU FEEL IT by The Jacksons
I was shocked to find out this song didn’t even crack the Top 50 on the Billboard charts as it’s one of THE best Jacksons songs. During the last year of the game show I did for Harvard TV, I’d have the sound booth people play this as a warm-up song to get the audience pumped up. The unforgettable bass line matched with the over-the-top orchestral backing make for one of the most deliciously overblown examples of dance pomp and circumstance in music history. Oh, and how could one forget the ridiculous video that had the Jacksons as titan-like gods sprinkling their glittery disco dust over the people of a nondescript town? Highly recommended for making a grand entrance before any presentation…

GOTTA GET UP by Harry Nilsson
I first heard this song when I found my mom’s 45 of “Without You.” I was quite familiar with Nilsson’s definitive cover of “Without You,” but not with the B-side…this song from the “Nilsson Schmilsson” album. From the first several piano chords, I was hooked. It showed me that Nilsson was more than just a great singer…he was quite a songwriter as well. The insistent piano chords coupled with Nilsson’s punchy vocals of “Gotta get up, gotta get out, gotta get home before the morning comes…” give the song a relentless drive. Add to that some nifty brass accents arranged by Richard Perry and Paul Buckmaster and you’ve got quite a rollicking tune. Highly recommended for waking up to and doing the daily rituals of showering and brushing one’s teeth…

MR. BLUE SKY by Electric Light Orchestra
One of my favorite ELO songs…another great song to get the day started. This stepchild of the McCartney section of “Day in the Life” has been used in countless ads and movies. It’s also one of the definitive ELO songs…a mix of vocoder goodness, layered choruses, operatics, and chugging strings. Annoying and unnecessary to some, but to me, pure brilliance. A wonderful vehicle to tell the world, “So what if I’ve gone through crap…it’s a fresh day and it’s a fresh start!” Ok, maybe not…but if I was the jogging type, I’d highly recommend this for starting off a daily run…

DON’T STOP ME NOW by Queen
One of my favorites to do at karaoke…This song is tight and shows off the Queen sound about as well as “Bohemian Rhapsody.” It kicks off with a slow ballady intro featuring just Freddie Mercury and a little dash of piano and bass that breaks out into a party rocker that ranks as one Queen’s best. Sure the lyrics don’t really mean a hell of a lot (”200 degrees, that’s why they call me Mr. Farenheit?!?”), but I highly recommend this song for running around the room and jumping on the bed while singing the hell out it. C’mon try it…this song is PERFECT for it.

LOVE TODAY by Mika
The most recent track in my playlist this month. It’s from one of Uncle Sam’s favorite artists! Mika’s vocals are a little out-of-control on this track as his voice reaches ball-pinching heights that would make even Jake Shears turn and cough. The lyrics are a little dippy (”Everybody’s gonna love today…love today…love, love me…love, love me…”), but doesn’t everybody need some love today, love today? It’s quite the showstopper at his concerts as the drum solo at the end gets extended a bit as Mika partakes in the thumping and beating (often sans his shirt…whoo!). Highly recommended for starting a Pied Piper-esque parade down your street with the local kids to bring love and happiness to your neighborhood…balloons optional, but they wouldn’t hurt.

YOUR DISCO NEEDS YOU by Kylie Minogue
A campy collaboration with Robbie Williams and Guy Chambers that never really made it way over here in the States. It’s a shame that it didn’t, because it essentially answers the question…What if Olivia Newton-John teamed up with a steroid-pumped version of The Village People? The usual disco supsects are here…Swirling strings, thumping dance beats, driving bass, and some synth drum flourishes. Oh, and Kylie shows off her French skills too. Extremely recommended if you’re about to start up a gay battalion…if not, it’s just as effective if you’re just getting ready to go out with your friends to do some clubbing.

Download: “HBO Feature Presentation Theme” by Ferdinand Jay Smith (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Can You Feel It” by The Jacksons (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Gotta Get Up” by Harry Nilsson (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Love Today” by Mika (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Your Disco Needs You” by Kylie Minogue (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)