a playlist for hustla's

My driving record is not very exemplary... actually, its kinda bad.  In the last three or four years, I've had no problems, but prior, there have been a few tickets here and there.

Maybe it was this post's content's fault.  Today, on The Facebooky Thing, I got a challenge to list my favorite "Hustle Songs"... meaning, what songs pump me up and get me moving? 

Well, when I'm writing or Pixie-deep in Magical planning and training, I seldom listen to anything, or might have some random music playing, but its more of a distraction... but when I'm working out, or running, or both (and yes, I'm starting to do this)... or when I'm in The Cabana, getting my de-clutter on in the garage or the back junk bedroom, I do have a list of music that I stinkin' love... fast paced, loud music that makes me drive fast and work hard. 

(Disclaimer... I am by no means telling you to buy these songs.  I like them, some for the songs themselves, some for the purposes of this entire post... so please do not download a hip hop song and then be offended when Luda tells you he wants to give you a hicky.)

So, here are 21 of my favorite Drive Fast Ger 'Er Done tunes...

"Bombs Over Baghdad" by OutKast... 1... 2.. 1 2 3 yeah... I love OutKast, I think Andre3000 is fantastic, and I love the Big Boi line "Have you evah seen a pimp rocka micrah-fone..."  I also love the fact his name is Big Boi... Avril Lavigne tried to use "Boi" in a title (Sk8tr Boi) and it failed miserably.  You have to be ubercool to pull off Boi, and few of us can. From the album "Stankonia"

"Heavy" by Collective Soul... I like the split audio at the beginning, so when it comes on, I hear it first in my left ear, then my right, then my left, then my right... Not a great song, but nice and loud and kinda cool.  From the album "Seven Year Itch: Greatest Hits"

"La Grange" by ZZ Top... Made famous in many movies, most notably the training scene in "Armageddon", its just cool... great guitar, great tune.  Sure, the lyrics are strange, but are fun to imitate anyway.  From the 1973 album "Tres Hombres"

"Calling Baton Rouge" by Garth Brooks... From the album "In Pieces", its a remake of the classic Oak Ridge Boys song... and only my favorite country song, ever.  I know its a remake, but its loud, and I have to sing it as such... "OOOOOOOPERATOR WON'T YOU GET ME ON THROUGH GOTTA SEND MY LOVE DOWN TO BATON ROUGE HURRY UP WON'T YOU PUT HER ON THE LINE GOTTA TALK TO MY BABY ONE MORE TIME...

WHOA OH OH... SWEET BATON ROUGE...

(in fact, I'm going to listen to it right stinkin' now)

"Miss You Much" by Janet Jackson... from one of my top 20 albums of all time, "Rhythm Nation 1814", this is a funky beat of love, missing someone and awesome.  Just as an aside, "Love Will Never Do (without you)" is by far my favorite Janet Jackson song, and I can run to it too... but it wouldn't really qualify for an open list such as this one. 



"Slide" by The Goo Goo Dolls... I looked at these lyrics not too long ago... think song might be a little more innuendous that I thought.  I don't care, its still one of the most fun songs I've ever heard... From one of my Top 50 albums all time, "Dizzy Up the Girl"

"Crazy On You" by Heart... Oh, that Ann and Nancy Wilson.  This, along with "Barricuda" and "Magic Man" make up my Heart 70s Trifecta, and "Crazy on You" is the one that gets the slight nod... so good.  From their 1976 debut album, "Dreamboat Annie"  (incidentally, this song was actually their first single ever)

"Sin Wagon" by The Dixie Chicks... Yes.  Yes.  Yes.  Absolutely yes.  Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition, give me more of that 12oz nutrition.. though, I mean, I don't know what she's talking about.  Mattress dancing?  Must be bed seizures.  Yeah, that's it.  Also, the banjo pickin in this absolutely rules.  From one of my Top 10 Albums of All time, "Fly"

The cover of the cassette single that kept me hearing--and singing--this
song for a decade or more.  And I still don't really know all the lyrics,
or at least all the right lyrics.  I kinda make 'em up.

"Real Love" by Mary J. Blige...  Probably not as loud and fast paced as the other songs on this list, but I carry a special affection for it from high school... bought the cassette single, learned every word and would walk the halls of Samson High School singing it.  The folk of the not my color would always laugh at me.  And then join in.  What can I say, I'm diverse.  From the 1992 album, "Whats the 411?"

"When I Looked At Him" by Expose. Not a workout song. Not a drive fast song. Just the song that's on my iPod at this second, and I'm quietly singing along. Just worth mentioning.  From the 1989 album "What You Don't Know"

"Some Kind of Zombie" by Audio Adrenaline... When then-lead singer's family did missions in Haiti when he was younger, they experienced the voodoo doctors that you often hear about in that area of the world.  He said they would make these potions in an attempt to make the dead move, becoming slaves to their masters, zombies.  And this song makes that comparison to our Walk... becoming slaves, zombies for Christ, ready to do His will upon command, without even thinking about it.  And this song is loud and strong and cool.  From the album of the same name.

"Stand Up" by Ludacris... if you choose to download this song, please, please, PAH-LEEZE go for the edited version.  Do NOT get the album version.  Edited.  I beg of you.  You know what, forget this one, and let's move on.  From the hilariously titled album "Chicken-n-Beer"

"You Belong With Me" by Taylor Swift... Driving to my house in the middle of the night I'm the one who makes you laugh when you know you about to cry I know your favorite songs and you tell me about your dreams I think I know where you belong I think oh its with me...



If you want to know the truth, this video depicts EXACTLY how The Lovely Steph Leann and I got together. 

Hey.
Don't judge.
I frickin' love this song, her "Fearless" album and this video.

"Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley... Everyone likes this song.  Why wouldn't you?  Cee Lo Green at his best, with Danger Mouse (who decides thats a good name?  And yet, it works!!)... the album, "St Elsewhere" isn't all that great, but this song is amazing.

"Yeah!" by Usher, feat (Lil' Jon with Ludacris)... This one of those songs (YEA-AH) that will be around forever (OH-KAAAY), due not only to its (WHAT!?) infections (WHAT!?) groove from the very beginning, its (OH-KAAY) got catchy lyrics, even if all you can sing is YEA-AH.   Its also good to go into the gym and say, "Watch out my outfit's ridiculous in the gym looking so conspicuous..."  From his album "Confessions"

"Two Tickets to Paradise" by Eddie Money... A little softer (but not by much) but a 70s classic and sa staple in my Top 50 Most Played on my iPod... and its easy to learn and sing along to, which is important when you are running and focusing.  From the 1977 album "Eddie Money"

"Shakedown" by Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band... There's a more than good chance that most of you will have never even heard of this song.  From the Beverly Hills Cop II soundtrack, its one of Bob Seger's last big hits, and its a doozy... its catchy, its fast, its full of electric guitar and 80s synth sound and yes, you will want to drive fast. 

"Fergalicious" by Fergie... Hey, we said we weren't going to judge, remember?  I mean, its not like I own her dumb CD, right, especially not the enhanced version with videos and extra tracks?  (whistles, looks away)

"A World Away" by Avalon... No, that's not a typo. From one of my Top 30 albums of all time, "A Maze of Grace", CCM group Avalon and their song about where we were in Christ, and where we are now... I love love love this song, because it speaks to me.  And for whatever reason, I love this song on my iPod when I'm on the move.  Like, I'm listening to it right now, and its awesome.  And it also helps make up for...



"Right Round" by Flo Rida... Though I've never actually heard anything else from his album "R.O.O.T.S.", (which I just found out stands for "route of overcoming the struggle... I wonder how long they spent on that acronym), I really dig this song.. mostly because he discusses "My Perelli's on hold", which is a pretty big endorsement to the high priced tire company, and then later he talks about his quantity of $100 bills, aka, "Ben-ja-min Frank-ah-lins".  That makes me happy.  If I get rich, I'm going to go into church, with a stack of $100 and make it rain, singing about my "Ben-ja-min Frank-ah-lins".  I had a Ben-ja-min Frank-ah-lin once.  I miss it.  Where were we?

At what point do I start really considering that one day, Campbell Isaiah will read some of this, possibly take my recommendations and load up Flo Rida on his own iPhonepodtouch 7.0 thing?  Hmm... let's not ask such uncomfortable questions right now, okay? Good.

"Basic Instructions" by Burlap to Cashmere... I almost finished this post, and realized I had not mentioned this tune... holy jeebers this song is great.  Make sure, though, you get the live version from the EP "Live at the Bitter End".  The album version is okay, but the live version is where.its.at... so musically talented, these guys were.  Are.  Am.  Right?  Right!

"Everything Zen" by Bush... Perhaps my favorite drive-fast song of all time.  Starts out strong, continues and finishes even stronger, with reference to Elvis, sex, violence, sex in your violence (and the fact there is none) and "my (expletive deleted) brother."  d$ digs it.  From the album "Sixteen Stone"

 Quick honorable mentions... I've said this before online, but it's worth repeating--two movie themes that I think are awesome include "Gonna Fly Now (Rocky's theme)" from Rocky, and "The Gael", which is the ending song from "The Last of the Mohicans".  Also, "Duel of the Fates" by John Williams, from "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace", but you really want the version with the dialogue. That makes it cool. 

So there ya go.  There is a  whole host of songs I could have put on this list, most notably "Learn to Fly" by The Foo Fighters, which was on this list but came off at the very last minute to make it a nice, even list of 21, and I certainly am not going to mention Big Punisher (ft Fat Joe) and their song "Don't Wanna Be a Playa"

What do you think?  What are some of your drive fast, getcha moving songs? 

(15,101 words written in #500Word Challenge... 4899 to go in #20KWordsinJanuary)