Workout Playlist Song #7: The Dean's List "La Vie (The Life)"

The Dean's List "La Vie (The Life)"

If you've been paying attention to the extra songs at the end of each of this month's posts, you may have noticed The Dean's List pop up a few times. It's a group that was recommended to me by a friend way back in high school. "The Drive In" mixtape was one that I considered "hot fire" back in those days, and would still argue for the same description today. This mixtape was available on Datpiff, but I don't see it available there anymore. This rap group that was based out of Boston put out some great beats with solid flows to go with it. "La Vie" follows that pattern, and creates something that's easy to workout to if you need something to get yourself going. I highly recommend it to you if you can find it (maybe on Spotify or iTunes) as well as many other songs off this mixtape.

Lyrics to "La Vie (The Life)"

End of Workout

I See Stars "Ten Thousand Feet"

Transition

Desiigner "Panda"

Cooldown

Wolfgang Gartner ft. Jim Jones & Cam'ron "Circus Freaks"

Workout Playlist Song #6: Deadmau5 ft. Rob Swire "Ghosts 'N Stuff"

Deadmau5 ft. Rob Swire "Ghosts 'N Stuff"

EDM is the focus today, as longtime DJ Deadmau5 is in the spotlight. Sometimes you just need some solid beats to help you get through a workout, and this particular song can provide that for you. Mix in some easy vocals that you can sing along to, and you've got an excellent workout song. There are no deep meanings or particularly motivating lyrics that can relate to pushing yourself. This has the feel of a song that's perfect to pop up right in the middle of your set to keep you going. I have personally loved this song for over 6 years, and it doesn't get old. If you're looking for something to keep you upbeat, then try adding this Deadmau5 classic to your playlist.

Lyrics to "Ghosts 'N Stuff"

End of Workout

Martin Solveig "Intoxicated"

Transition

The Dean's List ft. Oncue "All Systems Go"

Cooldown

Tiesto & Oliver Heldens ft. Natalie La Rose "The Right Song" 

Workout Playlist Song #5: Disclosure ft. Lorde "Magnets"

Disclosure ft. Lorde "Magnets"

I've chosen today's song for the pure fact that it's come up on my shuffle for just about every workout over the last two weeks. I'm not sure what kind of message my iPod is trying to send me by this, but I won't complain because it's a pretty great song. It's certainly not the most upbeat song in the world for a workout playlist, but something about its rhythm is what really appeals to me. You can kind of zone out in the flow of the beat, which can be good for workouts if you find yourself focusing too much on how much time is left or how many reps are left. Of course, I also really enjoy Lorde's voice, and this collaboration is as solid as it can get. If you like lower key workout songs, than this one just may be for you.

Lyrics to "Magnets"

End of Workout

Karen Harding "Say Something" (Zac Samuels Remix)

Transition

DNCE "Cake By The Ocean"

Cooldown

Major Lazer ft. Nyla and Fuse ODG "Light It Up" 

Workout Playlist Song #4: Bastille "Power"

Bastille "Power"

Certainly this song is pretty much written about a toxic relationship between two people. It tells the tale of someone holding power over someone else for some time, though the narrator eventually realizes that it's time to break free of this control. I love the message behind this song, and use it as a great motivational workout song. In the case of pushing yourself during your session, the "enemy" is the pain or soreness you feel when you are exercising. There are many instances when you try to tell yourself that you've done enough, that you can cut your workout short. That's when you have to decided that you're not going to let that "power" hold you anymore. My favorite lyric in this song goes "Pain, just synapses firing." If you can remember that, then you can remind yourself that you have the ability to overcome your own doubts. You can hold the "Power."

Lyrics to "Power"

End of Workout

Dean's List "Dear Professor"

Transition

Phantogram "You Don't Get Me High Anymore"

Cooldown

Alive Like Me "Better Off"

Workout Playlist Song #3: Felix Jaehn ft. ALMA "Bonfire"

Felix Jaehn ft. ALMA "Bonfire"

Today's song is a great one out there if you've ever had anyone doubt you. It doesn't even have to be doubt about your ability to exercise or workout, but in life in general. "Bonfire" by Felix Jaehn and ALMA is quite literally a song about using those doubts as fuel to your fire. Most people don't need to be told or suggested to use doubters as a motivational tool. It comes natural that you want to prove somebody wrong on something you feel confident in yourself about. The song depicts the bonfire as being the narrator, and whatever anyone says or does is only "fuel" to that fire. Throw in some classic EDM beats, and you've created a perfect, upbeat workout song. "Live off the gasoline" of what motivates you, and perhaps consider adding "Bonfire" to your workout playlist.

Lyrics to "Bonfire"

I've decided to continue to have fun with this month's theme. So, here are the three ending songs to my workout today: 

End of Workout

Glass Animals "Youth"

Transition (End of Workout to Cooldown)

Grayson Chance "Afterlife" (Frank Pole Remix)

Cooldown

Bryson Tiller "Exchange"

Workout Playlist Song #2: Thousand Foot Krutch "Fire It Up"

THOUSAND FOOT KRUTCH "FIRE IT UP"

Canadian Christian Rock band Thousand Foot Krutch has been another one of my favorite bands for awhile now. I actually discovered this song on EA Sports' NHL '10 (that should give you an idea of how long I've liked this song), which led me to the discovery of the band itself. If you'd really like to feel old,  Thousand Foot Krutch has been making music since 1995, so only two years less than I've been alive! "Fire It Up" is one those songs that can really get your blood pumping from start to finish. For me, the intro sets the mood, and then the guitars really kick in and make you want to jam out. Somebody needs to fire it up according to the chorus, and in the sense of working out, you're trying to fire yourself up. It's not the easiest thing in the world to motivate yourself sometimes, so having a song that's setting the mood for your workout session can be a big help. So, if you need a little extra motivation, let Thousand Foot Krutch fire you up for your next workout!

Lyrics to "Fire It Up"

Workout Playlist Song 1: Imagine Dragons "Tiptoe"

IMAGINE DRAGONS "TIPTOE"

Hey y'all! Obviously, this blog got neglected over the last few months. I had a lot of changes going on: a new job which meant moving to a new state. I now feel settled in from all these changes, and am ready to get back to posting about great music!

I have recommitted myself to focusing on my personal health by getting back into the gym and losing weight. In honor of this, I have decided to dedicate this upcoming month to songs off of my workout playlist! I know that everyone has their own way of getting themselves hyped up to workout, music included. However, I hope that you may find one or two of my songs good enough to add to your sessions!

Imagine Dragons is a band that I first discovered (as I'm sure everyone did) by their first hit single "Radioactive" (which is also on my playlist). I'm a proud owner of the Night Visions album, and that allowed me to find what I consider to be a hidden gem: "Tiptoe". It follows right after "Radioactive" on the album, and, in my opinion, fits perfectly into the track listing there. This was one of the many songs that I played on repeat, which is why it probably found its way onto my workout playlist. According to the Genius description, "Tiptoe" is supposed to be a song about the narrator scoring a "victory over something momentous, despite not being recognized by others." I think this is a great description if you really analyze the lyrics. The narrator is "tiptoeing higher", sneaking past the competition. There's also multiple mentions of flying off the radar. The part of the song that really gets me going is the bridge, when he repeats "nobody else can take me higher." It's great motivation while pushing yourself that nobody else is going to get you to your workout goals, whatever they may be. You have to be the one to get yourself there. Maybe you'll decide "Tiptoe" will help motivate you to tiptoe past your exercise goals.

Lyrics to "Tiptoe"

Movie Soundtrack Feature: "Nuthin' But A 'G' Thang"

Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg "Nuthin' But A 'G' Thang"

Straight Outta Compton is a biographical film about the rap group N.W.A. The film was produced with help from the original members Dr. Dre and Ice Cube, as well as the widow of Eazy-E. It also inspired Dr. Dre's third album which came in at #2 on the Billboard 200 a week before the release of the film. The soundtrack was comprised mostly of songs from the group itself, as well as songs by members of the group after they had gone solo. It peaked at #39 on the Billboard 200 chart, and topped the Billboard charts for soundtracks, R&B/Hip Hop Albums and Rap Albums. Today's song was off of Dr. Dre's first solo album, released in 1992. It was the most successful track off the album, as it peaked at #2 on the Hot 100, while also reaching the top spots of both the R&B/Hip Hop and Rap songs charts. It also finished the year end chart for 1993 at #11. N.W.A. produced some great early hip hop both as a group and as individual artists. Hopefully you'll take some time to enjoy today's selection as well as explore some of the rest of the great music they gave us. 

If you want to learn more about the soundtrack as well as view the track listing, click here

Lyrics to "Nuthin' But A 'G' Thang" 

Movie Soundtrack Feature: "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites"

Skrillex "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites"

I had actually forgotten about this song until I was doing some research for today's post. The song is featured on the movie Spring Breakers, which tells the tale of college girls who go on spring break and end up getting involved with a drug ring. It actually has a fairly star studded cast, featuring James Franco, Vanessa Hudgens and Selena Gomez. Even more surprising is that the film, while it may come across as being another sex filled party film, has received a decent amount of acclaim. The soundtrack, while not necessarily garnering any awards, has a few major hits. One of those is today's selection, while the other one is "Lights" by Ellie Goulding. Skrillex was chosen to be one of the producers for the soundtrack, which in turn led the soundtrack down an EDM infused road. "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" was one of the more popular EDM songs of its time, and won the Grammy for Best Dance Recording in 2013. It was one of the big songs in my opinion that led us into today's modern EDM that we hear on the radio. I hope you'll take some time to listen to it today.

If you want to learn more about the soundtrack as well as view the track listing, click here

Lyrics to "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites"

Movie Soundtrack Feature: "Ghostbusters"

Ray Parker Jr. "Ghostbusters"

Here is yet another iconic movie from the 1980s (and remade in 2016). Ghostbusters is the hilariously funny movie about a team who cleans up the streets from the supernatural in New York City. There are few scenes that stand out more than the giant marshmallow terrorizing everyone at the climax of the film. The soundtrack was carried by the theme song that can be difficult to get out of your head once you start singing it. We have the song to thank for two phrases that stick: "Who you gonna call? Ghostbusters!" as well as "I ain't afraid of no ghost!" It peaked at #1 on the Billboard charts and stayed there for three weeks, while also garnering an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song. According to Bruce A. Austin, the song can be "purportedly credited with bringing in an extra $20 million for the film." The music video for the song was also a number one hit on MTV. It finished 1984 as the #9 song of the year, and appeared on both digital charts and ringtone charts when those became popular in the mid 2000s. I hope today's selection doesn't get stuck in your head too long!

If you want to learn more about the soundtrack as well as view the track listing, click here

Lyrics to "Ghostbusters"

Movie Soundtrack Feature: "Eye of the Tiger"

Survivor "Eye of the Tiger"

Another icon film series is Rocky. Everyone knows the story of Sylvester Stallone playing the famed fictional boxer, always facing some new adversity with each movie. While Rocky III was not the most successful film in the series, it did provide us with a few iconic items, including today's song selection.  The soundtrack to the film reached #15 on the Billboard 200. "Eye of the Tiger" was the main featured song on the soundtrack, and was the theme song for the third installment of this series. It was nominated for Best Original Song at the Academy Awards. As far as charts are concerned, it reached the top spot of the Billboard 100, as well as #1 in 8 other countries. It finished on the year end chart in the U.S. at #2. It still appears on various international and digital charts today, proving that its popularity has not dwindled all that much. One other side note about the movie in general is that his was the Rocky film that gave us the statue that resides in front of the Philadelphia Art Museum. I hope you'll enjoy today's selection.

If you want to learn more about the soundtrack as well as view the track listing, click here

Lyrics to "Eye of the Tiger"

Movie Soundtrack Feature: "All Star"

Smash Mouth "All Star"

My childhood was not complete without the classic animated film Shrek. Who can forget everyone's surprisingly loveable ogre and his donkey friend as they go on a quest to save a princess for the king, only to find out she turns into an ogre at night. It went on to win Academy Awards and be etched as the beginning of one of the best animated film series in my opinion. The soundtrack was nominated for a Grammy for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, and featured a few fairly well known songs, including Smash Mouth's hit "All Star." Smash Mouth also recorded "I'm A Believer," a song originally performed by Neil Diamond. It peaked at #28 on the Billboard 200, and reached #2 on Billboard's soundtrack chart. While "All Star" was released 2 years before the film and had most of its chart success during that time, it is just as often remembered as a pairing to Shrek. Some would even describe it as a kind of theme song for the main character himself. I would like to think most of you enjoyed the film as much as I did, and will take some time to be an "All Star" today. 

If you want to learn more about the soundtrack as well as view the track listing, click here

Lyrics to "All Star"

Movie Soundtrack Feature: "Moon River"

Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer "Moon River"

We're rewinding the clocks almost 60 years with this post today. Breakfast at Tiffany's is a classic romantic comedy that features Audrey Hepburn in what most consider her greatest role of all time. It won 2 Academy Awards, and remains iconic throughout cultural history. The soundtrack was successful in its own right, winning Henry Mancini Best Original Score at the 1962 Academy Awards. While the soundtrack only peaked at #27 on the early version of the Billboard Top 200, it remained on that chart for almost two years. All of the tracks on the soundtrack are original compositions by Henry Mancini. "Moon River" was the smash hit off of this soundtrack. That's amazing considering it almost didn't make the cut of the film. After a pre-screening, an executive from Paramount Pictures called the song dead weight, and wanted to cut it. It was saved by Hepburn herself, and "only" went on to win Best Original Song at the Academy Awards as well as winning Song of the Year at the 1962 Grammys. With it being the early age of Billboard charts, there is no surefire way to know exactly where the song was in terms of charts, but most people state that they believe it reached #1. While I understand I may be throwing it back to the prime music days for your grandparents, both Breakfast at Tiffany's and "Moon River" have survived this long for their cultural significance of the times. I encourage you to appreciate today's post for just that.

If you want to learn more about the soundtrack as well as view the track listing, click here

Lyrics to "Moon River"

Movie Soundtrack Feature: "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing"

Aerosmith "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing"

There seems to be few things the filmmakers in Hollywood love more than to imagine all the potential doomsday scenarios out there. Whether they're realistic or unrealistic, they never miss a chance to destroy the earth in all sorts of ways. Armageddon is one of those movies. It was directed by Michael Bay, who has a reputation of producing blockbuster films with lots of action. While it is not the most scientifically accurate film in terms of a catastrophe like this, it was still the highest grossing film of 1998. The soundtrack featured a few well known bands, including today's selection. "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" was written by Aerosmith specifically for this film. It reached the top of both the American and Canadian album charts during 1998. Aerosmith was selected to record this song after Steven Tyler's daughter, Liv, was selected as a cast member for the film. It was Aerosmith's first #1 hit, and remained atop the charts for four weeks. Hopefully you don't miss a thing today with this post.

If you want to learn more about the soundtrack as well as view the track listing, click here

Lyrics to "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" 

Movie Soundtrack Feature: "Let It Go"

Idina Menzel "Let It Go"

Whether you liked or disliked Disney's Frozen, there is no disputing the success of the soundtrack, with the song "Let It Go" leading the charge. The album came in at #18 in its first week on the Billboard 200, and a few weeks later it became just the fourth animated soundtrack in film history to reach #1. Subsequently, it became the first animated film to stay at #1 for more than one week since Lion King, and ultimately spent 13 non-consecutive weeks at #1 on the charts. It ended 2014 as the best selling soundtrack of the year, becoming the 6th soundtrack and the second Disney album (Mary Poppins) to achieve that feat. To compile onto all those chart numbers, it also won two Grammy awards, one of which went to "Let It Go." The song peaked at #5 on the Billboard 100, and was the first song from an animated film to reach the top 10 since "Colors of the Wind" from Pocahontas. It ended the year as the 9th best selling single of 2014. It's obvious that both the film and the soundtrack were largely successful, and that this is another Disney classic that will live on for generations. Hopefully you aren't stuck asking winter to "Let It Go" with the latest snowstorm bracing the Northeast halfway through the month of April.


If you want to learn more about the soundtrack as well as view the track listing, click here


Lyrics to "Let It Go"

Movie Soundtrack Feature: "Fortunate Son"

MOVIE SOUNDTRACK FEATURE: "FORTUNATE SON"

Creedence Clearwater Revival "Fortunate Son"

I am confident to say that most of you have probably seen or at least heard of the movie Forrest Gump. It's one of my favorite films, and it's regarded as a classic by most in the cinema industry. The soundtrack is one that does a great job of choosing songs that go along with the times or events featured in the movie. It reached #2 on the Billboard 200, and ended at 88 on the Billboard 200 chart of the decade. There seems to be something about soundtracks that primarily use old songs that bring out a bit of nostalgia. I feel like it allows people to rediscover their love for songs they had forgotten about. We've seen this with the Guardians of the Galaxy series, and Forrest Gump is similar. "Fortunate Son" specifically is the poster child protest song of the Vietnam War Era. It is in the National Recording Registry in the Library of Congress as being historically and culturally relevant. Today's post is a perfect combination of a classic movie with a classic song.


If you want to learn more about the soundtrack as well as view the track listing, click here


Lyrics to "Fortunate Son"

Movie Soundtrack Feature: "Jai Ho"

MOVIE SOUNDTRACK FEATURE: "JAI HO"

Sukhwinder  Singh, Tanvi Shah, Mahalaxmi Iyer & Vijay Prakash "Jai Ho"

Slumdog Millionaire was a successful movie about a boy who appears on India's version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire, and is accused of cheating. It won multiple Academy Awards as well as the award for Best Picture at the Oscars. The soundtrack was equally successful, grabbing the Golden Globe for Best Original Score, two Academy Awards and two Grammy awards. One of those Grammys was for today's song selection as Best Song Written for Visual Media. A.R. Rahman, who composed the original score for the film, said he was trying "to mix modern India with old India" for the soundtrack. As a result of his score, the soundtrack peaked at #4 on the Billboard 200. The lyrics to "Jai Ho" are a mix of Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi. I hope you'll enjoy an award winning song from an award winning movie.


If you want to learn more about the soundtrack as well as view the track listing, click here


Lyrics to "Jai Ho"

Movie Soundtrack Feature: "Young Folks"

MOVIE SOUNDTRACK FEATURE: "YOUNG FOLKS"

Peter Bjorn and John "Young Folks"

This song comes from a personal favorite movie of mine, 21. It's a movie about the card game blackjack. More specifically, it is based on the true story of the blackjack team from MIT. Incredibly intelligent students who were great at math were brought together by a professor to learn how to count cards and create a system to sweep through any casino in Vegas. The soundtrack, while not dazzling in terms of awards that previous ones had, falls in line with what you would expect from a movie based on a college experience. There are plenty of more alternative and indie songs that I would argue are actually fairly well known. "Young Folks" falls into that category, and it's got a very catchy beat. It was moderately successful on alternative charts across the world, being more popular in Europe. This is probably based on the fact that the group is originally from Sweden. Even though nothing is flashy about the success of anything related to today's pick, I certainly hope you'll enjoy it.


If you want to learn more about the movie as well as view the track listing, click here


Lyrics to "Young Folks"

Movie Soundtrack Feature: "Disco Inferno"

MOVIE SOUNDTRACK FEATURE: "DISCO INFERNO"

The Trammps "Disco Inferno"

If you love disco, than you've probably seen the film Saturday Night Fever. The 1977 hit movie was all about the disco era, and the soundtrack is no different. There are plenty of famous disco hits, including "Stayin Alive," "Night Fever," "Boogie Shoes," and today's selection. It is the best selling soundtrack of all time, with current numbers at 45 million copies sold. It stayed at #1 on Billboard's charts for 24 consecutive weeks in 1978, and remained on that same chart for 120 weeks into 1980. It is also apart of the National Recording Registry in the Library of Congress for its cultural significance. The album produced 6 Grammy awards, including album of the year in 1979. To put the icing on the cake, the album produced 7 separate #1's on the Pop Singles Chart. Ironically enough, "Disco Inferno" was not one of those singles, although it is just as widely recognized as any of the others. Disco music was the birth of dance music, and it is still a groovy way to shake out stress. It's no wonder this soundtrack was so successful, and hopefully you'll find some joy with it today.


If you want to learn more about the soundtrack as well as view the track listing, click here


Lyrics to "Disco Inferno"

Movie Soundtrack Feature: "My Heart Will Go On"

MOVIE SOUNDTRACK FEATURE: "MY HEART WILL GO ON"

Celine Dion "My Heart Will Go On"

Before this song started to become popular to use for memes and dubs over sports moments, "My Heart Will Go On" was the most recognized song from the blockbuster Titanic. The soundtrack to the movie is widely successful, as it is one of the highest selling soundtracks of all time and the highest selling primarily orchestral soundtrack ever. It spent 16 straight weeks at #1 on the Billboard 200, and is the last album to spend at least ten consecutive weeks at #1. On top of that, it was #1 on the charts of 14 other countries as well. It finished #5 on the top albums of the decade (1990-1999), and currently ranks at #163 on the Billboard 200 of all time albums. The song itself is just as popular, and is considered Celine Dion's signature hit of her entire career. It was #1 across the world, and was listed on Songs of the Century by the Recording Industry Association of America. It is currently the second best selling single of all time by a female artist, and the 8th best overall. I could go on and on about the major success of both the soundtrack and the single, but I think you all get the point. Enjoy a classic song from a classic movie.


If you want to learn more about the soundtrack as well as view the track listing, click here


Lyrics to "My Heart Will Go On"