There is one theme, one word that can summarize all of my workout music: Trashy (yes, with a capitol T). 

The genres are diverse and the mood changes, but it all needs to be pretty darn trashy. Like, I’d like my mother to blush if she knew that I was listening to such lyrics.

I have a sneaky suspicion that not one of you is actually surprised.

I suspect that it has something to do with the fact that I’m such a sweaty mess while working out. Clearly any time you’re a sweaty mess, trashy music is the way to go. If the song’s appropriate than it’s just not going to do it for me.

SIDE NOTE: My favorite band in the history of ever is The Swell Season, so I’m not 100% all about the dirty music.

Why hello me before I started losing weight with Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. Yeah, we’re BFFs now. (Note: cell phone cameras suck at night)

I have a spreadsheet containing every single one of my “favorite” workout songs but that list is roughly 568 songs long. I won’t drag you through the whole thing. Here are some highlights, though.

Song: Dangerous by Kardinal Offishall, featuring Akon and Sean Paul.

Why I love it: I have to start with an obvious one. How could I not love this song? I discovered it when I started going to clubs and then fell in love with it one night when it was on the radio and I heard the phrase, “No, no, no disrespect.” I thought “how kind of them” and it immediately became one of my favorite songs. Considering how running always makes me feel like such a badass, it seems only natural that I would love this song. I wanted to be that dangerous woman.

Why it would make my mom blush: There isn’t a line in this song that doesn’t meet this criteria but the one that takes the cake is “I want her to make my black snake moan.” I mean, that line even makes me blush.

Exercise it’s best for: Running.

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Song: Don’t Tell Mama from Cabaret, sung by Sally Bowles.

Why I love it: The pure mischievousness of this song makes me smile and feel slightly giddy. I used to sing this song to my mom just to annoy her.

Why it would make my mom blush: Sally basically says that her whole family knows that she’s performing in a sleazy club but implores the audience to keep the secret from her mother. My mom would be appalled less at the performing in the sleazy club than the idea of it being kept from her.

Exercise it’s best for: Body weight strength training.

* * * * *

Song: You Spin Me Round by Dead or Alive.

Why I love it: The beat, the catchy lyrics, the “you look like you’re lots of fun;” how could I not love it? Plus as a child, one of my criteria for dresses and skirts was that they had to spin properly.

Why it would make my mom blush: Let’s face it, this may be a ridiculously fun song but the sleaze factor is pretty darn high. “Open up your loving arms right now, here I come” might be one of the worst pick up lines ever recorded in recent music history (If you like opera, you’ll know why I say recent).

Exercise it’s best for: This song works for pretty much anything.

* * * * *

Song: Beautiful, Dirty, Rich by Lady Gaga.

Why I love it: I don’t think there’s anything about this song that I don’t love to pieces. Words cannot do it justice. The line that really got me, though, when I first heard the song was “Daddy I’m so sorry, I’m so s-s-sorry, yeah. We just like to party, like to p-p-party yeah.” I don’t know, I just thought it was adorable. Plus I really like the idea of being beautiful and dirty rich.

Why it would make my mom blush: This song probably actually wouldn’t. The fact that it doesn’t meet this criterion and yet I still love it really says something about how amazing it is.

Exercise it’s best for: Anything dance-y, running, or anything high energy.
* * * * *

Song: E Amore Un Ladroncello from Cosi Fan Tutte by Mozart, sung by Dorabella.

Why I love it: Dorabella uses this song to totally justify to her sister why she’s more or less abandoning her fiancé who is supposedly off to war for an Albanian who just happened to show up right when her fiancé left. The song is both repugnant and adorable. It’s also pretty much the stupid shit I’ve been doing for the last few months and it makes me feel better to know that even Mozart would allow such a girl a happy ending after she learns her lesson.

Why it would make my mom blush: My mom likes to think that women are smarter and wiser than this. Listening to the straight-up justification of a girl’s bad behavior would make her shake her head more than blush but she would not like it either way.

Exercise it’s best for: A Fast walk or slow jog, elliptical, bicycle

* * * * *

Song: Paralyzer by Finger Eleven

Why I love it: The line “If your body matches what your eyes can do…” makes me want to have a body that can do what my eyes can. This song is like a straight-up narcissistic affirmation for me (emphasis on the narcissism). I know that I have amazing eyes and I want to have a body that matches. I also love the hardcore-ish-ness of this song. I’ve been known to rock out to some serious “WTF are they yelling?” songs in the past and this song feels like a light version of that.

Why it would make my mom blush: The song is really all about a guy trying to get a girl to go back to his place with him because she apparently has amazing eyes. He’s super awkward. My mom would probably be embarrassed for him and his lack of game.

Exercise it’s best for: running, kickboxing

* * * * *

Song: Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen

Why I love it: I feel like the awesomeness of this song requires no explanation. It’s Queen for one thing, and OMG how can anyone not love this song??? Plus this song is totally equal opportunity. Dude wants to make a you supersonic whether you’re a man or a woman.

Why it would make my mom blush: This is one of those songs that people listen to without realizing how dirty it really is. My mom doesn’t really listen to the words of a lot of the songs she listens to and in this case it’s a good thing. “I am a sex machine ready to reload, like an atom bomb about to Oh oh oh oh oh explode.” Gosh, I WONDER what that means…

Exercise it’s best for: It’s the absolute best running song for the middle sluff of your run but I’m going to approve this for any exercise you’re doing. It’s that awesome.

* * * * *

Songs that should have made the cut but I’ve talked about before and didn’t want to be redundant: Poker Face by Lady Gaga, Dynamite by Taio Cruz, Sexy Bitch by David Guetta and Akon, Club Can’t Handle Me by Flo Rida (absolute best end of run song, like when you feel like you’re about to die), Let Me Blow Ya Mind by Eve, Paper Planes by MIA, and so many more.

Your turn! What are your favorite workout songs and why? Holla back at me!!

By the way, I lovingly ripped this format from Laura’s Outfit of the Week feature. Go visit her, she’s pretty darn awesome.

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Katie Metzler February 8, 2011, 6:17 pm

I like the opera thrown in there! I throw in some traditional Irish step music on my running mix and I figure that might be unusual. But it's a good quick beat! My all time favorite music to run to are mash-ups because the songs continuously change and I don't get bored. Current obsession (and it is free!): http://www.milkmanmusic.net/fr_intro.cfm

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Katie Metzler February 8, 2011, 6:17 pm

I like the opera thrown in there! I throw in some traditional Irish step music on my running mix and I figure that might be unusual. But it's a good quick beat! My all time favorite music to run to are mash-ups because the songs continuously change and I don't get bored. Current obsession (and it is free!): http://www.milkmanmusic.net/fr_intro.cfm

Reply
michelle February 9, 2011, 10:03 pm

oh i love a good workout mix 🙂 i strut, even on the treadmill, so i need something with a good beat. like sean paul or xzibit. elliptical workouts (if i ever started doing them again) require high energy and fast paces. system of a down, the exies and the darkness 😀

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michelle February 9, 2011, 10:03 pm

oh i love a good workout mix 🙂 i strut, even on the treadmill, so i need something with a good beat. like sean paul or xzibit. elliptical workouts (if i ever started doing them again) require high energy and fast paces. system of a down, the exies and the darkness 😀

Reply
Mandi September 10, 2011, 5:40 pm

I know this post is *ancient*, but I just discovered your blog and realized I do something similar to this. May I suggest Ke$ha, if you have not already discovered her? And that old Panic! at the Disco song “Lying is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off” – lyric: “I’ve got more wit a better kiss a hotter touch a better fuck than any boy you’ll ever meet, sweetie you have me” and “let’s get these teen hearts beating faster, faster”? And a neat tie-in from Gym Class Heroes “Clothes Off!” – lyric: we have to take our clothes off to have a good time”.

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Mandi September 10, 2011, 5:40 pm

I know this post is *ancient*, but I just discovered your blog and realized I do something similar to this. May I suggest Ke$ha, if you have not already discovered her? And that old Panic! at the Disco song “Lying is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off” – lyric: “I’ve got more wit a better kiss a hotter touch a better fuck than any boy you’ll ever meet, sweetie you have me” and “let’s get these teen hearts beating faster, faster”? And a neat tie-in from Gym Class Heroes “Clothes Off!” – lyric: we have to take our clothes off to have a good time”.

Reply