Welcome to a playlist of music that is nice to walk to! I
have been trying to come up with different ways of categorizing music, and this
stood out because it depends more on whether the song emphasizes the downbeats
and the tempo than anything else. So take these songs for a spin!
1. “Send Me On My Way” by Rusted Root
This is a classic walking song to me, and you can see why.
The lyrics themselves are about heading out on your own and moving on, so it is
logical that the musicians would have a strong beat that is roughly the speed
of someone walking. It sure does send you on your way!
2. “Black Man in a White World” by Michael Kiwanuka
This song emphasizes the downbeat as well, but for different
reasons. “Black Man in a White World” has plenty of clapping in it as well,
echoing early slave music and African chants. It emphasizes the cultural
similarities within music by stripping it down to the bones and establishing
the bare minimum. With this orchestration, it could be seen as a spiritual or
as a pop song. But you cannot remove that connotation with African spirituals
completely from it. It perfectly portrays the cultural balance that the artist
feels.
3. “Another One Bites the Dust” by Queen
Dang this bass line is good. Somehow it manages to capture
the slow rhythm of another one biting the dust while still infusing you with
energy to dance.
4. “Girl” by Jukebox the Ghost
A little heavier now, here the intense downbeats remind me
of how walking is a simple repetitive motion that continually makes progress.
Every step takes you to a new place, but the process is the same time and time
again. It’s the same with this singer and love, he is going through falling in
love all over again, just with a new person.
5. “Water Fountain” by TuNe-yArDs
Similar to “Black Man in a White World” this song contains
plenty of clapping to keep the beat. It has a bit of a DIY charm to it as a
result, making it seem as though people are really singing about how a public
water fountain ran out of water.
6. “Rebel Rebel” by David Bowie
This is classic Bowie and it’s still so good! It always goes
at a more moderate tempo than I expect, but that does make it great to walk to.
It also helps because no matter where you are going, you feel at least a little
bit like a rebel.
7. “Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth” by Meatloaf
Again, a classic song by a classic group. It’s very
repetitive as well, so makes for good singing and following along as you walk.
Which I feel like is very important half the time, you want a song you can
follow and know rather well as you journey onwards.
8. “Anna” by Will Butler
Butler is a member of the band Arcade Fire who has done some
solo stuff more recently. Arguably this is his greatest hit, with a catchy
chorus and very rhythmic, driving beat. Which makes it great to walk to.
Sections of this are also very intense, adding to your determination if you’re
walking along to it. Again, it is pretty repetitive with that same theme
running throughout the song. I think it’s great.
9. “This is Your Life” by The Killers
Had to be a Killers song on here somewhere, I feel like so
many of their songs fit the bill with regards to being driven, with a moderate
tempo, and catchy. But this one I think is the best because while it is still
intense, it isn’t overwhelming. It still gets you to your destination without
sidetracking you.
10. “Make Me Feel” by Janelle Monae
The gay icon of 2018, Janelle Monae! I think she could do
anything honestly. This song is ideal to walk to and therefore rounds out the
playlist because it checks off everything on the list, and is so emblematic of
the past year. It has a great beat, makes you want to move, has an easy melody,
and will certainly get you to a better place on your arrival.
That’s it for this month, check out next month when we’ll be
covering STUDYING MUSIC.
No comments:
Post a Comment