Gotta Run Now!

June 15, 2011 5:13 AM

What's the name of that song that you play on your running playlist that makes you push yourself further? You know the one - you're jogging at a decent, steady pace and then it comes on and mentally you go "Oh, YES!" and suddenly everything seems to get a lot more awesome and you are running full pelt with a huge grin on your face.

I'm going to try take the plunge and start up running again and since I can't afford a gym membership I'll be running on the streets (yo!) and I need something musically that's got get up and go. I'm talking Maynard Ferguson levels of oomph that makes me want to take those Museum of Art steps two at a time and really push through the barriers.

Genre-wise I care not what it is, so long as it conjures up that feeling. To give you an idea of some tracks I have already picked out, the aforementioned Maynard Ferguson's "Gotta Fly Now" and Pendulum's "Watercolour" have both got that musical energy build-up that starts off relatively calmly but grows until it needs release in the form of a burst of physical energy that lets me push myself beyond my comfort zone.

I hope that all makes some sort of sense and TIA folks.

posted by longbaugh to grab bag (104 answers total)

Smack my Bitch Up-Prodigy
posted by hal_c_on at 5:15 AM on June 15, 2011 [3 favorites]

Dog Days are Over - Florence & the Machine

I know it's a little cheesy but it always works for me.
posted by Ziggy500 at 5:16 AM on June 15, 2011 [5 favorites]

Janelle Monae--"Faster"
posted by indognito at 5:22 AM on June 15, 2011 [2 favorites]

Search and Destroy - The Stooges

Can't get better than that, I don't think.
posted by sully75 at 5:22 AM on June 15, 2011 [5 favorites]

Foo Fighters - The Pretender
posted by EndsOfInvention at 5:27 AM on June 15, 2011 [3 favorites]

You may not have a background in video games, but Commander Shepherd ALWAYS gets me running. Bonus, it's at a perfect jog pace and involves running.
posted by Phyltre at 5:29 AM on June 15, 2011 [2 favorites]

Kanye West- Stronger, although the tempo might be a little slow, it gets my turtle speed butt going.
posted by ridiculous at 5:32 AM on June 15, 2011 [5 favorites]

Winger - "Seventeen"
Arthur Mafokate - "Yiyo Lendawo"
Patrice Pike - "Beautiful Thing"

Bonus points to anyone who has ever heard of the last two
posted by AMSBoethius at 5:37 AM on June 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

Green Day - Know Your Enemy (Off the Awesome as F**k live album)
posted by Master Gunner at 5:47 AM on June 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

Sonic Reducer by the Lost Boys.
Audacity of Huge by Simian Mobile Disco.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 5:48 AM on June 15, 2011 [2 favorites]

"Africa", by Amadou & Mariam featuring K'naan. It's fast and has a lot of journey/travel/open-road metaphors in the lyrics. Also I want to go to west Africa soon-ish, so every time it comes on I feel motivated to DO SOMETHING. Even if it's just to finish this run, which bears an admittedly slight connection to buying a ticket to Mali.
posted by Sara C. at 5:52 AM on June 15, 2011 [3 favorites]

Previously, if you are so inclined to appreciate rap in its early stage.
posted by ~Sushma~ at 5:53 AM on June 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

Man by Yeah Yeah Yeahs (ignore the weird video)
posted by King Bee at 5:59 AM on June 15, 2011

well, this is embarrassing.
posted by elizardbits at 6:01 AM on June 15, 2011 [9 favorites]

At the end of my run, I have Breathe by Prodigy on my playlist to help push me through that last bit.
posted by Tooty McTootsalot at 6:02 AM on June 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

Foo Fighters' 'Breakout'.
posted by troywestfield at 6:03 AM on June 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

Kanye West- The New Workout Plan
posted by heyheylanagirl at 6:05 AM on June 15, 2011

LCD Soundsystem - Get Innocuous!
Holy F**k - Super Inuit
posted by thisjax at 6:06 AM on June 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

"Such Great Heights" by the Postal Service. The little stereo beep boop boop are like a JATO rocket on my ass.
posted by notsnot at 6:11 AM on June 15, 2011 [2 favorites]

I will analogize to songs that pushes me through on bike rides and when dancing:
Agenda Suicide, the Faint.

Pere Ubu, The Modern Dance.
posted by Frowner at 6:12 AM on June 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

There really is only one answer to it's "got get up and go" and "makes me want to take those Museum of Art steps two at a time":

Eye Of The Tiger

I'm serious, this is the song to give you that extra oomph. I can't help that it's awful 80's kitsch.
posted by qwip at 6:13 AM on June 15, 2011 [5 favorites]

I always try to craft my running playlist so that the very final push will be accompanied by Nas & Olu Dara's Bridging the Gap. Starts slow, great rhythm, inspiring lyrics.
posted by hydatius at 6:21 AM on June 15, 2011 [2 favorites]

Bring it On
posted by contessa at 6:23 AM on June 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

A runner friend swears by Guns N Roses' Paradise City for getting his intensity up.
posted by waterlily at 6:28 AM on June 15, 2011 [2 favorites]

It sounds crazy, but "Take a Chance on Me" by ABBA used to be my "emergency energy" song. Actually, just about any upbeat song by ABBA will do. Those crazy Swedes had boundless energy.
posted by Elly Vortex at 6:37 AM on June 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

Seconding "Stronger."
And... George Michael - Faith
posted by in a dark glassly at 6:37 AM on June 15, 2011 [2 favorites]

Fort Minor - Remember the name
Push Push Lady Lightning - Bang Camaro
posted by bryanzera at 6:38 AM on June 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

Curtis Mayfield's Move On Up, always.
posted by oinopaponton at 6:42 AM on June 15, 2011 [4 favorites]

Empire State of Mind. Helps if you are running in Central Park.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 6:43 AM on June 15, 2011 [2 favorites]

Free Bird. (Honestly.)
posted by thejoshu at 6:44 AM on June 15, 2011

I realize this is totally cheesetastic, but Q-Feel's Dancing in Heaven (Orbital Bebop) is a sweet, sweet 80s hit that always makes me smile and wanna MOVE MOVE MOVE!
posted by Falwless at 6:50 AM on June 15, 2011

Celeshake (Ying Yang Twins + Pittbull + Cool & the Gang)
Shut Up Your Delight (Ting Tings vs. Sugar Hill Gang vs. NERD vs. Chic)

I'm fairly certain my coworkers think I'm a freak when they see how much I smile when I'm out running and these come on.
posted by librarianamy at 6:51 AM on June 15, 2011 [2 favorites]

I came in to suggest Paradise City, too. So good.
posted by MrMoonPie at 6:54 AM on June 15, 2011

Naughty by Nature - OPP
Eminem - Lose Yourself
Tupac - California
Dr. Dre & Snoop Dog - Fuck wit' Dre Day
Biggie Smalls - Hypnotize
posted by callmejay at 6:55 AM on June 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

Radiohead's Bodysnatchers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVDSdDoD4Sg

ELO's Mr. Blue Sky

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjPqsDU0j2I
posted by lpsguy at 6:56 AM on June 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

I'm Shipping Up to Boston - Dropkick Murphys

March of the Pigs - Nine Inch Nails (though that's more of a "RUN GRRARRRGGGHHH MUST GET TO THE SLAUGHTER FIRST TO GET MY SHARE [AND EVERYONE ELSE'S SHARE TOO] OF THE GOODS" than "running with a smile on my face")

Anything from the Run Lola Run soundtrack, particularly Running Two.
posted by Lucinda at 7:05 AM on June 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

Reptilia - The Strokes
I love to run to this. The beat pushes me a notch up from my default pace - not so fast that I'm dying, but fast enough that I have to stretch out my stride and go.
posted by josyphine at 7:15 AM on June 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

i JUST compiled an enormous workout playlist, will come back with the songs from it that work for running when i come back from the gym (ha!) this morning. meanwhile, one that i thought of immediately was a dance remix of new order's blue monday. and there's an instrumental go! team song that sounds a little like frantic traffic that works...when i remember the name i'll come back with it.
posted by ifjuly at 7:16 AM on June 15, 2011

Born Slippy (NUXX) -- it's the one we used to use for our 4.5 minutes of situps and crunches in dance class warmup. 14 years later and I still get the urge to lie down and count to 64 in multiple positions.

that's what she said
posted by Madamina at 7:19 AM on June 15, 2011 [3 favorites]

Ram Jam - Black Betty
posted by Asymptoot at 7:20 AM on June 15, 2011 [2 favorites]

Eminem - Till I Collapse
posted by shannonigans at 7:22 AM on June 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

Keep 'em coming people - it's all good :)

There's a distinct lack of metal type stuff here so far so as further grist for the mill both Obituary's "Circle of the Tyrants" and Senser's "Eject" work well for me as encouragement.

Sometimes a bit of rage against our corporate masters is good for us.
posted by longbaugh at 7:22 AM on June 15, 2011

I know exactly what you mean, but there are actually two types of these songs that people are recommending

1 - The kind that, when you're flagging in your workout, it brings you back up to pace

and

2 - You're coming to the end of your run, but this song comes on and instead of finishing at the marked place you run 'til the song ends.

For me, for type 2, I like 80's Stones (When the Whip Comes Down), and tons of Who songs (Won't Get Fooled Again is classic for a reason).
posted by benito.strauss at 7:24 AM on June 15, 2011

Covenant - Like Tears In Rain
Maserati - Monoliths
The Qemists - Stompbox
The Chemical Brothers - Block Rockin' Beats
posted by palbo at 7:26 AM on June 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

I have a few:

Mohinder - The Static Cult
The Refused - Deadly Rhythm
Blotted Science - Synaptic Plasticity
Cave-In - Moral Eclipse

And of course, Slayer's "Angel of Death."
posted by saladin at 7:31 AM on June 15, 2011

Some metal:

Pantera - I Can't Hide
Slayer - Angel of Death
Fear Factory - Freedom or Fire

(Non-metal bonus, Crystal Castles - Doe Deer)
posted by palbo at 7:35 AM on June 15, 2011

There's a distinct lack of metal type stuff here so far

Andrew W.K. - I Get Wet (metal-adjacent)
posted by psoas at 7:37 AM on June 15, 2011 [2 favorites]

A couple more:

Death From Above 1979 - Pull Out
Death From Above 1979 - Going Steady

If Pull Out doesn't make you want to run like you're infected with rage and then headbutt people to death then i don't know what else i can recommend :P
posted by palbo at 7:39 AM on June 15, 2011

The Ex - State of Shock

It's all about when the guitars hit at the 0:40 mark.
posted by Beardman at 7:55 AM on June 15, 2011

The Rockafeller Skank - Fatboy Slim

It's more that the bpm is perfect for me, about 156.
posted by kitcat at 8:10 AM on June 15, 2011

Hey Ya! Outkast.

Some some reason, "Lend me some sugar, I am your neighbor" just sets me off.
posted by photovox at 8:11 AM on June 15, 2011 [3 favorites]

Knights of Cydonia - Muse
Fickle - Dizzee Rascal
posted by elsietheeel at 8:16 AM on June 15, 2011

B.O.B. - Outkast. Best running song ever.
posted by mynameisluka at 8:19 AM on June 15, 2011 [2 favorites]

Try running to trailer music (that is, the super dramatic music composed specifically for movie trailers). It follows the film trailer format of a gradual build up to a major climax, and, as my husband puts it, "I feel like I'm running to SAVE THE EARTH FROM DESTRUCTION."

Two Steps from Hell and E.S. Posthumus are two major groups.

Heart of Courage
Forces of Destiny
To Glory
Freedom Fighters (aka the "Star Trek" trailer music)
Pompeii
Unstoppable

prolonged use may result in you screaming THIS! IS! SPARTAAAAAA! while running.
posted by castlebravo at 8:21 AM on June 15, 2011 [5 favorites]

This mash up of Katy Perry's "E.T." and B.o.B's "Beast Mode"
posted by dismas at 8:30 AM on June 15, 2011

Anything by Tool gets me going, but my favorite would have to be Rosetta Stoned.

It gets bonus points for being 11+ minutes long, as well. For some reason the YouTube video doesn't have the last minute or so of the song.
posted by elder18 at 8:39 AM on June 15, 2011

Slower than average, but I feel like a list like this is incomplete without Ozomatli's Saturday Night; you would be forgiven for stopping to shake your booty at the break around 2:40.

Bonus Cheese: Gary Go's Wonderful; good for pretending you're in a movie montage, plus, he's running in the video, so there's that.
posted by deliriouscool at 8:48 AM on June 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

For a sprint-like finish: Ministry - Jesus Built My Hotrod
For eight minutes of steady pace rhythm: Ted Nugent - Stranglehold
posted by rocket88 at 9:05 AM on June 15, 2011 [2 favorites]

Girl Talk's "Oh No". I can't link to youtube because I'm on my work lunchbreak, but I love it. It starts with a mashup of Ozzie and the "Move b*tch, get out da way." I sprinted to the finish line in my first 10k to it.
posted by shortyJBot at 9:27 AM on June 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

John Mellencamp's "Authority Song."
posted by dearwassily at 9:45 AM on June 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

"I'll Make a Man out of You" from Mulan.
posted by milestogo at 10:17 AM on June 15, 2011 [2 favorites]

RVIVR's Edge of Living (even mentions running shoes in the second line!)

The Menzingers' I was Born

Neither have huge buildups, but both make me want to run fast.
posted by indeterminacy at 10:26 AM on June 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

Slayer's entire Reign in Blood album had me running like a fiend on fire back when I used to run.

I'd also go with:
Iron Maiden - The Trooper or Wrathchild. Maiden just has that bouncy feel to it that is great for running.
Metallica - Master of Puppets or Ride the Lightning
Motorhead - Overkill
Bolt Thrower - For Victory
Mercyful Fate - Evil
Acid Bath - Locust Spawning
Mastodon - Mother Puncher
At the gates - Slaughter of the Soul (whole album, really)
Absu - Pillars of Mercy
Carcass - Incarnated Solvent Abuse
posted by medeine at 10:30 AM on June 15, 2011 [2 favorites]

DMB - Two Step (particularly live versions), which has the bonus of being great/high energy at the end of a run and also working you through the cool down when it goes into the breakdown.
posted by guster4lovers at 10:35 AM on June 15, 2011

Le Tigre- cover of "I'm so Excited"
MIA - pretty much any song off of Arular
Dolly Parton - "9-5"
The Cars - "Shake it Up"
Modern Lovers - "Roadrunner"
Billy Idol - "Dancing with Myself"
Aretha - "It's raining men"
Sean Paul - "Get Busy"
James Brown - "Get up offa that thing"
Missy - "Work it"
Warren Zevon - "Werewolves of London"
Talking Heads - "Road to Nowhere"
Toto - "Africa"
New Order - "Ceremony"
posted by dottiechang at 10:49 AM on June 15, 2011 [2 favorites]

Badge of Pride by Pennywise
Don't Speak (I Came To Make A Bang) by Eagles of Death Metal
I Love Your Brain by Frank Black and the Catholics
Sea of Madness by Iron Maiden
Go With The Flow by Queens Of The Stone Age
posted by The World Famous at 11:00 AM on June 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

"Baba O'Riley" [Teenage Wasteland] by The Who--awesome build-up.
posted by lovableiago at 11:05 AM on June 15, 2011

Thank you everyone for all your suggestions so far - I'm going to have to spend the night listening a lot of these tracks and will then start tagging best answers. Please feel free to keep going with other tracks in the meantime.

AskMeFi rules. I'll grin extra hard when I remember that you lot helped me out :D
posted by longbaugh at 11:10 AM on June 15, 2011

Show Me by Mint Royale
posted by hapax_legomenon at 11:35 AM on June 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

Foo Fighters - Everlong
Iron Maiden - Wasted Years
Ministry - Jesus Built My Hotrod
Prodigy - Firestarter
Queensryche - Revolution Calling
posted by coolguymichael at 11:38 AM on June 15, 2011

Firestarter - Prodigy
Bring tha Noize - Anthrax+Public Enemy
posted by marylynn at 11:43 AM on June 15, 2011

Cut Copy - "Need You Now"
Placebo - "Running Up that Hill"
Everclear - "Father of Mine"
Led Zeppelin - Black Dog
posted by easy, lucky, free at 12:18 PM on June 15, 2011

Darude - Sandstorm. This makes me run faster, and makes me want to keep running. I sometimes replay this song as many as 5 times in a row while running.
posted by never.was.and.never.will.be. at 12:40 PM on June 15, 2011 [3 favorites]

Rammstein: Feuer Frei and Asche Zu Asche
posted by get off of my cloud at 1:05 PM on June 15, 2011

Slayer's 'Serenity in Murder' makes me do whatever I'm doing faster.
posted by TheRedArmy at 1:43 PM on June 15, 2011

Porcupine Tree - "Arriving Somewhere But Not Here": Four minutes for the antici--PAtion to build, two more minutes to heat up and at 6:20 SPLAMMO! hit it hard until 8:45-ish, when you really need that bit of a breather; use your minute wisely! because it's going to wind back up a bit for the rest of the 12 minutes. My fave Nordic-Track burner.
posted by miss patrish at 2:43 PM on June 15, 2011

Heads Will Roll - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

I can't listen to this song unless the volume is pumped up to ear-bleeding, crazed-dancing, leaping-around-the-room levels. For 3 minutes I am an invincible, off-key-singing freak.
posted by Terheyden at 2:45 PM on June 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

Ruler, by Marnie Stern.
posted by AndNeverWell at 3:26 PM on June 15, 2011

Semi-Charmed Life, by Third Eye Blind
posted by trialex at 3:35 PM on June 15, 2011

Fresh and Onlys - Waterfall
The pace is perfect (on the elliptical) for those moments when I feel myself dragging.
posted by Maude_the_destroyer at 3:38 PM on June 15, 2011

kids by mgmt
posted by OlivesAndTurkishCoffee at 3:45 PM on June 15, 2011

Get in the Ring by Guns n Roses. Always gets me pumped and in a good mood.

"You wanna antagonize me? Antagonize me motherfucker! Get in the ring motherfucker! And I'll kick your bitchy little ass! Punk."

ha, gotta love it (well I do)
posted by evening at 4:46 PM on June 15, 2011

Young the Giant - "My Body
The Strokes - "12:51"
Beck - "Hell Yes"
Neon Trees "1983"
Phoenix - "Lisztomania"
Jay Z "99 Problems"
White Stripes "Icky Thump"
posted by Nickel Pickle at 7:01 PM on June 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

How has no-one mentioned Blur - Song 2 ?
posted by lalochezia at 7:13 PM on June 15, 2011

I have a running powermix that I always play in the following order. I always fast forward to "The Pretender" to push me faster towards the end, and then I cool off to "Such Great Heights."

Guns N' Roses - Welcome to the Jungle
Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc.
2pac - California Love
Justin Timberlake - SexyBack
Kanye West - Stronger
Shiny Toy Guns - Le Disko
Death Cab for Cutie - Soul Meets Body
Jason Mraz - The Remedy
The Killers - Somebody Told Me
Blur - Song 2
Beastie Boys - Sabotage
Cake - The Distance
Van Halen - Panama
Louis XIV - Finding Out True Love Is Blind
Foo Fighters - The Pretender
The Postal Service - Such Great Heights
posted by snafu at 7:48 PM on June 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

Pearl Jam - Rear View Mirror which is either a song about putting bastards behind you... or soybeans (see comments) :)
And also their Last Exit. Both songs build to a great climax which is just perfect for the extra final push at the end.
posted by storybored at 8:27 PM on June 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

Seconding Janelle Monae. AlsoDaft Punk's Harder Faster Better Stronger.

This album by Diego Bernal is awesome running music, but track 2, "Lunch Money" is awesome for going the extra mile.

Also love Stereolab for running. "Parsec," "Percolator" and "Margerine Melodie" are the few that're coming to mind right now...
posted by actionpact at 9:05 PM on June 15, 2011

Ohhh this is a topic close to my heart.

By far the best music I've found for running is Daft Punk's Alive 2007 album. If I had to choose one track from the album that never fails to rouse me when I'm flagging, it would be Too Long/Steam Machine.
posted by Ritchie at 1:33 AM on June 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

Just to add another one of my own - I'm going to give Phil Collins "In The Air Tonight" a try as I've a feeling that drum bit will do the biz.
posted by longbaugh at 5:36 AM on June 16, 2011 [2 favorites]

Mine is God D*mn Mother-F***ing Son of a B**ch by DJ Shadow, specifically the UNKLE remix featuring Roots Manuva.

Not a song for the flats, but it sure helps me up those GDMFSOB hills.
posted by fonetik at 5:43 AM on June 16, 2011

Sometimes you happen a bit late upon a thread in AskMe where you know you have the perfect answer, the right answer, but already so many people have responded that it simply must - MUST - have been covered in great detail already.

Sometimes, you read through that thread, and come to the end of the answers provided so far, and are shocked - SHOCKED - to find that somehow, by some ridiculous and completely insane oversight of the hive mind, this beautiful, shining answer of yours has not yet been provided to the poor, albeit perhaps somewhat-better-advised OP, but an asker who you know still requires your services. Your input. Your perfect answer.

You check one more time, you run a ctrl-f on the page for your answer, for the band that the OP simply must have been told about by now, but somehow has not been. You find nothing. And finally you are brought to a pause - like Gollum with his ring, you wonder if you shouldn't keep your secret safe. Hide your precious from all others.

This is one of those times.

RATM.

You could say almost any track by the band, but let me suggest Bulls On Parade, Wake Up, Calm Like a Bomb, Know Your Enemy, Killing in the Name, or Take the Power Back.

When I get my running up to 8-10 mile days, this is what gets me through it. Your legs will take on minds of their own and you'll push past limits you previously didn't even know you could reach.

You're welcome.
posted by allkindsoftime at 6:20 AM on June 16, 2011 [2 favorites]

I actually have Afrika Bambaataa's Renegades of Funk as played by RATM for this purpose as well.
posted by longbaugh at 7:29 AM on June 16, 2011

This question, which I asked before, may help too.
posted by Lucinda at 1:09 PM on June 16, 2011

Foxy Shazam - The Only Way To My Heart... The way it ends is just perfect from a full-energy sprint.
posted by Bleusman at 8:34 PM on June 16, 2011

It's A Fast Driving Rave-Up by the Dandy Warhols (the full 16 minute version is enough to get me over the mountain range - or to the next water stop)
posted by rongorongo at 2:23 AM on June 17, 2011

Invaders Must Die by The Prodigy
Guerilla Radio -- RATM
Bodycrash by Buy Now

Also, steady130 is a great tool for making running mixes.
posted by schmod at 7:45 AM on June 17, 2011

Along the lines of finding music with a fast bpm (yay thx schmod with steady130!), check out the Podcast series PodRunner by DJSteveBoy. Maybe not as punchy lyrics, but I find it really motivating to keep up with the beat. Also has intervals for Learn to Run 5K, 8K, 10K, & improving speed.
Thanks for this question - music that makes me feel like an action hero is awesome!
posted by SarahbytheSea at 8:02 AM on June 17, 2011

Power - Kanye West
Neighborhood #1 - Arcade Fire
... and pretty much any Girl Talk track.

This is a great list!
posted by anotherbrick at 7:04 PM on June 17, 2011 [1 favorite]

The Well & The Lighthouse, also by Arcade Fire, first when the drums crescendo and then again when tempo changes. I'd run to the end of the Earth with music like this, you know, if I had the physical ability.
posted by shadytrees at 8:22 PM on June 17, 2011 [1 favorite]

I've had great success with Move on Up by Curtis Mayfield although it is excellent throughout rather than a building crescendo.
posted by longbaugh at 5:43 AM on June 28, 2011 [1 favorite]

"Sticks and Stones" by Elvis Costello
"Take On Me" by A-Ha
"Girlfriend" by Matthew Sweet
"Death Is Forming" by Jay Reatard
More or less anything by the Hives, I guess "Declare Guerre Nuclaire" and "Abra Cadaver" might be best, or maybe "How Will I Cope With That?"
"Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien" by Edith Piaf (I am dead serious. "I regret nothing" is a great sentiment, and the song builds to a crescendo).
"Da Doo Ron Ron" by the Crystals
"It's Gonna Be A Long Night" by Ween
"My Rock" by Swan Silvertones. Doesn't take long to build to an incredible, sustained burst of emotion.
"Punch 'Em in the Dick" by Juicy Karkass
"AC/DC Bag" by Phish (Arrowhead 7-21-1991, with the Giant Country Horns). "I'm runnin' so fast, my feet don't touch the ground!"
"Planet of Sound" by the Pixies.

Those are just ones that haven't been mentioned; I too endorse "Move on Up" and "Push Push Lady Lightning."
posted by ibmcginty at 1:02 PM on July 14, 2011

Whoops, also meant to include:

"Wrong Side of the Moon" by Squeeze
"Gates of the West" by The Clash. "Little Richard's in the kitchen, playing the spoons & plates. He's telling the waitress he's great!"

I hope that even if you're of the view that you don't like Phish, you'll give a listen to "AC/DC Bag" for this purpose.
posted by ibmcginty at 1:16 PM on July 14, 2011

The Offspring:
Million Miles Away
The Kids Aren't Alright
posted by maggieb at 4:07 PM on July 14, 2011

Kick Start My Heart. A rare example of good 1980s cock rock. Gotta love the guitar-pretending-to-be-an-engine intro.
Chase That Feeling - quality Aussie hip hop. Powerful voices. Subconsciously helps that the song was used for a TV sports promo over here.
posted by uncanny hengeman at 8:12 AM on August 23, 2011