Comments on: getbackonhorse music

Question: getbackonhorse music

parallax7d — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:20:30 -0800

What are some songs about being disappointed, discouraged, but fighting back and continuing in the face of great difficulty, especially internal struggle. Can be anything from Shostakovitch to Tito Puente - but bonus points for anything heavy rock-ish like punk/metal/hardcore or anything with distortion and power vocals, or just any type of song that's energizing.

By: ClaudiaCenter

ClaudiaCenter — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:24:28 -0800

As an SF Castro resident, I will throw in Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive. (But of course that's not punk/metal/etc.)

By: midwestguy

midwestguy — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:25:24 -0800

How about "tough it out" by Webb Wilder?

By: box

box — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:29:18 -0800

Queen's 'We Are the Champions' is heavy rock-ish.

By: ian1977

ian1977 — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:30:13 -0800

I always thought "Look Back in Anger" by David Bowie had that kind of vibe.

By: box

box — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:30:18 -0800

And Survivor's 'Eye of the Tiger' was pretty much synthesized in a laboratory to be exactly this kind of song.

Look to Jock-Jams-style compilations and the soundtracks of '80s movies.

By: The Straightener

The Straightener — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:32:32 -0800

Crowbar - ...And Suffer as One

By: dasheekeejones

dasheekeejones — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:34:49 -0800

Fighter--Christina Aguleria (I know I totally botched her name)
Beautiful (her again)
Rehab (sort of. I mean the whole 'no no no' is fighting back. haha)

By: dunkadunc

dunkadunc — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:37:08 -0800

Against Me - Burn

By: katemcd

katemcd — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:39:47 -0800

I made a whole mix of those types of songs for a friend after she got fired. The ones I can remember off the top of my head (but may not entirely fit the bill for you) are: Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It," Mighty Mighty Bosstone's "Go Big or Go Home," Kanye West's (or Daft Punk's) "Stronger," and Bobby Patterson's "TCB or TYA." I'll check the playlist tonight and post any other ones I think might work.

By: jammy

jammy — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:40:08 -0800

I get knocked down
but I get up again
you're never gonna keep me down

-Tubthumping by Chumbawumba

(just listen, don't watch - dumb video)

By: infinityjinx

infinityjinx — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:41:55 -0800

Pennywise - Broken
Pennywise - Every Single Day
Pennywise - You Can Demand
Pennywise - Searching

By: christinetheslp

christinetheslp — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:43:33 -0800

"Won't Back Down" by Tom Petty

By: curagea

curagea — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:44:33 -0800

Off the top of my head:

JoJo - Too Little Too Late - Pop, but good song. Not sure if this is what you're looking for, but it does have some stand-back-up-again elements to it.

Disturbed - Indestructible - Okay, so this isn't about getting beaten down and standing back up, but I find it brings me back up when I'm down. Heavy stuff right here. And you can't beat the vocals.

Seconding "We're Not Gonna Take It", "Tubthumping", and "Stronger", though I recommend 30 Seconds to Mars' cover of the last song, because they made it into a singable dirge (even if the lyrics are kind of dumb... but then, I hate rap in general, so there you go).

By: the-happy-manager

the-happy-manager — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:44:47 -0800

Not rock'n'roll but two pretty powerful songs on a related theme:
Gimme Hope Jo'anna by Eddie Grant and Free Nelson Mandela by the Specials.

By: Metroid Baby

Metroid Baby — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:45:43 -0800

Warts On Your Dick is an awesome parody of this type of song. (NSFW; song begins at 1:03)

By: kittyprecious

kittyprecious — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:54:49 -0800

The Flaming Lips - The Gash
REM - Walk Unafraid
OKGo - Get Over It

By: cadge

cadge — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:57:47 -0800

Black Flag's "Rise Above"
Queen's "Friends Will Be Friends"

By: SuperSquirrel

SuperSquirrel — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:59:06 -0800

Bad Reputation - Joan Jett

By: Science!

Science! — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:02:27 -0800

Rilo Kiley "A Better Son/Daughter"

By: bottlebrushtree

bottlebrushtree — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:07:34 -0800

Cake has a good version of "I will survive" as well
Cake's "The Distance"

(man it sounds like I am a big Cake fan, though I'm not!)

By: LionIndex

LionIndex — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:09:42 -0800

Against Me - Burn

Is this a cover of the Nine Inch Nails song?

By: pupdog

pupdog — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:14:21 -0800

Rollins Band's 'The End of Silence' is my go-to album for this sort of thing. Low Self Opinion, Grip, What Do You Do, Blues Jam, all amazing.

By: Gungho

Gungho — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:19:33 -0800

Timothy by the Bouyes. Cannibalism is a form of surviving...
Locomotive Breath by Jethro Tull

By: arniec

arniec — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:27:31 -0800

Never Surrender by Corey Hart

Against the Wind by Bob Seger

By: Miko

Miko — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:28:48 -0800

The Mary Ellen Carter

By: boo_radley

boo_radley — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:37:39 -0800

Ministry - Hero

By: Metroid Baby

Metroid Baby — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:38:20 -0800

St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion) by John Parr

I admit, I love this song.

By: Bookhouse

Bookhouse — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:47:02 -0800

Seconding the Rollins Band up there. Also, although it's specifically about feminism, I always enjoy "Seneca Falls" by the Distillers for this kind of thing.

By: gage

gage — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:47:10 -0800

Gogol Bordello's Undestructable

By: onlyconnect

onlyconnect — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:48:36 -0800

Great vocals on Alanis Morrisette's "You Learn," and the song helped me through some tough times:

I, recommend getting your heart trampled on to anyone, yeah
I, recommend walking around naked in your living room, yeah
I, recommend biting off more than you can chew to anyone, I certainly do
I, recommend sticking your foot in your mouth at any time, feel free
Swallow it down (what a jagged little pill)
It feels so good (swimming in your stomach)
Wait until the dust settles
You live you learn, you love you learn
You cry you learn, you lose you learn
You bleed you learn, you scream you learn. etc.

Also, especially if this is at all related to a breakup (but even if it's not), I highly recommend David Grey's "Shine."

You gotta rise from these ashes
Like a bird of flame
Step out of the shadow
We've gotta go where we can shine.

Good luck!

By: amyms

amyms — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:49:05 -0800

Back in Black - AC/DC

Back in the Saddle Again - Aerosmith

By: onlyconnect

onlyconnect — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:00:27 -0800

Here is a youtube of Grey's Shine. It's a really lovely and inspirational song.

By: ignignokt

ignignokt — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:07:57 -0800

Sepultura has a lot of these songs. Some examples: Inner Self ("lying and playing dirty, you think you'll win/But someday you'll fall and I'll be waiting"), Propaganda, Clenched Fist.

By: bricoleur

bricoleur — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:08:06 -0800

This Old Porch, Lyle Lovett.

And this old porch is just a long time
Of waiting and forgetting
And remembering the coming back
And not crying about the leaving
And remembering the falling down
And the laughter of the curse of luck
From all of those passerby
Who said we'd never get back up

By: poptart

poptart — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:09:39 -0800

Any and all Rage against the Machine!

By: parallax7d

parallax7d — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:10:05 -0800

So many awesome answers, I especially love the links! Thanks folks, and keep them rolling!

By: Heretic

Heretic — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:11:39 -0800

Killing Joke-- Exorcism

By: BirdD0g

BirdD0g — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:21:21 -0800

Like Ali in the jungle,
Like Nelson in jail,
Like Simpson on the mountain,
With odds like that, they were bound to fail
Like Keller in the darkness,
Like Adam's at the dock,
Like Ludwig Van, how I loved that man, well the guy went deaf and didn't give a f*ck...

Ali in the Jungle by The Hours

By: BirdD0g

BirdD0g — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:25:26 -0800

bricoleur,

This Old Porch has also been done by the great Robert Earl Keen, but titled "The Front Porch Song." Personally, I like REK's version much better. And I've always loved that verse! Good call.

By: version control

version control — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:35:02 -0800

The Clash - I'm Not Down
Sleater-Kinney - Oxygen

By: Ufez Jones

Ufez Jones — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:35:34 -0800

Avail - Live at the Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco. I just fell in love with this album for the 6th or 7th time last week. Sure, it's kind of personal, but god*damn* it makes me want to do something good. I'm sure you can find it used for like $6 somewhere in Portland.

And go see 'em live, if you get the chance. It's that good.

By: cjets

cjets — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:56:43 -0800

World up my ass - Circle Jerks
Good things - Sleater Kinney
J.A.R. - Green Day

And many more on the tip of my tongue so I may be back

By: dhartung

dhartung — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:57:15 -0800

Dylan's "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35", aka "Everybody Must Get Stoned".

Lots of love's labors lost laments would fit this, because they're implicitly about getting knocked down and getting back up again. Petty's "The Waiting", George Michael's "Faith", The Pretenders' "Back on the Chain Gang".

Springsteen's "No Surrender" is more generic lyrically, but a lot of Born in the USA fits this theme. (His earlier anthems such as "Thunder Road" and "Born to Run" have some defiance overlap but are less about getting up than getting out, if you see the point.)

By: veronicacorningstone

veronicacorningstone — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:14:15 -0800

Foo Fighters "Times Like These":

Its times like these we learn to live again
Its times like these we give and give again
Its times like these we learn to love again
Its times like these time and time again...

And that's just the chorus. The whole song is rad and speaks to this theme.

The best part is there is a rockin' original version as well as a touching acoustic version so you can pick the best version for your current mood/outlook.

By: BitterOldPunk

BitterOldPunk — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:33:45 -0800

Husker Du -- New Day Rising. It doesn't get any more succinct.
Bad Brains -- Sailin' On (link is to a Living Colour cover I never knew existed. Cool.)
Bad Brains -- Attitude

...in fact, just go listen to Bad Brains.

By: merocet

merocet — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:35:17 -0800

The ultimate song of this genre is of course "heroes" by Bowie.

By: Caius Marcius

Caius Marcius — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:47:31 -0800

Best I Can by Queensryche- it is the first track off their Empire album. About a guy who got paralyzed when he was young and his struggle to be the best he can be.

Also thirding the album End of Silence by Rollins Band. One of the most intense albums I have ever heard. I especially love the third track, Tearing.

The album Obsolete by Fear Factory is a great concept album about mankind fighting back against machines- songs deal with internal and external struggles faced by the protagonist.

If you like industrial music at all, the track Revolutions by Informatik would be a good one too- has the great quote from Gandhi- "They may torture my body, break my bones, even kill me, then they will have my dead body. Not my obedience!"

By: kirkaracha

kirkaracha — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:29:49 -0800

"The record shows I took the blows /And did it my way!"

Frank Sinatra, "My Way"

By: kirkaracha

kirkaracha — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:30:48 -0800

For punk, see Sid Vicious' cover.

By: Caduceus

Caduceus — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:34:33 -0800

The Offspring have a number of good songs that might work for what you want, including:

Come Out Swinging
Smash
Staring at the Sun
and
Long Way Home

By: davey_darling

davey_darling — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:39:44 -0800

I'd say there are a bunch of Blue October songs that fit your bill - start with Independently Happy and go from there.

By: clearly

clearly — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:40:00 -0800

Modest Mouse - Float On
The Mountain Goats - This Year
Bad Day - Bad Day
Regina Spektor - Ghost of Corporate Future (not heavy by any means, but uplifting nonetheless)
The Rolling Stones - You Can't Always Get What You Want, Satisfaction, and Jumping Jack Flash

By: Caduceus

Caduceus — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:41:00 -0800

Bad Religion's "A Walk" might work too.

And seconding those Pennywise songs above. Pennywise has a lot of defiant songs that you might want to explore, if you like punk.

By: clearly

clearly — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:41:09 -0800

Sorry, "Bad Day" is by R.E.M.

By: EmilyClimbs

EmilyClimbs — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:48:55 -0800

Simon and Garfunkel, The Boxer

In the clearing stands a boxer,
And a fighter by his trade
And he carries the reminders
Of ev'ry glove that laid him down
Or cut him till he cried out
In his anger and his shame,
"I am leaving, I am leaving."
But the fighter still remains

By: Nedroid

Nedroid — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:32:16 -0800

Less than Jake has a lot of songs with this kind of theme, and their songs are usually really energetic like you're looking for. I can recomment Last Rites to Sleepless Nights and The Space They Can't Touch as a couple of specific examples.

By: andreap

andreap — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 16:46:06 -0800

The Unrepentant by Steve Earle.

By: andreap

andreap — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 16:46:39 -0800

Finish Steve Earle posting...it's very heavy

By: maloon

maloon — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 17:07:21 -0800

Walk On--U2
Pump It Up -- Elvis Costello
Holla Back Girl -- Gwen Stefani
Changes -- David Bowie
Kryptonite -- 3 Doors Down
Lose Yourself--Eminem
I'm Shipping Up to Boston--Dropkick Murphys
Keep On Rockin in the Free World--Neil Young
You Get What You Give--New Radicals
What I Got--Sublime

By: chihiro

chihiro — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 18:07:54 -0800

The Pass -- Rush

"All of us get lost in the darkness; dreamers learn to steer by the stars. All of us do time in the gutter; dreamers turn to look at the cars."

By: MaryDellamorte

MaryDellamorte — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 19:32:23 -0800

Pat Benatar - Invincible

By: Mael Oui

Mael Oui — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 21:02:41 -0800

Yup, definitely 'I'm Not Down' by the Clash.

By: mu~ha~ha~ha~har

mu~ha~ha~ha~har — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 07:55:31 -0800

Hmm. Try this one? Passive - A Perfect Circle. (I think I'm good for 3 bonus points??) There will be more, I'll look. How important are the lyrics??

By: lintacious

lintacious — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 10:54:27 -0800

"Get Up" by Superchic[k].

By: worlddisciple

worlddisciple — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 11:28:00 -0800

Limp Bizkit - My Way

Yeah
This time I'm 'a let it all come out
This time I'm 'a stand up and shout
I'm 'a do things my way
It's my way
My way, or the highway

By: worlddisciple

worlddisciple — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 11:33:36 -0800

Pink Floyd - Sorrow
His blood has frozen & curdled with fright
His knees have trembled & given way in the night
His hand has weakened at the moment of truth
His step has faltered

By: rubymac

rubymac — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:05:52 -0800

I'm not a Styx fan, but I can't help but love "You're Fooling Yourself." I always seem to hear it when I need to:

"Get up (get up)
Get back on your feet
You're the one they can't beat
and you know it.

C'mon, (c'mon)
Let's see what you've got
Just take your best shot
And don't blow it."

By: mjewkes

mjewkes — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 15:47:48 -0800

Seconding Mary Ellen Carter.

By: polexxia

polexxia — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 16:52:37 -0800

Bob Seger - Little Victories
Richie Sambora - Hard Times Come Easy
Brides of Destruction - Life
Bon Jovi - Bells of Freedom
Sixx AM - Life Is Beautiful
Kyle Vincent - You Will Dance Again
(and if this has ANYthing to do with a relationship, then Junkyard or Tex and the Horseheads - Clean the Dirt or Supersuckers - Sail On)

By: Seomanthe

Seomanthe — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 03:55:38 -0800

Hatebreed - "You're Never Alone" ... It's a great, though angry, anthem to not giving up:

It's our struggles that define us
And the hardships we endure
Your spirit can't be broken now
You've come too far
[...]
This is for the kids who have no where to turn
Who have nothing to live for
You think you haven't the will to persist
You have to search within yourself
This spirit can't be broken (3x)
It's who you are

By: Seomanthe

Seomanthe — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 04:03:07 -0800

Oh, and Slipknot's "Pulse of the Maggots" is another really great, heavy, angry, fight song.

By: booth

booth — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 05:55:28 -0800

A little late to the party...
Here's a disc I put together for my wife for this purpose. I put a picture of Supergirl on the cover.

Don't Give Up - Peter Gabriel
Hail To Whatever You Found... - Rilo Kiley
Wallflower - Peter Gabriel
Lookin' Forward - Over The Rhine
*I Don't Ever Give Up - Patty Griffin
I Saved The World Today - Eurythmics
True To Myself - Ziggy Marley
*How We Operate - Gomez
Float on - Modest Mouse
We're All in This Together - Ben Lee
I Can See Clearly Now - Johnny Nash

* these are the songs she cranks up and repeats

Hm. I thought I had Jonathan Coulton's cover of We Are the Champions on there too.

By: blucevalo

blucevalo — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:22:42 -0800

Darn, booth beat me to the punch on "Don't Give Up." Another good Peter Gabriel candidate would be "Solsbury Hill."

By: caseymcg

caseymcg — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 17:32:53 -0800

Absolute best post-breakup song:

Pep Talk by Descendants

By: Syntoad

Syntoad — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 12:22:03 -0800

Tough Enough by Vanilla Ninja
(in Japanese) Rebel Luck by Chihiro Onitsuka

A rough translation of the Japanese song (c&p via LyricWiki):

No matter how many times I stray from
the uninterrupted track, I can still say this definite meaning:
"Everything is surely my very own self"

A heart devoid of any traces holds me,
saying, "You're just a little fragile"

If you're lying down amid impulses
to lose your destination, remember

No matter how many times I stray from
the uninterrupted track, I can still say this definite meaning:
"Everything is surely my very own self"

"Don't be afraid of deciding to believe and hitting a wall"
My worn-out shoes will bring me back

Finding out the true colors that make my rust ache
doesn't get me anywhere

No matter how I trip on the stairs
No matter how I get lost, I can still say that
"Though it's these legs, they should be able to walk"

No matter how many times I stray from
the uninterrupted track, I can still say this definite meaning:
Everything is surely my very own self
It goes on being changed into a faint thread

When we're about to be crushed by despair, losing sight of ourselves,
we should just remember
that we haven't lost a single thing