With 40s-series powerhouses like Smooth Criminal and Sing Halleluja still enjoying regular play in our classes to this day, the 50s series had some big shoes to fill. Would 57's Push It displace 47's chest track of the same title? Did combo-heavy Love Shack have what it takes to unseat Tami's all-time favorite Enter Sandman from BodyPump 43?
So we laid a fresh charge on the iPod's batteries, dialed down the track #3 playlist to releases 50-59, and did our best to forget all those older tunes. Here's what we found:
So we laid a fresh charge on the iPod's batteries, dialed down the track #3 playlist to releases 50-59, and did our best to forget all those older tunes. Here's what we found:
Best: Sweetest Poison (Nu Pagadi) - BodyPump 55 - Rugged, reliable, consistent - this one's never worn out its welcome in our class. It's that satisfaction guaranteed quality that makes it top dog of the 50s chest track lineup, even though we never think of this song off the tops of our heads when we're putting together the weekly class playlist. Must be one of those "defense mechanisms" psychologists always talk about, where the mind blocks out painful memories...And there you have it, our picks for the best, worst, and most memorable chest tracks from the 50s series. Oh, and as a follow-up to our last post, we've gotten several messages mentioning Beds Are Burning as a favorite Squats track. Well you may've noticed we sort of didn't mention that one - ever since Tami called it Breads Are Burning in front of class one time we've not been able to do that one with a straight face since! Next up: Back & Hamstrings
Worst: Push Up (Freestylers) - BodyPump 53 - We liked this song right up until the moment the singer opened his mouth - and from that point on it just went straight downhill from there. Suggestive lyrics aside, this nerve-grating tune comes off sounding like a feeble attempt to merge Michael Jackson's style with Prince's sound. Not even the allure of a first-rate chest workout has proven sufficient cause for us to pry this one from the bottom of our playlist since the launch (apologies to the folks that wrote in nominating this as their favorite!)
Most Memorable: Love Shack (The B-52s) - BodyPump 58 - Right from the beginning this was our pick as the hands-down best of the 50s. It took a re-examination of "The Best" vs. "Most Memorable" definitions before we realized this was its rightful place. No, it's not the best - Sweetest Poison is the better workout - we just love this song. And that's what makes it our pick for the most memorable 50's chest track. Runner up: She Drives Me Crazy (Fine Young Cannibals) from BodyPump 56. For purely selfish reasons, of course.
No, no, no! It wasn't "Breads are Burning"...it was "Biscuits are Burning"!!
My favorite chest track is push up,
I am in my early 20s and I think
that this song really works for the
younger crowd. I feel like I am in
the nightclub. And it is really a
very sexy song. Never really heard
the loveshack
Sweetest Poison is a good choice as it is a very underrated track. Same would apply to Push It from BP57 -- neither track seems to get nearly as much play as, say, Summer Rain from BP54, even though they are both excellent workouts.
I can see why Push Up might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I don't personally find it as grating as Phantom of the Opera from BP52. The worst for me would 56 and 59, as they are too slow in an unsatisfying kind of way.
i think sweetest poison was high memorable, and will be used for many pump classes to come.the german lyrics gave it a great grunge feel. love your site.
Well, it's actually great to see Push Up on the list as second best (Craig made a typo). :-)
Looking, looking - Can't find that typo! Where's it at? (driving me crazy!)
ROTFL :-)) You should have typed "2nd best: Push Up (Freestylers) - BodyPump 53". Ha, ha!
My picks for chest:
Love: Phantom of the Opera (difficult!)
Love: Summer Rain (great song!)
Love: Sweetest Poison (love the German lyrics - I can use my college degree and translate!) Very powerful grungy sound.
Can do without: Hole in the Head (50) Trained on BP 50, that's all I can say.
Love your site!
MJ in Atlanta