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Catherine Calame of Sheffield, Massachusetts submitted her Top 5 Desert Island Discs. But this is also the story of how running and music helped Catherine through two successful battles against cancer in 2002 and again in 2022. At the time of her first diagnosis her children were 4, 7 and 1. The running helped Catherine find balance and control while music just made her feel good all over.
Van Halen: Van Halen
Once I was running a half marathon and hit the wall at mile 10 and this album propelled me to the end. When you want to feel invincible, “Runnin’ with the Devil” can make you laugh like you could handle anything life throws at you. Plus Ed’s noodling is brilliant and make you want to play air guitar. I can’t say enough about “Eruption” and the genius of Eddie Van Halen. His style always thrills me and makes me wish I was a rock god. When that flows right into “You Really Got Me” it’s like a shot of lightning. For those of us who fall hard into love, “Ain’t Talkin’ About Love” sums up how most guys don’t and try to keep you at arms length.
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REO Speedwagon: The Hits
“Rollin’ With The Changes” and “Ridin’ The Storm Out” were both chosen because, again, I’m a cancer survivor and you look to the music that makes you feel strong. I have a great daydream that I’m playing drums on “Rollin’ With The Changes” and while I don’t play drums in real life, I’d totally do justice to this song. “Ridin’ The Storm Out” empowers me to believe everything works out, you just have to ride the wave. The rhymes in “Don’t Let Him Go” are a little simple but the high energy and guitars (lead and bass) make this a great song about giving someone time to love you. The phase out at the end is a lot of fun too if you like bass and drums taking it home.
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Eagles: Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975)
Take It Easy because the lyrics are so California cool. I love the back story of how Glenn Frye struggled with the lyrics and Jackson Browne came up with the line “I was standing on a corner in Winslow Arizona such a fine sight to see, it’s a girl my lord in a flatbed Ford slowing down to take a look at me.” The tempo in “Lyin’ Eyes” is perfect for a tempo run and I truly believe that people can’t pretend what they do or don’t feel. People with high EQs tend to see right through the liars and cheaters. “Take It To The Limit” is the epitome of crescendo, and you can interpret the song any way you’d like: physically, sexually, or just going the distance on a run. Best line of any Eagles song: “you can spend all your time making money, you can spend all your love making time; if it all fell to pieces tomorrow, would you still be mine?”
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Boston: Boston
Could there be a better first song on any album “More than a Feeling”? The guitars are raw and not over produced with special effects like today’s albums. You gotta love a band that played in dive bars and made their way up.
As a cancer survivor “Peace of Mind” this one kept me going whenever I was running, trying to keep my sanity and falling into the music I love.
Finally “Rock and Roll Band” because it talks about the band’s journey up from obscurity. And it mentions Hyannis, which is cool. Plus, they rhymed “big cigar’ and ‘Cadillac car’ and that’s just great.
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Pink Floyd: Dark Side Of The Moon
I listen to this album at least 45 times a year. It’s my go-to album for running and it takes me deep into my thoughts whether running on the beach or in the mountains. “Breathe” kicks it off with such a great pulse forward. Gilmour’s double tracking on “Us and Them” is genius. It’s ethereal and cool. “Great Gig in the Sky” never got enough air play back in the day because it’s not cookie
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