A Musical Jackpot

The one thing that makes working out at a gym tolerable for me is my I-pod. Today, I hit the musical jackpot.

Now you might think, music junkie that I am, every time I listen to my I-pod during an hour long workout - an average of 12-15 tunes in case you're wondering -  I'd be enthralled. And though I'm often quite pleased and reasonably distracted, because I use the shuffle feature rather than construct playlists, it's also rare for me to get through a workout without at least one song from my impeccable 1500 that captivates me a little less. Then, presto, a look at the clock. Shit - fifteen minutes to go! 

But not today. I got three jazz standards from my repertoire - totally tuned in there because it's a great way to further solidify those melodies and harmonies in my head. A Beatles song - no brainer. Two Jackson Browne tunes - keying in on his lyrics never fails to move me. "Surfer Girl" - how can I not pay attention to that flawless harmonizing? Two great "surprises" - "Overnite Sensation" by the Raspberries - perhaps the greatest power pop song of all time - and Pat Benatar's rave "Precious Time", with a killer guitar solo by Neil Giraldo that never gets old; both those songs held me tight because I don't hear them nearly enough. Same for "Guinevere", David Crosby's gem from the first CSN album.

Best of all was the sleeper that popped up late in this shuffle - Paul Westerberg's "Dyslexic Heart". I'd never paid close attention to Westerberg's sly lyric before today. I was beyond distracted during this musical feast - I was transported. Which songs do that for you?