As I always say, if music puts a smile on my face, why on earth should I feel guilty about it? But such is life in the music world, where certain artists are deemed bad, but somehow they find legions of fans… even the ones who claim to have superior taste.
The tempo on these selections are generally upbeat, so while this isn’t really for your more intense workouts, if you’re up for a brisk walk around your neighborhood while sporting a sheepish grin (which may or may not creep out unsuspecting onlookers), here are some great not-so-guilty pleasures:
Gym Music Playlist of the Week: Guilty Pleasure Workout Mix
Click to download!
Bee Gees – Stayin’ Alive
Does anyone under the age 40 know that the Bee Gees were a well-respected ’60s band that made beautifully baroque, semi-psychedelic songs before they moved on to leisure suit superstardom?
Pilot – Magic
I don’t even know if this one qualifies as a guilty pleasure. Does it? Sure, it’s a little on the bubblegum side, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Starland Vocal Band – Afternoon Delight
This song may be best known to younger folks for the appearance it made in Anchorman (see below). It’s about as guilty as they get, but darn it if it isn’t irresistibly fun to sing along to. Maybe Mr. Burgundy has reignited the flame for future generations to enjoy the Starland Vocal Band:
Starship – We Built This City
First they were acid rockers Jefferson Airplane, then Jefferson Starship, then simply Starship. While their cred seemed to devolve with every name change, it sure is difficult not to sing along while “Marconi plays the mamba.”
Cliff Richard – We Don’t Talk Anymore
Who is Cliff Richard? Who cares. I just know that since hearing this song when I was 10 years old, it has been permanently seared into my psyche, and thus, brings back those days of innocence every time I hear it, which is increasingly rare these days. By the way, Mr. Richard was a British pop star from the early rock days, considered the UK’s answer to Elvis. We may not know much about him over on this side of the Atlantic, but according to Wikipedia, he’s sold 260 million records worldwide. So, someone out there knows who he is.
Orleans – Still The One
Impossibly perky, you can’t resist the powers of this song.
Loverboy – Working For The Weekend
As the venerable poetry of Loverboy’s masterpiece goes…”You wanna piece of my heart? You better start from the start.” Not sure what that means, but since the weekend is upon us… enjoy!