Hanging With The LeftBacks: Bruce’s Top 5 Amping Songs

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Last Friday, Juan shared the top five tunes that get him super pumped before a sports match. Now it’s my turn!

When Juan came up with the idea to do this post I was excited. Music and sport are what keep me going. Those two things are what I wake up for every day so I thought this was going to be the easiest article I’ve ever written – until I had to narrow it down just to five songs.

At one stage I managed to reach 20, and that’s where my list stayed for a good couple of days. Even selecting a single favourite Foo Fighters’ song took some serious thought. I mean, “Walk” is the inspiring song that helped me through the Two Oceans Half Marathon, “Long Road to Ruin” gets me bouncing off the wall and “Best of You” straight-up makes me scream out loud. One does not simply choose one’s five most amping tunes.

Well I’ve tried my best, even though I had to leave at least a dozen off my list. Take a listen to these five tracks and try and tell me you’re not pumped for the weekend. Just try!

5) Black Keys – Tighten Up

The Black Keys are one of my favourite bands of all time. We had a discussion around a braai the other night in which we tried to think of another band with a similar sound. We couldn’t come up with one. We even struggled to put their music into a single genre. If you haven’t seen any of their music videos, spend an hour on YouTube, they’re usually a decent laugh. Great song, incredible band!

4) Toto – Africa

If it wasn’t for that Castle Lager advert back in the day with those blokes braaing on a New York penthouse rooftop (take note of the classic old Bafana jersey), this song wouldn’t even feature here, but there’s just something about it. It makes me feel like I’m about to take the field for my country. When I listen to this, in my head I’m about to walk out to represent the Springboks in front of 60 000 fans. In reality, I’m probably running out to an empty hockey stadium on a cold winter afternoon in front of a few spouses and parents and maybe a homeless person shouting drunken obscenities.

3) Pearl Jam – Dirty Frank

This list wouldn’t be complete without Eddie Vedder. I just love the man’s vocals and there were at least half a dozen other Pearl Jam songs I could’ve included. But the guitars and utter rawness of Dirty Frank edged out “Alive”, “Even Flow” and “Jeremy”.

2) Offspring – Bad Habit

This is the song that I’ve being playing in my car for the past two months en route to sports matches. It gets me HUGELY amped. It has to be one of the best songs from our youth (if you were born in the late 80s), and it comes from the greatest album! SMASH was, and still is, just phenomenal. I remember playing it in my room as a laaitie, and having to turn the volume down at the 2 minute, 45 second mark (you all know the part) for fear that my mom or dad would snap the CD. Honourable mentions must also go to The Offspring’s “Come out and Play”, “Feelings”, “Genocide”, “Nitro” and “Self Esteem”.

1) Foo Fighters – Pretender

Like I said, choosing my favourite Foo’s song is like having to choose a favourite child. Nothing gets me more pumped up than Dave, Pat, Nate, Chris and Taylor doing their thing! The Foo’s are a timeless band that simply never runs out of energy. I have their albums, their DVD’s, their documentaries and even a photo of myself with Taylor and Chris (I’m still gathering up the courage to ask the Mrs to frame it for the house) – and yet I have never once grown bored of these guys.

That’s my list. For the record, here are three bands who just didn’t make it: AC/DC, Band of Skulls and Aking.

Now I for one feel like a double brandy and coke. Bring on the weekend!

What are you top five most amping tunes ahead of a big sports game?

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