Ten Great Work-Out Songs for Your iPod

Maybe you're like me, and you don't love to exercise. In fact, you may need to talk yourself into putting on your work-out clothes and getting started. And even once you're hard at it, you have to force yourself to keep going. Or perhaps you're one of those people who lives for your work-outs and wouldn't dream of missing a day.

Either way, adding a dose of music to your exercise routine can make the time you spend getting healthy more enjoyable. Here's a list of ten great songs to get you moving:

1. "Now That We've Found Love" by Heavy D and the Boyz
This song was originally recorded by the O'Jays and was a reggae-disco hit for the band Third World in 1978 when it peaked at no. 47 on the Billboard Hot 100. Heavy D & the Boyz recorded the song in 1991, and it became an international hit, reaching no. 11 on the Billboard charts.

2. "Play That Funky Music" by Wild Cherry
The one-hit wonder Pittsburgh band Wild Cherry was named after a flavor of cough drops. The band was signed by Brown Bag Records but never issued an album. They split up in 1975. This song gives me a boost every time I hear it.

3. "You Steal My Sunshine" by Len
This song was released in 1999 and is backed by a sampled beat from the instrumental break of "More, More, More" by the Andrea True Connection.

4. "Push It" by Salt-N-Pepa
"Push It' was released in 1987. Fun lyrics in the song include "This dance ain't for everybody, only the sexy people" from the song "The Bird" by The Time. This band and song were featured in Prince's film "Purple Rain". Another line ("Boy, you really got me going. You got me so I don't know what I'm doing") was inspired by the song "You Really Got Me" by The Kinks. The song was ranked no. 440 on the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list by Rolling Stone magazine.

5. "Hey Ya" by Outkast
This tune was on Andre 3000's 2003 album "The Love Below". It's a hip hop song with funk and rock influences which won a Grammy for Best Urban/Alternative Performance.

6. "Real Love" by Mary J. Blige
"Real Love" was released in 1992 and was the second single from the album "What's the 411?". The song topped the R & B Singles chart and was Mary J. Blige's first Hot 100 single, rising to no. 7.

7. "Forget Me Nots" by Patrice Rushen
Singer Patrice Rushen has had several top R & B hits. Forget Me Nots was the basis of Will Smith's "Men in Black", the theme from the movie of the same name.

8. Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now) by C & C Music Factory
C & C Music Factory had seven no. 1 Dance/Club Play Hits and several pop crossover hits in the early to mid-1990s. The video for this song caused a scandal when it was discovered that vocalist Zelma Davis appeared in the video rather than vocalist Marsha Wash who recorded the song.

9. Vogue by Madonna
Released in 1990 on the "Blond Ambition" album, this tune referenced "vogueing" - a dance craze in the gay community in which dancers used elaborate hand gestures and posing. Many famous actors and actresses and one professional athlete were mentioned in the song: Ginger Rogers, Fred Astaire, Jean Harlow, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Grace Kelly, Ritz Hayworth, Bette Davis, Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, Marlon Brando, Lauren Bacall, Katherine Hepburn, Lana Turner, Gene Kelly, and Joe DiMaggio.

10. September by Earth, Wind and Fire
"September" reached the Top Ten early in 1979. It's a great disco tune and one of Earth, Wind and Fire's biggest hits.

These ten songs are sure to get you off the couch and on your way to a great work-out.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Now_That_We_Found_Love
http://www.allmusic
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Now_That_We_Found_Love
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:yghe4j2s0way~T0
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Len
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Push_It_(Salt-n-Pepa_song)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hey_Ya!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_J._Blige
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:jifwxqr5ldke~T1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%2BC_Music_Factory
http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=1455
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=33:wpftxqrdldse