My Gen X Playlist: Jump Around – House of Pain

People sometimes give me a hard time because my form of exercise is walking these days. I figure mixing that with a relatively healthy diet seems to be working for me. There is the argument that it’s not increasing my heart rate high enough. I can’t argue with that. But I’m not a big fan of running nor was I ever one to bulk up lifting weights. Those are just not my thing. It’s interesting that many with the strongest opinions are from those who appear to be in less shape than me. Yes, their workouts are more strenuous, but at the same time, I become less receptive listening to critiques in between their bites of burgers and fries. I smile and I’m polite. I don’t have anything to prove and yes, their arguments are technically correct. And I don’t mind constructive criticism or advice, in fact I welcome them. I just wish people would first consider if they are truly an expert on the topic before they lean their truths into me. I’m just saying.

I often hear some people say they work out like mad so they can eat whatever they want. I’ve always liked this train of thought. I’ve never heard anyone say they maintain a healthy diet so they don’t have don’t have to work out as much. Yeah, that almost sounds laughable, I get it. Am I doing that? Maybe. I probably should up my exercise game a bit.

I used to hike quite a bit before we moved a few years ago. Where I used to live, the San Gabriel mountains were in my backyard. I loved hiking in the mountains among the trees. Believe it or not, there even are a few waterfalls. Waterfalls in LA – that always was a funny thought to me. I’d either hike for distance or elevation gain. I’d go ten miles or up a steep mountain. Both were good workouts. I have an app that shows the nearest hikes. I should get back to the trails. I’ve been gone too long. The trails are different here but it’s time to retire that excuse. I guess this prompt is giving me the prod I needed. Maybe it will even assuage my guilt from shopping at REI. I just bought a pair of trail running shoes. It’s time to put them to good use.

Now, if I was really crazy and amped up the cardio, maybe I’d work out to House of Pain’s Jump Around. I’m not huge into rap, but you can’t deny the energy on this one.

A glaring contrast to the likes of Ice Cube and NWA, House of Pain’s rowdy but reassuringly juvenile party anthem “Jump Around” proved an instant hit with pop fans and drunken college kids, sending the self-styled “Irish thug rappers” to the top of the charts

– Financial Times

. . . no . . . anthem has proven as sublimely Pavlovian as House of Pain’s indomitable cattle prod “Jump Around.” “It’s the kind of shit you can put a lampshade on your head and act an idiot to,” accurately observes Danny Boy, the crew’s resident agitated synapse. “It’s our generation’s ‘Louie Louie.’”

The first time I heard it in public, I was in New York at a club. I forget the name of it, but it was on the second floor of a building. . . everybody in that club knew the record. The floor was wobbling beneath your feet. Everybody was jumping like that. It was crazy.

– Spin

“The message of the song was always to let everybody know that no matter what you look like, no matter what color your skin is, no matter what your sexual preference is, no matter where you come from, if you’re in this room and jumping around, you’re family.”

– OldTimeMusic

It’s difficult not to jump around when this song comes on. It’s pretty infectious. Who cares about the lamp shades on our heads or petty workout critiques when everyone is jumping and making the floors wobble. After all, we’re all family, right?

–

For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

Pack it up, pack it in
Let me begin
I came to win
Battle me that's a sin
I won't ever slack up
Punk you better back up
Try and play the role and yo the whole crew will act up
Get up, stand up, come on!
Come on, throw your hands up
If you've got the feeling jump up touch the ceiling
Muggs lets the funk flow, someone's talking junk
Yo, I'll bust em in the eye
And then I'll take the punk's ho
Feeling funking
Amps in the trunk
And I got more rhymes than there's cops at a "Dunkin Donuts" shop
Sure enough I got props from the kids on the Hill
Plus my mom and my pops

I came to get down [2x]
So get out your seat and jump around
Jump around [3x]
Jump up, jump up and get down.
Jump [18x]

I'll serve your ass like John McEnroe
If your girl steps up, I'm smacking the ho
Word to your moms I came to drop bombs
I got more rhymes than the Bible's got Psalms
And just like the Prodigal Son I've returned
Anyone stepping to me you'll get burned
'Cause I got lyrics but you ain't got none
If you come to battle bring a shotgun
But if you do you're a fool, 'cause I duel to the death
Trying to step to me you'll take your last breath
I got the skill, come get your fill
'Cause when I shoot the gift, I shoot to kill

I came to get down [2x]
So get out your seat and jump around
Jump around [3x]
Jump up, jump up and get down.
Jump [18x]

I'm the cream of the crop, I rise to the top
I never eat a pig 'cause a pig is a cop
Or better yet a Terminator
Like Arnold Schwarzenegger
Trying to play me out like as if my name was Sega
But I ain't going out like no punk bitch
Get used to one style and yo and I might switch
It up up and around, then buck buck you down
Put out your head and then you wake up in the Dawn of the Dead
I'm coming to get ya, I'm coming to get ya
Spitting out lyrics homie I'll wet ya
I came to get down, I came to get down
So get out your seat and jump around!

I came to get down [2x]
So get out your seat and jump around
Jump around [3x]
Jump up, jump up and get down.
Jump [18x]

Jump [32x]

Yo, this is dedicated
To Joe "The Biter" Nicolo
Grab yo Bozack, punk