By Otterboy

 

Several years ago, I embarked on a playlist spree with my MP3 player. Given how much of my life revolves around kayaking, it was only natural to create a boating playlist. This is harder than you might think. The Holy Trinity of drugs, sex and rock ‘n roll doesn’t have much to do with paddling. Still, I came up with good stuff.

Update 8/1/07

Justin suggests "Supermassive Black Hole by Muse. Sample lyrics.

Glaciers melting in the dead of night
And the superstars sucked into the supermassive

I like it! - Otterboy

 

“Only Happy When it Rains” – Garbage

            The kayaking season in Washington state never really ends, but August through October can be dry. The snow is long gone, and we actually don’t get a lot of that lovely Pacific Northwest rain during those months. By the end of October we’re all tired of surfing the ocean, sliding down wet rocks on our local runs or driving to Canada for decent flows.  Then the jet stream changes and all that wonderful moisture slams into the West Coast.

 

“Over the Falls” – Primus

            I’m not sure how to categorize the music of Primus. That’s OK, no one else is either. According to Wikipedia, Primus is the only band to have a ID3v1 tag (and if it’s in Wikipedia it’s gospel as far as I’m concerned). “Over the Falls” is off the band’s much-maligned Brown Album and the words will have to speak for themselves. Next time you run Silver Creek (if they ever fix the damn road) keep this song in mind at the put-in!

They broke out in laughter again
His lip beaded with sweat as they strapped him in
And he stood by and waited to be called

The talk was of times that'd gone by
And the quantity and quality of women they lie
His eyes welled with wet and his mouth had gone dry

As he stood by and waited to be called
He stood by and waited to be called
He stood by and waited like the others before
For his turn to go over the falls

He got up and tried it again
For lack of persistence is surely a sin
As he stood by and waited to be called

He looked to the lightning with glee
And admired his vessel for its symmetry
Feeling twelve units shy of a bachelor's degree

As he stood by and waited to be called
He stood by and waited to be called
He stood by and waited like the others before
For his turn to go over the falls

“Five Feet High and Rising” – Johnny Cash

           No playlist is complete without Johnny Cash.This song speaks for itself. You can hum it to yourself the next time you run the main Skykomish River at 50,000 cfs (not that anyone would actually do that).

 

“Undertow” – Tool

            I’ve been on a huge Tool kick lately, and this song is one of the reasons why. If you’ve ever been in a life or death situation on the river you’ll see where this fits in. The control and precision you have in a kayak suddenly vanish when you swim. I’ve never felt so helpless as when I’m getting a world class beat-down in a rapid.

 

“Mountain Song” – Jane’s Addiction

            This song is about creeking. What else could Perry Farrell have been thinking about when he wrote this? OK, I’ll accept skiing or snowboarding, but definitely gravity sports. This is a song for those steep creeks that just fall away from you, horizon line after horizon line.

 

“Fear of Drowning” – British Sea Power

            Let’s all make our rolls, OK?

 

“When the Levee Breaks” – Led Zeppelin

             Kayakers have a distinctly skewed view of floods. No one likes the death and destruction they bring, but holy crap, isn’t this cool! No one is cheering for the levees to break, but sometimes the river gods have other plans.

 

“Float On” – Modest Mouse

            At the end of the day isn’t this what we all want? Let’s just float on.

 

 

            Do you have suggestions for a great whitewater play list? Send your ideas to Otterboy at kayakcult.com.  I’ll include the best reader submissions in a new playlist.