The Best Defense list of the top 10 songs for heading into combat

Foreign Policy ^ | 12 Nov 2010 | Thomas Ricks

[combat_boots]

I like most kinds of rock. I like folk, country, blues, bluegrass in measured doses, and most jazz. I like Italian opera. I enjoy a lot of classical stuff, and I love Beethoven's solo piano music. My son even carefully selected for me rap he thought I'd like, and he generally was right. On the other hand, I just can't stand heavy metal. As I wrote this item, I was listening to the top 10 list (below), and my normally loyal dogs abandoned their posts in my home office.

But this is not about me, or the dogs. This is not a discussion of good music or even of favorite music, but rather songs that U.S. soldiers have used in recent years to prepare themselves to fight. Here's a comment, from "JC333," that explains what drives people to listen to the songs on this list: "I would pretty much know if I was going into a particularly hairy area. I used to get in a pretty dark mood and while some people liked to get amped to songs by Metallica or AC/DC, I liked to listen to Nine Inch Nails' 'Downward Spiral.'"

[combat_boots]

I don't know how this list was compiled, but it's a start. "Zen and the Art of Combat Music"

[rarestia]

Aside from Stevie Nicks, everyone one of those bands is on rotation in my iPod at the gym. Nothing gets the blood pumping faster than a little Metallica in the head!

[ClearCase_guy]

"All along the Watchtower" -- Hendrix version
"Jumping Jack Flash"

[rahbert]

Likewize at the ice rink. Nothing gets a hockey team
in a better mood than Metallica during pregame warmups.

[Grunthor]

Peace Sells, But whose Buying - Megadeth

[The KG9 Kid]

I thought that the undeniable #1 song was The Rolling Stones' Gimme Shelter, because as everyone knows, that's the music that UH-1 Hueys emit when they're flying over jungle terrain in Vietnam transporting the US Army's Air Cavalry soldiers to a hot LZ.

Anyone who's ever watched a Hollywood movie about Vietnam knows that.

[hosepipe]

The Ride Of The Valkyries - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx7XNb3Q9Ek

[AppyPappy]

Disturbed - Indestructible

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWxBrI0g1kE

[LonePalm]

Anything with bagpipes on loud speakers pointed at the enemy.

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

[SkyPilot]

“Whole Lotta Love” by LZ was used during Vietnam.

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

Back in the day, so long ago that I used to carry a SONY Walkman that played tapes during my daily run, I had it set to play The Theme From Rocky (Gonna Fly Now) to motivate me for the last half-mile. That opening riff always got my blood flowing.

[Mr. Mojo]

“We have a loudspeaker here, and when we go into battle we play music, very loud. It kind of... calms us down.” - Oddball

[skeeter]

‘Stranglehold’ worked before hs football games back in the day.

[Lazamataz]

top 10 songs for heading into combat

1. "Loving You Is Easy", by Sarah McLachlan
2. "The Power of Love", by Celine Dion
3. "Sweetest Taboo", by Sade
4. "Just a Girl", by No Doubt
5. "Cherry Lips", by Garbage
6. "I Got You Babe", by Sonny and Cher
7. "Butterfly Kisses", by Bob Carlisle

That's all I can come up with.

[null and void]

Anything with bagpipes on loud speakers pointed at the enemy.

Q: Why do bagpipers always march when playing?

[SE Mom]

Thunderstruck was favorite of my soldier’s combat unit.

[ClearCase_guy]

“Bad to the Bone”

[null and void]

8. “Brand New Key” by Melanie

[jaydubya2]

They’re trying to get away from the sound?

[DaiHuy]

“Black JuJu” Alice Cooper
“Iron Man” Black Sabbath