While Valentine’s Day may be a sensitive holiday for those not head-over-heels in love with someone, it’s definitely my favorite theme to curate. I never want to exclude anyone, so I always create a playlist that celebrates breakups, makeups, and everything in between. It’s not always an even balance of songs, but no one feels left out.
This year’s inspiration started with the 2001 Daft Punk song “Something About Us.” Daft Punk is a French electronic music duo most notably known for their 2013 collaboration “Get Lucky” with Pharrell. Others may know them as the two weirdos always wearing robot helmets.
“Something About Us” is a sentimental love song from the movie Interstella 5555, a Japanese-French anime film, which has no dialogue and instead uses Daft Punk’s Discovery album to tell a story. Billboard.com summarized it best: “This song expresses something so deep but not often celebrated. We’ve all had a love like this, the passionately doomed love you know can only fail, but it doesn’t really matter. Those loves matter, too.” If you ask me, it’s a perfect cool-down.
The song is 3:53 and the lyrics, while simple, strike a chord.
It might not be the right time
I might not be the right one
But there’s something about us I want to say
‘Cause there’s something between us anyway
I might not be the right one
It might not be the right time
But there’s something about us I’ve got to do
Some kind of secret I will share with you
I need you more than anything in my life
I want you more than anything in my life
I’ll miss you more than anyone in my life
I love you more than anyone in my life
Like all my playlists the music is eclectic, or as I like to call it, all over the place. For example, French Montana, Sofi Tukker, LL Cool J, HAIM, Toni Braxton, and Jennifer’s recent Friday Favorite, “Wicked Games” by Parra for Cuva, all make an appearance on this profile. Like I said, there’s something for everyone!
The overall objective is to have fun for the first half of class as you ride through mixed terrain, including one-leg drills (keeping both feet connected to the pedals but focusing on one leg at a time) and a 14-minute climb. The second half kicks it up a few notches, employing higher cadences and higher intensities.
After warming up, you’ll begin with a long, seated climb then move into standing attacks on a hill. You’ll catch your breath with a recovery then finish STRONG with runs, leg surges, and sprints.
Sound like fun? Great—grab your water and pour your heart and soul into this ride!