Tuesday, October 21, 2008

100 bpm - songs to save your life

A research study at the University of Illinois suggests that people were more effective at Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) if they were listening to the Bee Gees 'Staying Alive' while performing it. The reason is apparently that the song's tempo, 103 beats per minute, is close to the optimum number of 100 compressions per minute to help jump start a heart during a cardiac arrest.

I don't mind this song, but if you're working in the health service it might be an idea to get a bit of variety and check out other tracks with a similar tempo. DJ BPM Studio - which specialises in just this kind of thing - has a whole list of 100 BPM tracks including Madonna 'La Isla Bonita' and Bjork 'Isobel'; pretty close too is Lily Allen 'LDN' (100.01 BPM), Pink 'Stupid Girl' (100.02), ABBA 'Dancing Queen' (100.47), The Clash 'Hitsville UK' (100.69) and Blondie 'In the Flesh' (100.8).

Update February 2012: The British Heart Foundation have put out an advert for hands only CPR featuring actor/ex-footballer Vinnie Jones and using 'Staying Alive' as the soundtrack 

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

If you can find a 100bpm song that possesses sweeter irony and is more memorable, I'd love to hear it. Especially if it's got other instructions in it. ;)

Anonymous said...

lol another one bites the dust by queen. Thats pretty ironic.

Anonymous said...

This is fabulous. I am a first aid instructor and am now downloading these tracks for CPR practice tomorrow for my students. Think they will love it!

. said...

Keep pumpin'

Anonymous said...

"Prayer for the Dying" by Seal. 99.90 bpm. I think that one is more bittersweet than Queen's song and the lyrics really are talking about what happens for most codes.

Here's a good list,
from ironic to better choices:
Takin' Back My Heart - Cher
Heart of Stone - Cher
Life's Been Good (to me so far) - Joe Walsh
Seconds - U2
("takes a second to say goodbye")
(great beat!)
My Heart Goes Out - Warren Barfield
Grace - Warren Barfield
("we all need a second chance")
Since You're Gone - The Cars
Lay Your Hands on Me - Thompson Twins
Alive & Kicking - Simple Minds
Darkening of the Light - Concrete Blonde
Always Going Home - John Gorka
La Isla Bonita - Madonna
How Soon is Now - Furs/Smiths/SnakeRiverConspiracy
Friend of the Devil - the Dead
Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding
For a Little While - Tim McGraw
Maria Maria - Santana
Take My Picture - Filter
Another Day in Paradise - Phil Collins
Oh What a Night - 4 Seasons
Neon Moon - Brooks and Dunn
Father Figure - George Michael
Shining Song - Steve Winwood
Testimony - Robbie Robertson
Shout 2000 - Disturbed
Down in It - Nine Inch Nails
Mother's Little Helper - Stones
Amarain - Amr Diab
Couldn't Get it Right - Climax Blues Band
Birdhouse in Your Soul - They Might be Giants
50 Ways to Leave Your Lover - Paul Simon
Dust on the Bottle- DavidLeeMurphy
Life is a Highway - Tom Cochrane
Sunday Bloody Sunday - U2
Who Wrote the Book of Love
Cecilia - Simon & Garfunkel
Duke of Earl - Four Tops

Yes, all these songs are on my iPod. Try an artist you've never heard of before. Make a CD and bring it to your ER for the next code.

They range from 95bpm to 105bpm.

Dr. Marlowe

Anonymous said...

Can someone help me locate/make a list of songs/titles that are
100-120 Beats/min. that are oldies, classics, "new" country music ---- for us "olders folks"?

. said...

I've corrected the link to BPM Studio (http://djbpmstudio.com/) in this post which lists songs by tempo, so it's quite easy to make up your own list. A lot of the stuff on their list tends to be newer pop though.

The Beatles - Hello, Goodbye (100.83 bpm)

Carpenters - Top of the World (103.91)

Rolling Stones - Have you seen your mother baby (101.41)

Stevie Wonder, My Cherie Amour (101.37)

cdg said...

Thanks for all these cool suggestions from Germany!

c

Anonymous said...

I've been using songs in CPR for quite some time, this list gives me a better variety! Good to change it up every now and then! THANKS!

Anonymous said...

Highway to Hell by AC/DC ;-)

Rapid Blue said...

do you really wanna hurt me - culture club :?
Walk this way - Run DMC
Mickey - Toni Basil - hair slow at 99 but hey you wont get it out of your head all day

Anonymous said...

I cannot beleive no one got Don't Fear the Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult

Anonymous said...

Stayin' alive - Bee Gees !!

Anonymous said...

Too bad "Closer" by NIN is only 90bpm. Look up the opening lyrics. lol

Anonymous said...

And another bites the dust...

Littledancingfawn said...

Awesome list!! Thank you

Dirt Cheap Grandma said...

Quit Playing Games (With My Heart) - Backstreet Boys

Unknown said...

Empirial March theme from Star Wars

Unknown said...

Blue Oyster Cult's "Don't Fear The Reaper" (mentioned above) is performed at approximately 140 bpm. Brian

Unknown said...

Thriller is a little fast but... Uptown Funk...

Imperial Death March