Comic Relief: Top Five Air Guitar Songs

It's only Wednesday, but it feels like the weekend should have been here two days ago. You have a full plate ahead, lots of work left to do, classes at or college to sit through or are just plain in need of a break.

We have you covered.

"Comic Relief!" is a new weekly column designed to put a smile on your face by providing you with jokes, funny pictures from around the region and more to bring a smile to your face before you return to your busy schedule.

Enjoy!

So here is just how musically talented I am: in order to play a song without completely butchering it on any instrument, I need to move beyond the realm of the usual and strum away on my air guitar.

No, really. I am THAT bad. But my guess is I am far from alone.

The air guitar has for decades now been an invaluable instrument in order to help the musically challenged such as myself find a way to pretend I have the talent it takes to be a Rock-N-Roll God – that and the invention of Guitar Hero and Rock Band, but let’s be honest; unless you play video games for a considerable amount of time each day or turn down the difficulty setting, it’s hard to even be good at that.

For those not so musically inclined in the world, however, the air guitar is a savior. I just wouldn’t recommend breaking it out on a date. (Mistake made, lesson learned…don’t ask because I don’t want to talk about it!)

That’s why today, I am breaking out my favorite “Top Five Air Guitar Songs.” Download these songs onto your IPod, phone, computer, stereo or other musical device of choice and get to rocking!

Top Five Air Guitar Songs

5. Are You Gonna Be My Girl? (Jet): An 18-month-old rocking out with the air guitar? Automatically makes the top five, no further discussion needed.

4. Play With Me (Extreme): This song had to make the list. After all, it is the only song that can make even the meanest of air guitar haters secretly strum a note or two. Keeping up and making the air guitar look good to this one? Well, that's a different story. I also wouldn't recommend use of a Hello Kitty bra while playing. Just sayin'.

3. Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen): What better stress relief is there than to open up the air guitar case, bust it out and strum away after Freddie Mercury reminds you that he's "just gotta get right out of here!" Enough said.

2. Bat Out of Hell (Meatloaf): Rock opera. Let's be honest, nothing fits the air guitar's role better than some rock opera, and no one seemed to provide better songs for the guitar than Meatloaf. Editor's note: If you intend to play the air guitar to this song, it's best to make that decision sober or you too could end up on YouTube (see link).

1. Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin): If it's good enough to be the grand finale song to promote world peace at the 2010 Air Guitar US Championships, it's good enough to be my number one selection. Let's face it, the lyrics say it all. "And if you listen very hard/The tune will come to you at last/When all are one and one is all/To be a rock and not to roll."

Now before we return you back to your regularly scheduled programming, I need just on promise from you: please, PLEASE take it easy and don't become another YouTube Air Guitar casualty.