Back at it again, aren’t we? Hopefully your noggin’s power switch has flicked on by this point, you sleepy Ospreys. If not, check out this week’s Top Five Triumphant Return Anthems to get into academic gear. And if these don’t do the trick, try donning some legwarmers. Those typically yield positive results … or something. And here we go:

“Wake Up” by Arcade Fire

In case this song’s over-saturation from the let-down that was “Where The Wild Things Are” doesn’t make you want to slam your head against something hard and/or spiky, it can really do the trick in lending to an epic morning whilst preparing for class with the Fire’s trademark theatrical vocal work and crescendo. I once heard someone call the Decemberists “the poor man’s Arcade Fire.” This song serves as a shining example of how AF will always trump Colin and Co. Feelin’ pumped, yet?

“The Mack is Back” by Kool Keith

After a solid minute or so of token interlude, the sex-crazed MC aka Dr. Octagon aka Dr. Doom aka every girl’s dream gets the hedonism pumpin’. Keith employs some slow bass beats as a solid vertebrae on which to hang rhymes like, “I got a cape like superman/ I’mma put it on/ Grab the Vaseline/ Make your hiney shine like Mr. Clean.” Perhaps not the most scholastically based jam, but the chorus ought to infuse your early semester steps with a little more flavor … or at least more libido activity.

“Slim’s Return” by Madlib

Yanked from Otis Jackson Jr.’s 2003 rethinking of legendary jazz label Blue Note’s archives “Shades of Blue,” this track exists as exactly the kind of ditty to which you’d want to been seen rolling up. Dusted with minimal old school LP scratches, Mad drenches ‘Slim’ in strings and sirens. KRS-One’s infamous refrain from ’93 even makes a few guest appearances. Inspirational? Hell yeah.

“We Just Won’t Be Defeated” by The Go! Team

I guess you could call this ditty from the British sextet instrumental … ish. The Go! Team really just waltzes through life as a pack of personal cheerleaders for their listening audience with peppy, synchronized shouting and glittery piano bits.

“Return of the Mecca” by Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth

The entire point of 1992 was to produce killer hip-hop, I’m convinced. I personally like to replace Mecca’s first letter with “B” during the choruses … but this phenomenal lyrically inclined duo ensure the track’s stokedom-inducing abilities regardless of your name.