When you hear John Mellencamp’s "Hurts So Good" twice on the car radio — in a span of 15 minutes — you know it’s summer. And if you’re like me, someone who’s spent the last 10 years on public transportation, here’s what you’re thinking: Damn, that sounds so good in here that I might actually be brave enough to take that road trip I’ve been talking about (for years now) if I had a playlist of songs just like it. So, PopWatchers, since these Village Voice suggestions didn’t do it for me, I turn to you. What tracks will get me on the road? Here are a few already wooing me:
• Bruce Springsteen’s "Thunder Road": The perfect song to coax me out onto a four-lane highway. (Worked for Bruce, seen here in 1975, at about the time he recorded this song.) I would have taken this trip a long time ago, Boss, if two lanes really could take us anywhere.
• Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ "American Girl": I’ll just try to block out that line about "if she had to die…."
• Shooter Jennings’ "4th of July": Followed by George Jones’ "He Stopped Loving Her Today," naturally.
• Fleetwood Mac’s "Everywhere": It will have to be the live Dance version, so it has the heavy drum after "Oh I…(BUMP BUMP) I…(BUMP BUMP)."
• Rod Stewart’s "Some Guys Have All the Luck": So I can be sad that I’m alone on the trip, but not too sad.
• Bonnie Tyler’s "Holding Out for a Hero" 
erhaps it’s best that I’m traveling solo. No one needs to hear me dothose background vocals. It’ll also be good for when I’m falling asleepat the wheel. Has there ever been a bigger explosion of sound?
• Steve Earle’s "Guitar Town": Maybe I’ll find a good rockin’ daddy down from Tennessee.
• Hanson’s "MMMBop": If you can’t listen to this song in the summer, people, when can you listen to it? (New album out July 24!)
• Melanie C’s "I Turn to You":I can’t believe I like a song with the line "I turn to you/Like aflower leaning toward the sun" in it. Also, is this the only songthat’s ever used the word anxiety?
• Aerosmith’s "Cryin’": I’d take Kelly Clarkson’s version, too.
• George Strait’s "Carrying Your Love With Me":I know he sings about going from West Virginia to Tennessee, but Idon’t think life would get any better than listening to this fromMontana to Wyoming.
Your turn.
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“Paradise By The Dashboard Light” by Meatloaf! My friend and I love to sing it in the car! And if you want a whole album that’s good for a roadtrip, we always love the “Dazed and Confused” soundtrack.
I did a 10 hour road trip one year from Ohio to North Carolina (by myself) and the following songs helped immensely:
Springsteen- Born To Run
Mellencamp- Pink Houses
Jackson Brown- Running on Empty
Bob Seger- Turn The Page
U2- Beautiful Day
Madonna- Ray Of Light
Depeche Mode- Route 66
Don Henley- Boys Of Summer
The Doors- LA Woman
The Eagles- Take It easy
Train- Meet Virginia
Ryan Adams- New York, New York
Sheryl Crow- Soak Up the Sun
Prince- Let’s Go Crazy
Pet Shop Boys- Always On My Mind
you can’t have a road trip without tom cochrane’s ‘life is a highway’!
“All Fired Up” by Fastway. That song will help you complete your road trip in half the time guaranteed.
Where the streets have no name by U2. especially if you are driving in the desert
Radar Love is a must. But be careful, by the time the lyrics kick in you will probably be going 95 MPH
I don’t know why but everytime I hear “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” by Tears for Fears I think of a roadtrip…
“Roadrunner” by Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers.
When I did a 14-hour drive from Maryland to Mississippi (Navy’s choice, not mine), this was my Mississippi Bound Playlist:
-”Mississippi” by Sheryl Crow
-”Wake Me Up When September Ends” by Green Day
-”Shadowboxer” by Fiona Apple
-”Move Along” by All American Rejects
-”In the Waiting Line” by Zero 7
-”Now Comes the Night” by Rob Thomas
-”Till We Run Out of Road” by Jewel
-”Cruz” by Xtina
-”New World Bound” by Jake Kirk
-”The Beginning is the End is the Beginning” by Smashing Pumpkins
-”Save Me” by Aimee Mann
-”World on Fire” by Sarah Mclachlan
-”Travelin’ Thru” by Dolly Parton
-”Gone” by Madonna
-”Fly Like a Bird” by Mariah
-”Mississippi” by The Dixie Chicks
Needless to say, my song selections refelect my disdain for having been assigned to Mississippi. But it’s not so bad now. Well, I’m trying to make lemonade, and whatnot.
My two driving favorites:
“Dim” by Dada
“I Can See for Miles” by The Who
Chocolate – Snow Patrol
Days Go By – Keith Urban
Makes Me Wonder – Maroon 5
Baby, Now That I Found You – The Foundations
Uptown Girl – Billy Joel
This Side – Nickel Creek
Amsterdam – Guster
Woke Up In A Car – Something Corporate
Every other weekend or so, I make a 3 hour drive back home. My favorites so far for the drive have been:
1. Arcade Fire – Funeral
2. Bruce Springsteen – Born to Run
3. The Clash – London Calling
4. The Band – Music from Big Pink
5. Radiohead – OK Computer
6. Ryan Adams – Heartbreaker
7. Sufjan Stevens – Illinois/Seven Swans
8. U2 – Unforgettable Fire
(furry_tom, Modern Lovers are amazing!)
When summer hits, I always reach for my Beastie Boys License to Ill and Ill Communication CDs to put in my car. They make a great driving soundtrack.
A road trip to the beach requires a Motown soundtrack. I don’t know when I formed this association, but I am physically unable to drive to the beach without Marvin Gaye, the Supremes, and Aretha.
Indigo Girls’ Rites of Passage album is the best road-trip CD. My husband and I always have to have that in the car on a long trip, and we sing along (in two-part harmony, of course) to every word. (And thanks for the Hanson album plug, Mandi – I’m liking you more and more each day!)
What about “Midnight Rider” by the Allman Brothers Band? The live version on “At Fillmore East” is a great driving song.
Obvious Child – Paul Simon
This Love – Maroon 5
Vacation – Go Go’s
Spirit in the Sky – Norman Greenbaum
Mother – Pink Floyd
I’m All Right – Kenny Loggins
Honky Tonk Woman – Rolling Stones
Waiting for the Bus – ZZ Top
“You Belong To My Heart” – Old 97’s
“New Year’s Day” – Charlie Robison (really!)
“Big Blue Sea” – Bob Schneider
Pretty much stick with Texas artists, we have a long summer down here…
any of Bob Seger’s greatest hits…
Life in the Fast Lane by the Eagles.
And for some reason, I love to listen to AC/DC’s Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap album on road trips, especially Big Balls (over and over and over).
Freedy Johnston “Bad Reputation”
Martha Wainwright “When the Day is Short”
Wilco “I’m the Man Who Loves You”
Rufus Wainwright “California”
Radiohead “Planet Telex”
Devotchka “Til the End of Time”
Broken Social Scene “7/4 (Shoreline)”
Arcade Fire “Antichrist Television Blues”
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah “Heavy Metal”
Sufjan Stevens “Chicago”
The Strokes “Someday”
Rilo Kiley “Paint’s Peeling”
Andrew Bird “Fake Palindromes”
Brendan Benson “Cold Hands (Warm Heart)”
Yeah Yeah Yeahs “Maps”
Spiritualized “Any Way You Want Me”
Aimee Mann “Ghost World”
The Jesus and Mary Chain “Far Gone and Out”
Beck “Devils Haircut”
Ivy “Edge of the Ocean”
Nick Drake “Pink Moon”
The Decemberists “July, July!”
We just got back from a 14 hour roadtrip. Probably my current favorites for driving are the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtracks (well, the first and the third). Great driving music. I also enjoy Delerium and Enigma in the car. As for single songs…”Take On Me” by Ah Ha. Fun to sing along to.
Totally agree with the “Radar Love” suggestion!
A Girl Like You -Edwyn Collins
Song 2 -Blur
Supermassive Black Hole -Muse
Road Trippin’ -RHCP (just because)
Hella Good -No Doubt
Ray of Light -Madonna
Safety Dance -Men Without Hats
I find that playing the Avalanches’ “Since I Left You” from beginning to end gets you from one place to the next very quickly.
Also, “Think Twice” by Ralph Myerz and the Jack Herren Band. (They are good.)
My mix-tapes always have to be ecclectic.
Julieta Venegas – “Me voy” (very appropriate song to begin your roadtrip)
The Smiths – “There is a light that never goes out”
Remy Zero – “Belong”
Mikel Erentxun – “A un minuto de ti”
The Cure – “Just like heaven”
Duncan Dhu – “En algun lugar”
Thalia – “Arrasando”
Pete Yorn – “Bandstand in the sky”
Right off the top of my head, Boston’s “More Than A Feeling”.
I love to drive to some of the disco music that has stood the test of time.
Hello! “Don’t stop, Believin’!! Hold on to that feeelinnnn’” There is a severe lack of Journey on these lists, it’s the best stay awake music ever!
Shotgun in my Soul by Cowboy Mouth is a necessity. It’s a great tune for rolling down the windows and singing along. And it’s always nice to pretend that you are the “little honeybee” to which the song goes out.