This afternoon brings a road trip, and as much as I am excited to get where I am going (a moving party for good friends of mine), I am also looking forward to the drive itself. I will muffle my inner Pastor, keeping him from making this a sermon about “life being a journey, not a destination”, be that as it may. Instead I will focus on the single greatest thing about sending 3.5 solitary hours on Highway 2: The Road Trip Playlist.
Creating the Road Trip Playlist (or RTP, for fans of acronyms and/or typing efficiency) is a sacred cultic act. It requires great Zen-like focus, weeding through my many thousands of songs on iTunes to select the 60 Chosen Ones. The ritualistic act of “The Choice” requires the gifts of foresight and discernment, for it requires anticipation of what I will want to listen to tomorrow, which may or may not be the same as today. For this is no “Favourites List” I am attempting to cull. I already have that playlist on my iPod. Even though they will forever be my favourite songs, I don’t always want to listen to those songs. This playlist isn’t necessarily for Sufjan Stevens, or Radiohead, or Bob Dylan (especially since I am just coming down off my Dylan fever from last month). This playlist is for capturing a proper sense of escape, freedom, and glee. Following is a short list of determining factors for songs to make the RTP:
- Fat Backbeat to keep me properly woken up (and for optimal steering wheel finger drumming)
- Subtly reflective lyrics. Not too philosophical… I needs my brains for drivings. Also, not too emotional… it would be weird for passing vehicles to see a grown man sobbing alone in his minivan at 120 kmph
- Singability, preferably in my “range”, because I have one of those
- Familiarity. This is not the place for musical rookies. The RTP is for those established veterans who have earned their place
This is a guideline. Moreover, it’s a guideline that allows for a LOT of my music. My initial drafting of the playlist (before I whittle it down a bit) includes 134 songs, which is about 20 more songs than I would consider ideal for a Calgary-and-back trip. So, the guideline is fallible, but ultimately, I’ll just listen to whatever I want to listen to, if that’s okay with you. In the following list, I will name what I consider to be near-perfect Road Trip Songs (I won’t call them RTS’s… that would be lame).
*Note: The RTS’s are listed in alphabetical order, because I cannot objectively measure something like this. I tried, but I couldn’t fit Beck into my test tubes.
- “All for Swinging You Around“, New Pornographers
-Evokes a sense of reckless abandon, and comes with percussion perfectly suited for mad tapping. Great way to start the party. See also: “Bleeding Hearts Show” and “The Laws Have Changed”. - “Around the World“, Red Hot Chili Peppers
-”All around the world, we can make time/rompin’ and stompin’ cuz I’m in my prime.” The Peppers will make even a trip to see your Grandma in Saskatchewan feel like a blissed-out, bass-pumped funk odyssey. Mind the curse word, though. - “Birdflu“, MIA
-Quite possibly the heaviest percussion this side of John Bonham. Although I understand less than 60% of these lyrics, I still sing/shout/rap them as loudly as possible from the confines of the driver’s seat. - “Ch-Check It Out“, Beastie Boys
-Add a little absurdist humour to your road trip with this gem from the ‘Boys. See also: “Sabotage” and “Hey Ladies”.
- “Come Together“, The Beatles
-Despite the super-high singability quotient, it’s really tough to get all the random jumble of lyrical imagery in the right order. “Is it ‘one plus one plus one is three’ next, or is it ‘got to be a joker he just do what he please’ next?” Worth it for the organ solo, though. - “Dare“, Gorillaz
-When this comes on, my Chevy Venture is instantly transformed into a head-bobbing discotheque. Yes, I do know how absolutely lame I look. No, I don’t care, because it “never did no harm. It’s Dare.” See also: “Rhinestone Eyes” and “Rock the House” - “Dashboard“, Modest Mouse
-Bonus points for being about a beaten up car with a melted dashboard but a working stereo. However, the scratch guitar and driving beat are more than enough to qualify it for this list. See also: “Paper Thin Walls” and “I’ve Got it All(Most)”. - “Gold Lion“, Yeah Yeah Yeahs
-One of my all-time favourites. Somehow, this songs sounds most perfect when you are watching cars rip past you at 110 kmph in the opposite direction; makes it feel like you are the only person in the world going the ‘right way’. (Listen to “Gold Lion” here.) - “Golden Age“/”Novocane“, Beck
-Polar opposites from the Beck catalogue. “Golden Age” is all lonely escape, driving theough the isolated nighttime back highways to shed your worries. It is sad and detached, but hopeful and sooooo singable. “Novocane” is a silly little romp about a truck driver (“Express Lane… EXPLODE!”) that has breakdowns, build ups, sidetracks, and samples galore. Back-to-back, they work surprisingly well. - “Guns of Brixton“, The Clash
-Play this song on your road trip, and suddenly you are driving a tank, being driven by some of the most steering wheel-abuse-worthy drums in the world, taking orders from a lithe and bouncy bassline, ready to battle… oh, I don’t know… that guy who cut you off somewhere around Red Deer. - “Here I Come“, The Roots
-If I were to write a list of perfect hip hop songs to trudge through a blizzard to, this would be number one. I am not writing that list, so it will have to settle for a prestigious spot here on this list. It’s just so darn funky! - “Little Bones“, Tragically Hip
-My good friend Zach once called The Tragically Hip a band that was created solely to be listened to on the road, and I couldn’t agree more. This is my favourite Hip tune. - “Misty Mountain Hop“, Led Zeppelin
-Try not to speed too much as MMH propels you along with it’s upbeat organ work and stompworthy drums. Perfect for the section of the drive when the Rockies are just starting to come into view. See also: “Ramble On” and “Immigrant Song”. - “Over and Over“, Hot Chip
-Highway 2 is a cut-and-paste journey. Another overpass to a town you’ll never visit. Another F-350 passes you at warp speed. Another blizzard around Innisfail. At least “Over and Over” turns the monotony into dancability. (Listen to “Over and Over.“) - “Real Estate“, Cadence Weapon
-Clever lyrics + headnod-worthy beat = solid hip hop choice to keep your eyes open wide as you near the end of your journey. Watch the video… HERE! - “Touch the Sky“, Kanye West
-Kanye, you have made a lot of errors, but this is not one of them. This is my August anthem… the sun is still bright and warm, the freedom of summer lingers & shines, and the nostalgia of the song hints to the fact that sunshine is not permanent. Plus, that brass sample is the reason humanity invented the brass section.
There are many more songs that could be included (I’m looking at you, Arcade Fire, Arctic Monkeys, Rage Against the Machine, and “El Scorcho”). But alright. The playlist is set, and in a few hours I hit the road. Can’t wait to see my friends, and I look forward to being wrapped up in some music along the way. I’ll leave with a question… what are your favourite Road Trip Songs?
