It's been a while since we had a good Friday Fun thread (about a month IIRC), and I've had this one kicking around for a while (heck, I may have done it before for all I can remember...) Today's fun thread is about your favorite driving tunes - those songs that, when they come on the radio (yeah, I know, playlist on your mp3 player, bear with me) you can't help but sing along to, all the while your right foot puts greater and greater pressure on the gofastinator...
Here's my Top Ten Driving Tunes:
1. "Move It On Over" by George Thorogood and the Delaware Destroyers. I've been pulled over no less than three times that can be directly attributed to this song playing. There's just something about the combination of the lyrics and the wailing Gibson just sends the foot to the floor and the needled into the "is this trip really necessary" zone.
2. "Unchained" by Van Halen. This is just one of those songs that so totally and thoroughly kicks ass that it pretty much belongs on any list. This is my standard response to anyone who claims that Van Hagar was the better group, too - while I appreciate the contribution that Sammy made to the band, Roth's unique vocals, especially in Unchained, blended with Eddie's hammering guitar were legend. This is one of those tunes that gets the volume cranked up to 11, the blood flowing, and for three short minutes I'm 17 again.
3. "Hot Rod Lincoln" by Commander Cody and his Airmen. "She's got eight cylinders, uses 'em all; she got overdrive, just can't stall". Oh. Hell. Yes. Just thinking about this song gets my right foot tappin' and wanting to press down on the accelerator... This is one of those songs you can loop over and over on a driving tape (ha! showing your age here Jay!) and not get tired of it.
4. "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC. I deliberated between this and "Highway to Hell" for a good long time; Highway to Hell certainly has the lyrics backing it up. I went with "Thunderstruck" for a very simple reason - I have clear and vivid memories of listening to this on the radio in my Buick as I blasted down back roads at speeds that can only be considered ludicrous...
5. "I Can't Drive 55" by Sammy Hagar. Oh yeah, the '80s paean to Ferarris, big hair, and neon yellow jumpsuits makes the list. With a video custom tailored to a teenaged boy's imagination and Sammy's hammerin' guitar, this is one of those enduring classics (did I really just use the word "classic" to describe "I Can't Drive 55"???) that gets the hammer down.
6. "Born to be Wild" by Steppenwolf. Yeah, it's a cliché, but it's a cliché for a reason - it totally kicks ass. You cannot hear this song without imagining yourself on a motorcycle with the throttle held wide open. Besides, either this or "Magic Carpet Ride" have to make any top ten list of kick ass songs. I think it's in the Constitution somewhere.
7. "Fuel" by Metallica. Speed metal and driving really fast seem to go together like chocolate and peanut butter - something about the wail of a shredding guitar and the hum of a blackwall going close to triple digits just meshing well. Do not listen to this song going through Connecticut or New York, as it's almost guaranteed to get you going at least slightly above the speed limit, and they'll nail ya for it...
8. "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide" by ZZ Top. The Trio from Texas has to make the list, and while this is more of a cruisin' tune than a hammerin' down the highway tune, it's just a fun song to have playing while the miles roll on.
9. "Life is a Highway" by Tom Cochrane. The former front man for Red Ryder had his one breakout hit with this tune, later remade by Rascal Flatts for Pixar's "Cars". It's a little more easygoing road tune, perfect for when you've got the cruise control set on a lonesome stretch of highway out in the middle of nowhere and just need something to keep time as the telephone poles whiz by.
10. "Gearjammer" by George Thorogood and the Delaware Destroyers. Lonesome George gets two slots on the list because of this wailing, screaming, driving tune. If he hadn't covered Hank Williams' "Move It On Over" this probably would have made the top slot. It also happens to be one of the few songs I can play on the guitar (well, I used to play; it's been a while...)
So there's my Top Ten Driving Tunes - now what are yours?
That is all.
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26 comments:
"Drivers Seat"
"Runnin with the Devil"
"I'm a Man"
"Radar Love"
"The Zoo"
"Night Moves"
"Fight the Good Fight"
"Last Chance"
"Riding the Storm Out"
plenty more.....
ooooh... Spenser Davis Group FTW!
"Radar Love"-Golden Earring
"Never Been Any Reason" - Head East
"Lawyers, Guns & Money" Warren Zevon
"After Midnight" - JJ Cale
"Horizontal Bop" - Bob Seager
"One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer" - George Thorogood
"Point of Know Return" - Kansas
"Only Time Will Tell" - Asia
"Don't Stop Me Now" - Queen
"Money" - Flying Lizards
"Don't Pay the Ferryman" - Chris DeBurgh
"Walking on Broken Glass" Annie Lennox
...and the list goes on and on and on...
When I saw you open with Move It On Over, I was hoping you'd leave room for Gear Jammer. I'm just lucky Wyoming has open, straight roads, and few cops, or my wallet would hate that song as much as my right boot loves it.
There's a whole heapin' helpin' of Country songs for this list:
Red Simpson, "Diesel Smoke, Dangerous Curves"
Roger Miller, "King of the Road"
Garth Brooks, "Papa loved Momma"
Jason Aldean, "Johnny Cash"
Kathy Mattea, "18 Wheels"
And just to show I listen to other music:
Little Feat, "Let it Roll"
The one that I wailed along with yesterday as I drove north was Jeff Buckley's "Last Goodbye."
"Breaking the Law" and just about anything else by Judas Priest
"Red Barchetta" by Rush
"Breaking Out" and "Light up the Night" by The Protomen
"Highway Star" by Deep Purple
Love most of the list... except Life is a Highway.
It was mildly entertaining when it came out, but now EVERY producer in the world uses it when talking about any kind of travel. Overkill extreme.
Radar Love works as a replacement.
Thunderstruck's good, but more than a few of my speeding tickets can be tied to "Shook me All Night Long."
Either Seeger or Metallica's version of "Turn the Page" (especially when you ARE on the the road, east of Omaha).
That's why I used the Tom Cochrane version and not the Rascal Flatts. After "Cars" came out it seemed like "Life is a Highway" was in everything.
You see, though, I had one of those "cassette singles" with that song on it sitting in my truck, a 1985 GMC Jimmy, that was my first vehicle. I drove that truck everywhere, and a good chunk of the time I had that song loaded in the tape deck.
Good times, good times...
Devil with the Blue Dress On-Mitch Ryder
Danger Zone-Kenny Loggins
Paint it Black-Rolling Stones
Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress-The Hollies
Ain't Going Down-Garth Brooks
Honkey Tomp Stomp-Brooks and Dunn
My Friday Playlist that gets me from Boston to NH is over 2 hours long, but if I had to pick just ten, they would be:
Down in Mississippi (and up to no good) - Sugarland
Tiki Bar is Open (LIVE) - Jimmy Buffett
Bang the Drum - Todd Rundgren
Honky Tonk Woman - Rolling Stones
The House is a Rockin - Stevie Ray Vaughan
For Boston - Dropkick Murphys
Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy) - Big & Rich
She's the One - Bruce Springsteen
Dancin in the Light - Entrain
Life in the Fast Lane - Eagles
Gonna go back and add some ACDC per your suggestion, JayG.
Big Log - Robert Plant
American Girl - Tom Petty
Runnin Down a Dream - Tom Petty
Six Days on the Road - Dave Dudley
Jackson - Johnny Cash
King of the Road - Roger Miller
What is Love - No Mercy
I like to Move it - Will-i-am
Roam - B-52's
Take the Money and Run - Steve Miller Band
Bonus... Hollywood Nights - Bob Seger
Sheesh, some of you people need to get reacquainted with the classics. ;-)
"Shut Down", by the Beach Boys. See also "Little Deuce Coupe" and "409"
"Hot Rod Race" and "Hot Rod Lincoln" back to back.
Almost anything by Chuck Berry
For that matter, almost anything from the First Flowering of Rock'n'Roll, when it was only one step removed from rhythm & blues, heavy on the drums and brass.
"Interstate Love Song"-Stone Temple Pilots
"Magic Carpet Ride"-Steppenwolf
My road trips are pretty short.
Meatloaf's "Bat Out of Hell" was always a favorite when I did my "Higher- Than- Sometimes- Allowed-By-The -Law" driving in my younger days, but since I can't afford the Speeding Tickets and the Points and the lack of room due to the Permanent Interstate Construction Site in my neck of the woods, I just listen to Talk Radio anymore.
I have two full CD's of "driving music"
Not generally a rap fan, but I do like "Move Bitch" by Ludacris.
Convoy and East Bound and Down.
Can't believe y'all haven't mentioned Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Call Me The Breeze". Let's see, what else.....
Bon Jovi "Wanted Dead or Alive"
Ram Jam "Black Betty"
Molly Hatchet "Flirtin with Disaster"
Bill Ferrell "Biker's Prayer"
Keeping this to just 10 songs will be tough, so here's a baker's dozen:
Born To Be Wild (Steppenwolf)
Bat Out Of Hell (Meatloaf)
Let It Ride (Bachman Turner Overdrive)
Shut Down (Beach Boys)
Deadman's Curve (Jan & Dean)
Little GTO - (Jan & Dean)
Hot Rod Lincoln (Commander Cody & the Lost Planet Airmen
Me & Ole CB (Dave Dudley)
Saturday Night (Bay City Rollers)
Speedball Tucker (Jim Croce)
Six Days On The Road (Dave Dudley)
Radar Love (Golden Earring)
Maybelline - Chuck Berry
"Red Barchette" - Rush
OK, I got way more than 10 if you start counting individual songs:
Boston's entire first album,
Ditto vote for Radar Love
Freeway of Love - Aretha Franklin
The Soundtrack to American Graffiti
"Thunderstruck" (AC/DC)
"Runnin' Wild" (Airbourne)
"The Mob Rules" (Black Sabbath)
"Suffragette City" (Davif Bowie)
"Get Over It" (Eagles)
"Locomotive Breath" (Jethro Tull)
"You Got Another Thing Coming (Judas Priest)
"Paint It Black" (Rolling Stones)
"Stranglehold" (Ted Nugent)
and one you've probably never heard of:
"Thunderdrums" (Scott Fitzgerald)
I'm more of an instrumental-type guy myself when it comes to cruising tunes...
These are my favorite ten, no particular order...
Cliffs of Dover - Eric Johnson
Joe Satriani - Surfing with the Alien
Joe Satriani - Satch Boogie
Hocus Pocus - Gary Hoey (an EXCELLENT remake...)
Low Rider - Gary Hoey
YYZ - Rush
La Villa Strangiato - Rush
Purple Haze - Tangerine Dream (220 Volt Live album)
Cruisin - Al DiMeola
School Daze - Stanley Clarke
Hmmm. Let's see (rummage, rummage):
1) Soundtrack to "Ladyhawk;" the original, not the longer version.
2) "Danger Zone" Kenny Loggins
3-4) "Dare" and "You've Got the Touch" from the original Transformers movie soundtrack.
5) "The Daleks" from new Dr. Who Season 1.
6) "O Fortuna" from Orff's "Carmina Burana"
7) "March of the Cambreath" by the artist formerly known as Heather Alexander
8) "Little old Lady from Pasadena"
9) Opening of "The Lion in Winter" soundtrack
10a) "Devil went Down to Georgia" Charlie Daniels
10b) "On Jordan's Stormy Banks" ( Mormon Tabernacle Choir "America's Choir" CD)
Plenty more, as PISSED said. And yup, my tastes are eccentric.
LittleRed1
It depends on what type of driving.
If you're talking hot rodding:
Running with the Devil is the song where I do my fastest driving.
Offspring Smash (the whole CD, but especially "Bad Habit" and "Smash")
Zeppelin II, That was almost always in the 8-track in my 72 Dart.
Surprsingly enough, Bowie Live!, songs like "1984" and "Big Brother" are surprisingly good for that sort of thing.
If you're talking cruising, anything else by Zeppelin, Floyd and the Kinks Sleepwalker (whole album).
I'm totally shocked that Kiss' "Detroit Rock City" hasn't made anyone's list yet.
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