I usually have some kind of music going in my drives to and from work. It varies in style from day to day. But there are some songs that when they come on, I just have to crank up the volume to 11 and let the sound fill the air as a spell against falling objects.
The few that come to mind right now …
1 : Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, Third Movement as performed by Wendy Carlos
2 : Deadbeat Club by the B52s
3 : Big Eyed Beans from Venus by Captain Beefheart
4 : Listen to the Beat of a Heart by the Burns Sisters
5 : ** The Time Warp** from The Rocky Horror Soundtrack
Beefheart! Have you turned “Run Paint, Run Run” up to eleven yet? Get Doc At the Radar Station and blow your mind.
Patti Smith “People have the Power”
Ramones “Cretin Hop” (there’s no retreatin from a hoppin cretin)
Paul Simon Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes
Beatles “Birthday” Polythene Pam
Some songs just have a little part that I need to crank and then back to business. That Tom Petty song Freefallin is kind of drivelly until the last guitar break, like two and a half seconds of disco tom and the guitar soloist. I crank that.
The Foo Fighters Everlong
Everclear AM Radio
Cheap Trick She’s Tight In all fairness, this doesn’t get much radio play so this happens when I put my cassette in the player.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers Give It Away
U2 Beautiful Day What’s really cool is we live near an airport so sometimes we have planes taking off and landing right over us as we’re driving by (just like the video).
AC/DC Shook Me All Night Long
I’m sure there are more. This is just off the top of my head.
Oh, and for my daughter Sting Desert Rose. She adores that song. I prefer to crank up Fields of Gold but that’s just so I can’t hear myself singing. I can’t not sing along.
There’s tons more, I get teased about how loud I play my stereos. Every single vehicle I get, I immediately put in the nicest sound system I can afford. When I got my '68 Plymouth Fury (with original am radio,) my boyfriend bought me a tape/CD/radio unit all in one, which rocks because I can play all my old cassettes in there too.
And yes, I sing along! That’s really why I need a good, loud stereo, because I love to sing along but have an atrocious voice, and don’t want to hear myself.
[squeaky chipmonk voice]Fish heads, fish heads, roly-poly fish heads…[/chipmonk voice]
Nah…usually Original Pranksteror Come Out and Play, both by Offspring. Luckily, both come over the radio often. That or My Own Worst Enemy by Lit.
As for classical, I never could resist Pachelbel’s Canon in D (I know, soft song, but hey, that’s what volume control is for) or Mozart’s 25th in G Minor (1st movement). Now, to find a radio station that will play a healthy mix of these kinds of songs…
Yesyesyes!! I KNEW you were a cool guy, Montfort!! I love this song! I’m so happy someone else has heard of it. I love that song and “Just like Fred Astaire.” “This bed is on fire with passion and love, the neighbors complain about the noises above…”
Okay, to the OP: I usually listen to rap and hip-hop when I drive. I can’t really sing along unless it’s old-school and I remember all the words from sixth grade, which helps me concentrate, and these songs put me in the best driving mood:
“Expression,” Salt-n-Pepa. This is the best song. Ever.
“Sorry Miss Jackson,” OutKast.
“What’s Your Fantasy,” Ludikrous.
“It Wasn’t Me,” Shaggy.
“Independant Woman Part 1,” Destiny’s Child.
And sometimes, only Alice Deejay will do.
Just FTR, usually I listen to Ben Harper, Wilco, Emmylou Harris, Fiona Apple and the like. For some reason, in my car, I just wanna jam.
Makes me happy just thinking about it - next week I’m getting a new radio system for my car!!
And, Sarah, I welcome you to try to challenge me to the title of The Biggest James Fan in Maryland.
Funny, I only looked back in this thread to add to my first post with a mention of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” but it seems that toonerama beat me to it. The drum fill that Dave Grohl nails after the last verse, heading into the final chorus is divine.
Flirtin’ with Disaster-Molly Hatchet
Sympathy for The Devil-Stones
Proud Mary-Creedence (actually ANYTHING by Creedence)
Toccata and Fugue in D minor-E. Power Biggs on the Mighty Wurlitzer
Also Sprach Zarathustra-From the 2001 Soundtrack
The Blue Danube Waltz…
and if I’m feelin’ REALLY frisky, and I’m pulled up at a traffic light or in a jam, I got some square dance calls that I will roll down the windows for just to watch the reactions.