# Need songs about life on the road **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 24, 2009, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-about-life-on-the-road/500808 "2009-06-24T06:33:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Ceejaytee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ceejaytee/32/2956_2.png) [@Ceejaytee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ceejaytee)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-about-life-on-the-road/500808/61 "2009-06-25T19:29:04Z")
The Road’s My Middle Name - Bonnie Raitt ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-about-life-on-the-road/500808/62 "2009-06-25T19:47:33Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > Leaving On A Jet Plane - Chantal Kreviazuk You might also try the versions by John Denver and Peter, Paul & Mary. Denver’s song, “Goodbye, Again” is also worth a listen. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-about-life-on-the-road/500808/63 "2009-06-25T20:26:32Z")
“Beth” – Kiss “Bed of Roses” – Bon Jovi Both of these are about leaving your woman at home while you’re out touring–Bon Jovi’s is specifically about all the temptations on the road. ---
**Author:** ![Mariemarie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/58f4c7/32.png) [@Mariemarie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mariemarie)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-about-life-on-the-road/500808/64 "2009-06-26T02:31:21Z")
\*\*Pancho and Lefty \*\* by Townes Van Zant. Recorded by many, but the Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard version is splendid. > [@](#): > > Livin’ on the road, my friend > Was gonna keep you free and clean > But now you wear your skin like iron > And your breath’s as hard as kerosene ---
**Author:** ![ColonelDax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@ColonelDax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ColonelDax)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-about-life-on-the-road/500808/65 "2009-06-26T14:17:18Z")
“Endless Grey Ribbon,” Nick Lowe. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-about-life-on-the-road/500808/66 "2009-06-26T14:33:54Z")
> [@HelloNinja](#): > > Wilco - “Far, Far Away” > Barenaked Ladies - “Petersborough & the Kawarthas” > > Both songs about missing the people back home while on the road touring. Actually, Wilco’s entire “Being There” album is pretty much about dealing with being on the road. Personally, I was going to suggest “Hotel Arizona” but “Far Far Away” is a good one too. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-about-life-on-the-road/500808/67 "2009-06-26T14:59:44Z")
[Walking in Memphis (cover by Cher)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0mL2gzy8dE) Hypnotic. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-about-life-on-the-road/500808/68 "2009-06-26T15:03:31Z")
AC/DC -“Highway to Hell” Jackson Browne – Practically everything on the “Running on Empty” album. Try “Stay,” in particular Harry Chapin – “Cat’s in the Cradle” That last one sometimes surprises people, but actually, the lyrics were written by Harry’s wife, Sandy, who was disturbed at how much time he spent touring and how little time he spent at home with his own family. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-about-life-on-the-road/500808/69 "2009-06-26T15:14:28Z")
“Life’s Been Good” by Joe Walsh “Jet Airliner” by the Steve Miller Band “Ladies of the Road” by King Crimson (a tribute to groupies enocuntered on tour) “Moving On” by Bad Company Numerous songs fromn Pink Floyd’s “The Wall.” One of the good but less-played tracks in “Nobody Home,” whic his all about being stuck in a hotel room with nothing to do but watch bad TV and make futile calls back home. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-about-life-on-the-road/500808/70 "2009-06-26T17:28:35Z")
**200 More Miles** - Cowboy Junkies (already mentioned, I see) [Misty Morning, Albert Bridge](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TejJDFt6Tkk) - The Pogues (about missing a girlfriend while on tour) ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-about-life-on-the-road/500808/71 "2009-06-26T17:32:51Z")
Oh and: [Around the Bend](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex8skOBObmU) - Pearl Jam (Seems to be a lullaby to an infant to whom the singer is apologizing for the moments that he’s missed – presumably while on the road. Kind of a tenuous road song.) [What’s Your Name](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0SSeACInqw) - Lynyrd Skynyrd [When I Need You](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_96uyfmqgo) - Leo Sayer (…you know I won’t be traveling forever…) ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-about-life-on-the-road/500808/72 "2009-06-26T17:48:57Z")
[White Line Fever](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zXrp-pghio) - Merle Haggard (covered by many) [My Old Friend the Blues](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEj6oFQe0NI&feature=related) - Steve Earle (“…another lonely night, a nameless town…”) arguably better cover version: [My Old Friend the Blues](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucgUKCeQlwM) - The Proclaimers ---
**Author:** ![jormundgondir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dfb087/32.png) [@jormundgondir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jormundgondir)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-about-life-on-the-road/500808/73 "2009-06-26T19:31:36Z")
“Hang on Saint Christopher”- Tom Waits ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-about-life-on-the-road/500808/74 "2009-06-26T20:10:15Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > By the way, the movie and soundtrack album “200 Motels”, by the Mothers of Invention, is all about how touring can make you crazy. Unfortunately, I’m not sure that there is any one song on the album with lyrics that are obviously on that theme. “Would You Like a Snack” fits the bill. _Went on the road For a month, touring What a drag, you gotta go Even if you’d rather be at home Flaked out in Hollywood…_ ---
**Author:** ![King\_Bobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@King\_Bobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Bobo)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-about-life-on-the-road/500808/75 "2009-06-26T22:27:17Z")
Barrel Racing Angel by Ian Tyson Rodeo-themed ---
**Author:** ![Hometownboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5e9695/32.png) [@Hometownboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hometownboy)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2009, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-about-life-on-the-road/500808/76 "2009-06-27T03:02:48Z")
Again, thanks to all. Excellent suggestions, and I still have time to round them up. Have already added Cowboy Junkies, Ferron and the nice combo of two singer-songwriters Bill Morrissey and Greg Brown. Some are available on iTunes, others I will have to track down. I’d love to use something from 200 Motels, but the next line in “Would You Like a Snack?” is > [@](#): > > drove to Inglewood and then we dumped > all our shit into the plane at five-O-three That won’t fly in the middle of a Sunday (the show is an 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. gig), though I could beep out the offending word. I’m leaning more to “I’m Stealing The Towels” right now. And I’m tempted in a perverse way by the Partridge Family song because it’s so of-its-time. But they didn’t write it, so I’ll pass. Love the idea of a S&G/Metallica segue in the abstract, but I’d rather blend more smoothly in real life. Usually I start the show with the slower stuff then gradually pick up the tempo as we roll along. At the moment, it looks like I’ll open with the Cowboy Junkies and close with Lynyrd Skynyrd. I’ve got room for about 25 songs, allowing for a couple of longer ones. The show actually starts after the 11 a.m. ABC news, but the station kindly drops the noon newscast, so we have it straight through until the station ID just before 1 p.m. Sponsors get a couple of live spots each during the show and there are five sponsors, so there’s plenty of time for the music. ---
**Author:** ![Hometownboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5e9695/32.png) [@Hometownboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hometownboy)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2009, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-about-life-on-the-road/500808/77 "2009-06-27T03:08:39Z")
Oh, and **koeeoaddi** thanks for some great folkie ideas. I’m just worried though that you’ll subliminally influence me to use “Transfusion,” which I happen to already have available. That one should go with a car crash theme, along with “Dead Man’s Curve,” “Last Kiss,” and “Leader of the Pack.” Less a singer-songwriter show but a fun bunch of oldies ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2009, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-about-life-on-the-road/500808/78 "2009-06-27T03:18:44Z")
[Lodi](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA7iGxV6rt4) - Creedence Clearwater Revival ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2009, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-about-life-on-the-road/500808/79 "2009-06-27T04:14:54Z")
[Georgia Rhythm](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PO3qXj_p4S0) - Atlanta Rhythm Section [Come Monday](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0---Q97pG4) - Jimmy Buffett [Truckin’](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pafY6sZt0FE) - Grateful Dead [Tonight’s the Night](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8H0OtBcbvVg&feature=related) - Neil Young [I Wanna Be Sedated](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMD7Ezp3gWc) - The Ramones [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-about-life-on-the-road/500808.md?page=3)