# Need songs for my road trip playlist! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 12, 2018, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-for-my-road-trip-playlist/817796 "2018-07-12T17:55:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2018, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-for-my-road-trip-playlist/817796/1 "2018-07-12T17:55:03Z")
Regular Dopers have seen this request from me before. Every year my buddy and I take a road trip and see baseball. And every year I make a playlist for our in-car listening enjoyment. I populate the playlist with songs about the places we’re visiting, as well as songs about baseball, driving, drinking, and the like. This year poses more of a challenge than usual. Geographically (the Pacific Northwest), the pickings are somewhat slim. And over the past 18 years, I’ve burned through a lot of tracks in the other categories, including most of the obvious ones you can probably think of. I need to dig deeper. All genres of music are on the table. Specifically, this year’s destinations are: Eugene, Salem, and Hillsboro OR; Tacoma, Pasco, and Spokane WA; Missoula and Helena MT; and Vancouver BC. Dopers have given me some great suggestions in the past. Thanks as always for your help! ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2018, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-for-my-road-trip-playlist/817796/2 "2018-07-12T18:21:04Z")
The city of Missoula made this list, I’m just providing the link: [17 songs that name drop Missoula](http://missoula.com/things-to-do/songs-that-name-drop-missoula/article_fb05d448-4004-11e7-b880-abfa60b5bb7a.html) There really aren’t any great songs about Tacoma AFAIK so you might as well go for the good home-town feel of [Neko Case’s _Thrice All American_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AXVBtBJjLw). [Dolly Parton - Eugene Oregon](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24dbmdysYA0) [Lafa Taylor - Eugene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iwcp87cN16U) That’s a start, right? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2018, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-for-my-road-trip-playlist/817796/3 "2018-07-12T18:32:39Z")
John Linnell - [Oregon](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shu5CqJX1jI) ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2018, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-for-my-road-trip-playlist/817796/4 "2018-07-12T18:44:46Z")
Some off-the-wall suggestions: Tacoma? [Seattle](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMq_uzyRaS0)isn’t too far away. I guess you’ll be passing through Portland, how about [The Dream of the 90s](https://youtu.be/U4hShMEk1Ew?t=47s)? Eugene? Well, this is a real stretch but here’s a [Pink Floyd song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8OE4gedQuc). (If you want something spooky to listen to late at night :D) Oh, and a more normal road trip song suggestion: [Country Road](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMTs34bQZwQ) by Al Kooper ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2018, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-for-my-road-trip-playlist/817796/5 "2018-07-12T18:52:36Z")
_Helena_ by My Chemical Romance is a banger even if it is not about the city. Keeping with the Northwest theme, whenever I hear _Jeremy_ by Pearl Jam it sounds like they’re singing “Jeremy’s from Spokane, Spokane”. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2018, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-for-my-road-trip-playlist/817796/6 "2018-07-12T18:53:41Z")
How about the [theme song for Portlandia](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BObK59njSg)? The Dead Milkmen’s “[I am the Walrus](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pyp_3KqlEkY)” encourages us all to move to Portland. (yes I realize that Oregon != Portland. But it’s closer than nothing!) Lizzo’s [Ride](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W63R90nYPIM)features the line “so I dip to the PNW - some of y’all don’t know where that is - GOOD!” about taking a break from life with her girls. If you’re going to Canada, might as well do the [Kids in the Hall theme song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTFg2N97Q98). [Piazza, New York Catcher](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7wSBqOIJBo)is maybe a song “about” baseball that you haven’t used yet. Also it’s completely lovely. [Drunks and Children](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-y_zNu1xwc) by the Mighty Mighty Bosstones is probably my favorite song about drinking. [Windows](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PfKitRoOtw)by Chance the Rapper is about driving…pretty much. [Diddy Bop](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUncXbXAiV0) by Noname is just a great summer song. Not about anything on your list. ---
**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:** [July 12, 2018, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-for-my-road-trip-playlist/817796/7 "2018-07-12T19:04:59Z")
Steve Miller Band “Rock’n Me” _I’ve been from Phoenix Arizona all the way to Tacoma…_ That’s all I got. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2018, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-for-my-road-trip-playlist/817796/8 "2018-07-12T19:19:42Z")
Montana’s in the Rocky Mountains, right? John Denver is mandatory. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2018, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-for-my-road-trip-playlist/817796/9 "2018-07-12T20:29:07Z")
[Going Out West](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27LLPANAgzw) by Tom Waits. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2018, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-for-my-road-trip-playlist/817796/10 "2018-07-12T20:47:21Z")
> [@romansperson](#): > > [Going Out West](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27LLPANAgzw) by Tom Waits. Another “out west” suggestion (although it’s more about the southwest) is Marty Stuart’s \*\*\*excellent \*\*\*album from last year [Way Out West](https://www.npr.org/2017/03/02/517790422/first-listen-marty-stuart-and-his-fabulous-superlatives-way-out-west). Highly recommended for any listening situation. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2018, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-for-my-road-trip-playlist/817796/11 "2018-07-13T15:25:22Z")
I recently made a road trip playlist, not just songs about driving but some are on my list just because of the tempo. It’s kinda long, there is rock, metal, R&B, punk, you name it. Here are some highlights: White Zombie - Thunder Kiss ‘65 War - Low Rider Van Halen - You Really Got Me White Stripes - Hardest Button to Button White Stripes - Black Math Offspring - Bad Habit Allman Brothers - Rambin’ Man Sublime - Scarlet Begonias Stone Temple Pilots - Crackerman Smashing Pumpkins - Today Sam & Dave - Soul Man Rob Zombie - Dragula Rage Against the Machine - Bulls on Parade Waylon Jennings - I Ain’t Living Long Like This Linda Ronstadt - Willin’ Billy Jo Shaver - Georgia on a Fast Train Misfits - Hybrid Moments Misfits - American Nightmare M.I.A. - Paper Planes Lynyrd Skynyrd - Free Bird Lynyrd Skynyrd - Call Me the Breeze Led Zeppelin - When the Levee Breaks Led Zeppelin - Communication Breakdown Johnny Cash - I’ve Been Everywhere Joe Tex - I Gotcha Guns N’ Roses - Paradise City Guns N’ Roses - Nighttrain Green Day - In the End Green Day - Basket Case Green Day - Holiday Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc. Foghat - Slow Ride Dropkick Murphys - Billy’s Bones Dropkick Murphys - Barroom Hero CCR - Proud Mary CCR - Fortunate Son Black Sabbath - Paranoid AWOLNATION - Windows AWOLNATION - Run Audioslave - I am the Highway Alice in Chains - Dam That River AC/DC - Pretty much all their songs lol Hank Williams - Lost Highway Joan Jett - Summertime Blues Ramones - Surfin’ Bird Social Distortion - Highway 101 Social Distortion - Ring of Fire The Band - The Weight ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2018, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-for-my-road-trip-playlist/817796/12 "2018-07-13T15:38:55Z")
You have to have the classics, man! Golden Earring - **Radar Love** Jeff Beck - **Freeway Jam** Free - **All Right Now** Sublime - **Doing Time** Madness - **One Step Beyond** and try this one Steve Stevens - **Feminova** ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2018, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-for-my-road-trip-playlist/817796/13 "2018-07-13T16:49:45Z")
Rory Gallager: Walk On Hot Coals. The live version from Irish Tour. 10 minutes of rockin’ good times! ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2018, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-for-my-road-trip-playlist/817796/14 "2018-07-13T18:49:24Z")
Todd Snider is from Oregon, and he some of his early songs reference the area, though not explicitly. He does have one that comes to mind titled “Talkin Seattle Grunge Rock Blues.” ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2018, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-for-my-road-trip-playlist/817796/15 "2018-07-13T19:06:46Z")
“[Wheels](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2CzmlRphCg)” - The Flying Burrito Brothers ---
**Author:** ![Ignotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecc23a/32.png) [@Ignotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignotus)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2018, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-for-my-road-trip-playlist/817796/16 "2018-07-13T19:10:51Z")
“I wanna be”, aka “500 miles” by The Proclaimers. On repeat! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2018, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-for-my-road-trip-playlist/817796/17 "2018-07-14T00:59:42Z")
If you like Nirvana, you could throw a few tunes of theirs in there, since they are from Washington state. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2018, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-for-my-road-trip-playlist/817796/18 "2018-07-14T05:19:15Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Montana’s in the Rocky Mountains, right? John Denver is mandatory. It depends how much you like John Denver. In such a situation, I’d rather go with [Joe Walsh](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XY1mamIofvA). ---
**Author:** ![SOJA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@SOJA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SOJA)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2018, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-for-my-road-trip-playlist/817796/19 "2018-07-14T05:40:01Z")
I’m kinda digging Charlie Puth stuff for some reason. I usually listen to classic rock but I’m liking his easy lyrics. I probably listened to “Attention” 20x last weekend on a road trip down to San Diego. ---
**Author:** ![str8cashhomie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7cd45c/32.png) [@str8cashhomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/str8cashhomie)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2018, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-songs-for-my-road-trip-playlist/817796/20 "2018-07-16T02:55:02Z")
Foster the People - [Helena Beat](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlBCUzGLce0) EDIT: In attempt to get clever: a drinking song with the name of a Northwest MLB team in the title: Decemberists - [The Mariner’s Revenge Song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEmy2DBaeTc)