Public Transportation Songs

Cafe Society
1

So our office has moved 20-some miles north, which means I now have one hell of a longer commute. In the spirit of such I figured I’d make a playlist centered around public transportation. I have a few songs to start but I need more, I’d also like to broaden the genres; right now it is mostly hiphop, but of course I always welcome more hiphop too. On top of multiple genres, feel free to be broad with the transportation to trains and planes, though try to keep it to public, not just any driving songs. Here is what I got so far…

Afroman - Back on the Bus
Blue Scholars - Joe Metro
Guru - Transit Ride
Kingston Trio - MTA
So what songs make your wheels go 'round?

2

There’s the song City of New Orleans, popularized by Arlo Guthrie, which refers to the Amtrak train run from Chicago to New Orleans. Lyrics.

A personal favorite is Liz Phair’s “Stratford-on-Guy” (from the album Exile in Guyville); the lyrics describe her imaginings as the plane she’s on descends into Chicago. I once did find myself, like the lyrics say, listening to this song in the evening while sitting in seat 27-D, while the plane approached Chicago, our destination.

3

The only one I know of is Another one rides the bus by Weird Al.

4

Weird Al Yankovic - Another One Rides the Bus

There are tons of train songs, but not all of them are about trains as public transportation. I’d have to think for a while…

ETA: Beaten to it!

5

Definitely “The Train” by the Roches, “Trains” by Ian Anderson, and “Journeyman” by Jethro Tull.

6

Bus Stop by the Hollies

7

“Take the ‘A’ Train,” describing a subway line in NYC and famously performed by the Duke Ellington Orchestra.

8

Crazy Train - Black Sabbath.

9

“Folsom Prison Blues”

It’s a stretch, but “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” (Hop on the bus, Gus)

10

Replacements: Kiss Me On the Bus
XTC: Omnibus
Pearl Jam: Dirty Frank (about a tour bus driver)

11

Who - Magic Bus
and did we list Metro by Berlin?

12

MTA-Kingston Trio

13

Actually, it refers to the Illinois Central train that ran long before Amtrak. Amtrak co-opted the name in 1981.

14

Wow thanks, that was quick, but keep them coming!

Got MTA covered already, but speaking of, why the hell can’t Charlie’s wife just put a damn nickle in the damned sandwich? That has bugged the hell out of me ever since I was about 6 years old taking road trips with my parents.

15

Missed that in the OP but I always wondered the same thing about the nickle.

Maybe she didn’t want him off the train.

16

“Downtown Train” by Tom Waits or Rod Stewart.

And a shout-out to monster for mentioning “Bus Stop”, a song I love.

17

“Train Song” by Tom Waits and a very different cover of the same song by Holly Cole

18

The best, no question, is “Don’t Sleep on the Subway” by Peter Murphy.

Honorable mention: The Cure’s “Subway Song.”

19

Well, there’s “Nadine” by Chuck Berry. At least the first verse:

20

Are planes public transportation? Jet Airliner by the Steve Miller Band; Leavin’ on a Jet Plane by Peter, Paul & Mary; Jet by Paul McCartney … :smiley: