# Public Transportation Songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 25, 2009, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-transportation-songs/500952 "2009-06-25T16:42:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-transportation-songs/500952/21 "2009-06-25T18:07:21Z")
Roll back your age to oh, about two or three, and you can sing along with _The wheels on the bus go round and round Round and round Round and round…_ One that shows up a lot around here with our cable cars and streetcars is _Ding ding ding went the trolley Clang clang clang went the bell…_ ---
**Author:** ![filling\_pages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9bd4f/32.png) [@filling\_pages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filling_pages)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-transportation-songs/500952/22 "2009-06-25T18:12:01Z")
[“Skinhead on the MBTA”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skinhead_on_the_MBTA) - Dropkick Murphys’ take on it “Waiting for the Bus” - Violent Femmes, one I always think about when I ride the bus. \* Let’s call the mayor, Let’s complain. It look’s like the city’s done it to us again. Tied up in traffic - what do ya’ know? The damn city bus moves so slow.\* ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-transportation-songs/500952/23 "2009-06-25T18:18:33Z")
Traans…Yoorope…Ex-press… ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-transportation-songs/500952/24 "2009-06-25T18:20:51Z")
Morning Train by Sheena Easton. (now I have to think of something else that’s going to restore what little rock’n’roll credibility that I had) ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-transportation-songs/500952/25 "2009-06-25T18:51:14Z")
_Waitin’ on the Bus_ by ZZ Top [Some older songs](http://www.nysun.com/arts/mta-presents-top-subway-songs/36155/), including Petula Clark’s _Don’t Sleep in the Subway_. ---
**Author:** ![spoike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@spoike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spoike)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-transportation-songs/500952/26 "2009-06-25T18:55:43Z")
[**Night Train:**](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4vH3WyE-5E) Amos Lee [**Folsom Prison Blues:**](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2sPvjlTdHo&feature=related) Johnny Cash [**Home for a Rest:**](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPJD3qcIL7s) Spirit of the West Available on Napster: **Metrobus:** Great Big Sea **Departure Bay:** James Keelaghan (about the BC Ferries, which function as commuter public transit) ---
**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:** [June 25, 2009, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-transportation-songs/500952/27 "2009-06-25T19:11:19Z")
> [@SirRay](#): > > Who - Magic Bus Also, “5:15” by The Who. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-transportation-songs/500952/28 "2009-06-25T19:11:46Z")
> [@SirRay](#): > > and did we list Metro by Berlin? They did in the [best first lines](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=522202) thread. I know because I was about to hijack that thread to talk about that song when I saw this thread and was going to post Metro in here as well. Although I’ve only heard the Alkaline Trio’s version of it. (And I was going to hijack to say ask if I should feel guilty for that song going through my head whenever the Metro crash pops up on the news?) ETA: although I guess I should feel guilty if I ever create a parody song about the crash from it, which is totally doable. ---
**Author:** ![tds1273](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@tds1273](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tds1273)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-transportation-songs/500952/29 "2009-06-25T19:21:47Z")
Ooh! I’m fer’sher going to have to look for that \*Departure Bay \*song when I get home. Reminds me of one I can’t believe I forgot, \*\*Minus The Bear[/B['s [Pig War](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HWc5Gn6euo); about taking a WA state ferry up to the San Juan Islands(one of my old homes, Friday Harbor that is). Named after, well, the [Pig War](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pig_War) > [@](#): > > The Pig War was a confrontation in 1859 between American and British authorities over the boundary between the United States and British North America. The specific area in dispute was the San Juan Islands, which lie between Vancouver Island and the North American mainland. The Pig War, so called because it was triggered by the shooting of a pig, is also called the Pig Episode, the Pig and Potato War, the San Juan Boundary Dispute or the Northwestern Boundary Dispute. The pig was the only “casualty” of the war, making the conflict essentially bloodless. > … > During the years of joint military occupation, the small British and American units on San Juan Island had a very amicable mutual social life, visiting one another’s camps to celebrate their respective national holidays and holding various athletic competitions. Park rangers tell visitors the biggest threat to peace on the island during these years was “the large amounts of alcohol available.” Definitely throw in more ferry boat songs if anyone has them. ---
**Author:** ![Annie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/858c86/32.png) [@Annie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-transportation-songs/500952/30 "2009-06-25T19:24:18Z")
Howzabout [Spadina Bus](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZnLjRi_g9o) by the Shuffle Demons? Available via [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/Spadina-Bus/dp/B001NGRQMA/ref=sr_f2_5?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1245957678&sr=102-5) ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-transportation-songs/500952/31 "2009-06-25T19:43:41Z")
Joan Osbourne - If God Was One of Us > [@](#): > > What if God was one of us > Just a slob like one of us > Just a stranger on the bus > Trying to make his way home > He’s trying to make his way home > Back up to heaven all alone > Nobody calling on the phone > Except for the pope maybe in rome ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-transportation-songs/500952/32 "2009-06-25T20:27:39Z")
Bruce Springsteen - _Does This Bus Stop At 82nd Street?_ Novo Combo - _City Bound_ (really obscure, but really good, early 80s band) ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-transportation-songs/500952/33 "2009-06-25T20:33:51Z")
Maybe “The Passenger” by Iggy Pop… it doesn’t specifically mention public transportation, but I think it would fit in pretty well. “Ferry Cross the Mersey” by Gerry & the Pacemakers? ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-transportation-songs/500952/34 "2009-06-25T20:39:18Z")
Bachman-Turner Overdrive’s “Taking Care of Business” is mostly about the hassles of a commute to work on the morning train (and how much easier it is to be a rock musician). ---
**Author:** ![tds1273](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@tds1273](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tds1273)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-transportation-songs/500952/35 "2009-06-25T21:52:19Z")
To broaden the scope a little more, thought of another one I would sing all too regularly as a kid, especially those times I had to walk to school… Kris Kross - [I Missed The Bus](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhUx3ENL-RQ) ---
**Author:** ![daygecko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/91b2a8/32.png) [@daygecko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/daygecko)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-transportation-songs/500952/36 "2009-06-25T22:46:47Z")
[“Subway”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkPh8As-y6E) from Sesame Street was the first one to my mind. Ahhhhhh my stop just went by! ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-transportation-songs/500952/37 "2009-06-25T22:57:19Z")
[_Are You Right There Michael_](http://www.iol.ie/~lahinch/history/lyrics.htm), about the perils of taking the train in Ireland. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-transportation-songs/500952/38 "2009-06-25T23:01:34Z")
Journey’s _ **Don’t Stop Believin’** _ “He took the midnight train going anywhere…” And Suzy Bogguss’ _**[Outbound Plane](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSli9tppwsk)**_ ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-transportation-songs/500952/39 "2009-06-25T23:29:00Z")
[A Transport Of Delight](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT0lmusukAE) (aka the omnibus song) [The Slow Train](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6OHD2uCpfU) Both by Flanders & Swann. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-transportation-songs/500952/40 "2009-06-26T03:03:52Z")
I worked with the bassist (‘Lisa Cloudy’) for the Industrial band Partly Cloudy in the '80s. They had a song called _Bus Ride_ that I liked. One of these days I’ll have to rip the vinyl so I can have the album on iTunes. \*I’ve got to get out of this room There’s a poster on my wall The Talking Heads And David Are telling me to leave I’ll go anywhere I think I’ll catch a bus… \ There’s a seat Oh no. That crippled man took it He’s got braces He can stand \ Think I’ll get off at the Anti-Club\* [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-transportation-songs/500952.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-transportation-songs/500952.md?page=3)