# "Road Music" - what's your pleasure? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 28, 2003, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-music-whats-your-pleasure/204360 "2003-09-28T21:22:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TVGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/82dd89/32.png) [@TVGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-music-whats-your-pleasure/204360/1 "2003-09-28T21:22:57Z")
This was a toss-up between here and the Cafe - I decided here since it’s more opinion related than strictly music related. Mods, if you think it needs to move, then let your muse be your guide. Road Music - almost all of us have an idea of what makes a good song “for the road.” I’ve been compiling road music (first on tapes, then CD’s, now MP3 playlists) for years. There’s something about pulling together a group of your favorite songs to play, preferably LOUD, when you’re facing hours and hours of highway. For me, road music serves one of two basic purposes - as a means to reduce boredom or as a way to trigger introspection. The radio never does it for me and just putting on a particular album to play all the way through doesn’t either. I’ve had perfect playlists take me from one gas stop to the next with barely any notice of what was in between. As an example, one of the playlists I’ve got in the MP3 player right now for the road starts out with these songs: Everclear - Here We Go Again Blind Melon - No Rain Gin Blossoms - 29 Pet Shop Boys - Go West Matchbox Twenty - Real World Depeche Mode - Personal Jesus Birdbrain - Youth of America INXS - Heaven Sent … snd so on for another 120 songs or so. So what is it that makes a good playlist of road music? Why do we do this? What is it about great songs and the road that makes such a powerful combination? Is it just as simple as having the control over your favorites all the time (as opposed to searching for a new radio station every 150 miles) or is it something deeper? When you pull a playlist together, are you more interested in vocals, instrumentals, fast, slow, deep, shallow, what? ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-music-whats-your-pleasure/204360/2 "2003-09-28T21:46:42Z")
Hmm… for me it depends on the mood I’m in at the time of the drive. Often I like a lot of almost hyper music that I can turn up and sing loudly to (mainly stuff by Captain Tractor, Great Big Sea, Arrogant Worms and the like…) Sometimes for a change I like to listen to country music… Highwaymen, Johnny Cash, Waylen Jennings, Willie Nelson, Gordon Lightfoot… that sort of stuff. And for those times when I truly want to be on the road I stick in some truck driving tunes like CW McCall : Convoy, Jim & Jesse : Deisel on my tail, bunch of Red Sovine (Phantom 309, Giddy up Go), Roger Miller, Johnny Paycheck, Hank Snow… My brother likes to play a lot of hip hop and some rave music, at even louder levels than I do (but he’s 17 what do you expect?) but when I’m with him he at least allows me to play some of my music… though it’s only where our tastes match he skips over everything else. ---
**Author:** ![Not\_In\_Anger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3ab097/32.png) [@Not\_In\_Anger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_In_Anger)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-music-whats-your-pleasure/204360/3 "2003-09-28T22:51:20Z")
OMG! Golden Earring: Radar Love Velvet Underground: Ocean Godmother: Big Engines Neko Case: Deep Red Bells, or Set Out Running Neil Young: Roll Another Number Bruce Springsteen: Born in the USA, or Nebraska Stooges: Loose ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-music-whats-your-pleasure/204360/4 "2003-09-28T22:55:09Z")
CCR ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-music-whats-your-pleasure/204360/5 "2003-09-28T23:20:41Z")
Depends on my mood. I find the fast stuff by Nightwish to be perfect for those “120MPH Cause I Gotta Make Some Time” moments. If it’s a classic rock kinda day, “More Than A Feeling” by Boston, “Magic Carpet Ride” by Steppenwolf, that kind of thing. If it’s sitting back and just rollin’, it’s time to turn on the rap. I like “Still Fly” by the Big Tymers, “Gin and Juice” and “Nuthin’ But a G Thang” by Snoop and Dre, etc. Here’s a rock kinda Road CD playlist I had, too: Beastie Boys–Intergalactic Moby–Southside Live–The Dolphin’s Cry Fuel–Shimmer Motorhead–Ace of Spades MxPx–I’m Ok, You’re Ok etc. Pretty much everything is good. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-music-whats-your-pleasure/204360/6 "2003-09-28T23:38:45Z")
My car’s CD player is currently loaded with: **Creed** - _Weathered_ **Staind** - _Break the Cycle_ **13th Floor Elevators** - A compilation **Van Halen** - _Diver Down_ **Allman Bros.** - _Live at the Fillmore East_ **Frank Zappa** - _Strictly Commercial_ That’ll easily get me to Dallas and back. ---
**Author:** ![RahRahMah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/54ee81/32.png) [@RahRahMah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RahRahMah)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2003, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-music-whats-your-pleasure/204360/7 "2003-09-29T00:25:02Z")
It really depends where and when I’m driving. Driving at night with nothing to do and no where to go: Anything with loud bass. Techno, some hip-hop etc. Words, songs, artists don’t matter, as long as it’s got the beat. If you’re cruising downt he highway in the summer on your way someplace I like things like “Mr. E’s Beautiful Blues” by the Eels, or “Over The Hills and Far Away” by Led Zeplin. And of course the ultimate road trip song: “Born to be Wild” by Steppenwolfe ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2003, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-music-whats-your-pleasure/204360/8 "2003-09-29T00:28:38Z")
Bad 80s. And Great Big Sea. (They are NOT bad or 80s.) Upbeat stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2003, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-music-whats-your-pleasure/204360/9 "2003-09-29T00:50:23Z")
Yay! Great Big Sea rules! ---
**Author:** ![vengence\_will\_be\_mine.maybe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/58956e/32.png) [@vengence\_will\_be\_mine.maybe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vengence_will_be_mine.maybe)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2003, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-music-whats-your-pleasure/204360/10 "2003-09-29T02:50:24Z")
I like Bob Dylan when I’m driviing. I can sing every song along with the stereo. (which is the only time I get to sing along. alone in the car) Old country is good also. David Alan Coe and Johnny Cash. ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2003, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-music-whats-your-pleasure/204360/11 "2003-09-29T02:59:51Z")
Psst… if you people like Great Big Sea check out some Arrogant Worms and Captain Tractor… similar type of music, lots of fun songs only the other two are from out West instead of East… CT celebrated 10 years just a couple weeks ago… I can’t wait for their new cd to come out _really wants a copy of the song North of the Yellowhead_ I already told whiterabbit this lol[/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Tortuga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@Tortuga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tortuga)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2003, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-music-whats-your-pleasure/204360/12 "2003-09-29T03:45:20Z")
When I used to smoke and my little truck took me miles and miles along deserted highway routes, I’d always start out to Soul Coughing’s [“Rolling.”](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00000AG9H/qid=1064804386/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-3669574-3120059?v=glance&s=music) I love the beat and the funkiness of the now-defunct band. They have a “greatest hits” CD that has all their best stuff, if’n yer interested. I agree with **TheLoadedDog** that Creedence Clearwater Revival is great road music. Basically, anything with a beat or a rythm that wakes me up, often something I can sing along to…and some silly shit thrown in for fun. I don’t smoke anymore and drive a way cushier car so I have to find things that will really break up the time. John Lee Hooker–“Boogie Chillen” --"'cuz it’s in him, and it’s gotta come out!"-- “Boom Boom,” “Big Legs, Tight Skirt,” and of course, “One Bourbon, One Scotch, and One Beer.” “Believe” from the _Run Lola Run_ soundtrack. “Alleluia” from Dar Williams “Untouchable Face” & “Superhero” from Ani DiFranco “Get Right With God” & “Just Wanted to See You So Bad” Lucinda Williams “The Road Goes on Forever,” “I’m Coming Home to You,” “Copenhagen” and almost everything else by Robert Earl Keen Jr. (His Live albums are great) “Professor Booty” & others from the Beastie Boys “Gopher Mambo” Yma Sumac [DJ Doll REMIX](http://www.raaga.com/channels/hindi/movie/V000240.html) has fun stuff on it–and I love the album cover. [“Punjabi Attitude”](http://www.keda.co.uk/kedastudio/punjabitude/index.html) is another good one, with another cool cover. “Thousand Miles from Nowhere” by Dwight Yoakam is good yodeling for lonely stretches of moonlit highway. Speaking of yodeling, Don Walser’s [“Rolling Stone From Texas”](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005NBYE/qid=1064805748/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/002-3669574-3120059?v=glance&s=music) is a lot of fun to try and keep up with, and Slim Whitman’s pretty fun. (His “Indian Love Song” is what they used to defeat the aliens in _Mars Attacks!_.) Paul Simon’s “Graceland” Shakira, U2 (esp. the “Joshua Tree” album), the “Office Space” soundtrack, Rod Stewart, Rosemary Clooney, Tom Waits, Kinky Friedman, the Gypsy Kings, and of course, the Beatles. And the late great Johnny Cash–I love his duet with his future wife June Carter on the Folsom Prison Blues album, “Jackson.” I just love the way her voice rips out. Now I have a burning mix-making need. ---
**Author:** ![Kieras](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a87d85/32.png) [@Kieras](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kieras)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2003, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-music-whats-your-pleasure/204360/13 "2003-09-29T04:07:32Z")
What I listen too completely depends on the mood. Although, I do commute atleast a couple hours a day. Fortunately I get to have my mp3’s going at my desk too so I get a little over everything. In the car though I love to hear hyper (well to me its hyper) or it gets me hyper music: Danzig/Misfits/Samhain NIN Manson White Stripes (my new obsession, just saw em play last week) Pearl Jam Foo Fighters Ozzy CCR Metallica Fuel etc… Could go on forever. Then of course there is the Radio. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2003, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-music-whats-your-pleasure/204360/14 "2003-09-29T04:12:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Obsidian Flutterby \* > \*\*Psst… if you people like Great Big Sea check out some Arrogant Worms and Captain Tractor… similar type of music, lots of fun songs only the other two are from out West instead of East… CT celebrated 10 years just a couple weeks ago… I can’t wait for their new cd to come out _really wants a copy of the song North of the Yellowhead_ I already told whiterabbit this lol[/hijack] \*\* I’m away ahead of you, OF, lurve em both. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2003, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-music-whats-your-pleasure/204360/15 "2003-09-29T06:02:09Z")
Mozart Bach Offenbach Leo Kottke Erasure Squeeze Collective Soul Cowboy Junkies Connie Dover Aria Flatt & Scruggs Asleep at the Wheel sufficiently diverse for ya? ---
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2003, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-music-whats-your-pleasure/204360/16 "2003-09-29T07:43:47Z")
I’m surprised nobody’s mentioned Willie Nelson - On The Road Again! Me, as long as it’s something I like. Basically any rock from the '70s or '80s works for me. Fleetwood Mac, Jefferson Starship, Heart, Steve Miller Band, The Cars, Bob Seger, Boston, Rush, that sort of thing. It depends on your taste (I’ve never heard of some of the groups mentioned here!) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2003, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-music-whats-your-pleasure/204360/17 "2003-09-29T07:49:28Z")
To keep awake, electronica: trance, techno, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Monkey\_Chews](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@Monkey\_Chews](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monkey_Chews)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2003, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-music-whats-your-pleasure/204360/18 "2003-09-29T14:37:46Z")
Hey, what a coincidence! Right now I’ve been sitting here flicking between the SDMB and a list of songs for a tape that I’m making for a friend who’s going on a road trip around Australia. One of those big, epic “finding yourself” kind of journeys. So far I’ve got a few songs about travelling, moving on, looking forward and good times ahead… Moving – Supergrass Someday – Ash Roam – The B-52’s So Let Me Go Far – Dodgy There Goes the Fear – Doves Now It’s On – Grandaddy A Place Called Home – PJ Harvey Maybe Tomorrow – The Stereophonics We’ve Only Just Begun – Grant Lee Buffalo So Far Away – Carole King The Universal – Blur …as well as a heap of other songs that are fast, fun, thunderous, and worthy of a big grin or a good shout-along – perfect for winding down the window, turning up the volume and singing at the top of your lungs as you cruise down the Pacific Highway. The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret – Queens of the Stoneage My Favourite Game – The Cardigans Seven Nation Army – The White Stripes Just – Radiohead Champagne Supernova – Oasis Hazy Shade of Winter – The Bangles Cannonball – Breeders Come Together – The Beatles Disco – The Music Debaser – The Pixies Still in Hollywood – Concrete Blonde Up With People! – Lambchop Sunday Morning – No Doubt Like a Dog – Powderfinger Express Yourself – Madonna The Modern Age – The Strokes One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces – Ben Folds Five Video Killed the Radio Star – The Buggles The Weight – The Band ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2003, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-music-whats-your-pleasure/204360/19 "2003-09-29T15:13:35Z")
Oh, and “The Joker” is a required road song, if only so you can sing along Homer-style. “Some people call me the space cowboy…” ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2003, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-music-whats-your-pleasure/204360/20 "2003-09-29T17:43:28Z")
Is there any other road music than Reverend Horton Heat? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-music-whats-your-pleasure/204360.md?page=2)