# Songs that are great for driving **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 3, 2002, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-great-for-driving/107047 "2002-05-03T12:40:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shadowfyre](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfyre/32/9972_2.png) [@Shadowfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shadowfyre)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-great-for-driving/107047/1 "2002-05-03T12:40:48Z")
So I want to make a compilation of songs to listen to while I drive. I want two collections, one that is rather fun that I can listen to on the beautiful sunny days with all the windows down, and one that I can listen to on the cool summer nights while I’m out cruisin. I would like about 20 songs for each set, but I’m stuck. Here is what I have so far to give you an idea of what I’m looking for. Sunny day, driving with the top down: Hocus Pocus - Focus Hocus Pocus - Gary Hoey Summer Song - Satriani Hot For Teacher - Van Halen Thunderstruck - AC/DC Crossfire - Stevie Ray Vaughan Party Hard - Andrew WK Crusin around and lookin cool at night: Fuel - Metallica Du Hast - Ramstein Dragula - Rob Zombie Whole Lotta Rosie - AC/DC You Could Be Mine - Guns N Roses I guess I see the sunny day as being a bit lighter and more fun like VH. While the night is darker like Metallica and Rob Zombie. I was thinking of trying to get “classic” songs for these. You know, the kind of songs I can listen to that don’t get too dated. So here I’m asking for your help. What songs would you add to your own list? Discliamer - I may steal your ideas, after all that is the point of this thread. Then again, I may not. Also, how I obtain these songs is none of your bees wax. ---
**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:** [May 3, 2002, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-great-for-driving/107047/2 "2002-05-03T13:07:16Z")
There are a _lot_ of songs that I like to listen to while driving, but the first one that popped into my mind is _ **The Peter Gunn Theme** _. There was a video game that used the theme as you drove around in a sports car. “Spy Hunter”, or something like that. And I had a little yellow Porsche 924 (don’t laugh – it wasn’t a bad car) at the time, so it all fit together. I don’t have a “driving tape”, but I have a “ski tape” that my ex-g/f and I listened to on the way to the mountains. It included (in no particular order) “Song for a Winter’s Night” (Gordon Lightfoot), “Hazy Shade of Winter” (The Bangles), “Edelweiss” (Edelweiss), “Blister in the Sun” and “Add it Up” (Violent Femmes), “500 Miles” (Proclaimers), “A Fifth of Beethoven” (by whoever did that one), and some other stuff in an eclectic mix. ---
**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:** [May 3, 2002, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-great-for-driving/107047/3 "2002-05-03T13:12:36Z")
Oh – “Paradise City” by Guns’N’Roses is a good one to drive to. ---
**Author:** ![tsarina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@tsarina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tsarina)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-great-for-driving/107047/4 "2002-05-03T13:26:29Z")
I made a “driving songs” mix CD for my best friend’s birthday. It included: “Wild Nights” by John Mellencamp “Rock & Roll” by Led Zep “Cars” by Gary Numan “South Side” by Moby “American WOman” by The Guess Who … definitely need lots of high-energy songs to keep you awake while driving! ---
**Author:** ![EchoKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@EchoKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EchoKitty)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-great-for-driving/107047/5 "2002-05-03T13:38:49Z")
I don’t think any collection would be complete without Bohemian Rhapsody, complete with head-banging at the heavy guitar part. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-great-for-driving/107047/6 "2002-05-03T13:43:41Z")
Well, you can always take the standard “Born to be Wild”, Steppenwolf I’d also take a little “Panama”, Van Halen and “Red Barchetta”, Rush ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-great-for-driving/107047/7 "2002-05-03T15:05:38Z")
There’s tons, but the ultimate driving song in my mind has to be **Don Henley** ’s _Boys of Summer_. **Shadowfire** , you know Focus? Cool! ---
**Author:** ![sidle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@sidle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sidle)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-great-for-driving/107047/8 "2002-05-03T15:10:47Z")
First one that came to mind was _Free Fallin_ by Tom Petty, which was a killer driving song even before Tom Cruise illustrated it in Jerry Maguire. Tom Petty’s _American Girl_ is also great during the day, but at night, it’s too creepy a la Silence of the Lambs. One of the best night driving intros, though, if not the whole song,has got to be Red Rider’s _Lunatic Fringe_ ---
**Author:** ![Phoebestar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Phoebestar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phoebestar)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-great-for-driving/107047/9 "2002-05-03T15:17:51Z")
For interstate driving: Eve 6 - “Open Road Song” Also, I always liked Tom Cochran’s “Life Is a Highway”, although a casual poll of my friends proves I’m the _only_ one that does. ---
**Author:** ![sidle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@sidle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sidle)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-great-for-driving/107047/10 "2002-05-03T15:27:15Z")
Phoebe- Ha ha. Don’t feel badly. Apparently, I used to like that song. I must have actually _paid_ for it (cringe), since I found the cassingle (remember those?) in my old stuff at my folks house recently. Hey, at least I didn’t spring for the whole Tom Cochran album! Oh-and how could I have forgotten this one? Day or night, STP’s _Interstate Love Song_ is one of my favorite driving tunes. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Elvis_Rojo)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-great-for-driving/107047/11 "2002-05-03T15:55:59Z")
“Jet Generation” by Guitar Wolf Anything off of “Liquor in Front” by the Reverand Horton Heat Anything about Hot Rods (“Hot Rod Lincoln” for example) ---
**Author:** ![Zappo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b3f665/32.png) [@Zappo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zappo)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-great-for-driving/107047/12 "2002-05-03T16:00:51Z")
Don’t forget the classics: “Radar Love”- Golden Earring “Chosen One”- Timbuk 3 (the theme from “The Sopranos”- this one kept me awake driving across Ohio on the way home from MobileDope) “Legs”- ZZ Top “Centerfold” and “Freeze Frame”- J. Geils Band “Bhodisatva”- Steely Dan “Cadillac Ranch”- Bruce Springsteen “Love Song 89”- The Cure ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-great-for-driving/107047/13 "2002-05-03T16:38:41Z")
You can’t go wrong driving to “St. Elmo’s File” by John Parr. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-great-for-driving/107047/14 "2002-05-03T16:39:18Z")
You can’t go wrong driving to “St. Elmo’s Fire” by John Parr. ---
**Author:** ![Moon-Watcher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/49beb7/32.png) [@Moon-Watcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moon-Watcher)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-great-for-driving/107047/15 "2002-05-03T16:46:42Z")
Might I add _Kickstart My Heart_ by Motley Crue? ---
**Author:** ![auntie\_em](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@auntie\_em](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auntie_em)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-great-for-driving/107047/16 "2002-05-03T17:02:44Z")
Damn you **Zappo!** I was sure (don’t know why) that nobody else would say _Radar Love_! **Tsarina** , great list! And I do love Michele N’Dege Ochello (who accompanied Mellencamp), but I still say you can’t beat Van Morrison for that song! And for the Guess Who… you gotta add _Undun_ and _Share the Land_! Also, The Allman Brothers, man, The Allman Brothers! Why are we forgetting The Brothers, people??? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![roadrunner70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@roadrunner70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roadrunner70)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-great-for-driving/107047/17 "2002-05-03T17:18:03Z")
“Get Out of Denver” - Bob Seger & T.S.B.B. Actually, the whole “Live Bullet” album. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-great-for-driving/107047/18 "2002-05-03T17:38:49Z")
Well this is the tape mix that I made for riding around the US last year and still use it on the bike. Some are bike related. Ride to Live Live to Ride, Twisted Sister Blue Highway, Billy Idol Blood and Gasoline, Virgin Steele Iron Horse, Motorhead Hello America, Def Leppard Heading out on the Highway, Judas Priest Desart Plains, Priest From Here to Eternity, Iron Maiden Danger Zone, from Top Gun Coast to Coast, Scorpions There were a bunch more but now I can’t seem to think of them. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-great-for-driving/107047/19 "2002-05-03T17:45:41Z")
For sunny daytime driving nothing beats _No Excuses_ by Alice In Chains. ---
**Author:** ![Big\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/df788c/32.png) [@Big\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Big_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-great-for-driving/107047/20 "2002-05-03T19:00:28Z")
“DUI” by the Offspring “You drink, you drive, you spill” by NOFX “Black Sunshine” by White Zombie “RPM” by Sugar Ray “Gear Jammer” by George Thorogood and the Destroyers “Let Me Ride” by Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-great-for-driving/107047.md?page=2)