My beloved roommate has embarked on her trip westward as of this morning, towards her summer Eden of Arizona. Get a beautiful tan for me, wmchicago!To help her on her 6-day trek I'd like to touch upon one of the absolute essentials of any such journey: The Road Trip Music Mix!
Every car ride has a destination, even if that destination be nowhere at all. Certain songs will always invoke certain memories, and the compilation of said songs into one composite whole takes talent, skill, and a certain panache. In the words of John Cusack's character from the film High Fidelity:
"The making of a great compilation tape, like breaking up, is hard to do and takes ages longer than it might seem. You gotta kick off with a killer, to grab attention. Then you got to take it up a notch, but you don't wanna blow your wad, so then you got to cool it off a notch. There are a lot of rules."
Wise words, wise words. Whilst I cannot even begin to attempt compilation of the Ultimate Summer Road Trip Mix, here are some songs that will always remind me of warm sunny afternoons and open car windows...
- The Impression That I Get, Mighty Mighty Bosstones - somewhere around junior/senior year of high school, ska became huge and every nerdy band trumpetist suddenly gained newfound respect
- Breakfast At Tiffany's, Deep Blue Something - talk about your one hit wonders. Ahhhh, ninth grade...
- Good Riddance (Time of Your Life), Green Day - our high school graduation theme song. Ironic, given our eighth grade yearbook voted Green Day as both "best" and "worst" band of the year, stirring quite a prepubscent uprising among our masses
- Steal My Sunshine, Len - remember how this song was slightly creepy due to the whole brother/sister act?
- Miami, Will Smith - no summer music collection is complete without him.
- Big Yellow Taxi, Counting Crows - reminiscent of my summer in California. It just makes me happy.
- Pop, *NSYNC - possibly the most idyllic summer of my life, 20 years old, no responsibilities, just chillin' in Provo and dancing some dirty pop every time I got in my car...
- These Words, Natasha Bedingfield - I will always associate this song with danim423, who introduced it to me on our lil' road trip up to Camp Greenwood for the first annual ward retreat. Getting lost at 10 pm in the pitch black, driving for miles in opposite directions...
- Sweet Escape, Gwen Stefani - so far this year's ultimate bubble gum pop song that has kept my head bopping... until the next hit comes along...
13 comments:
One summer when I lived in Pittsburgh we did a bunch of road trips (Kirtland, Palmyra, Amish Land, DC several times, a cabin somewhere). Everytime the six of us went somewhere we piled into one car and listened to the blue album by Weezer. Two of the people ended up getting married and named their first kid Jonas. No, I am not joking.
Steve Miller Band all the way. In high school we were crazy about that band, and especially Jungle Love. Went to his concert down in Toledo summer before I went to college. Also Aaron and I listen to Tori and Tool on our road trips. It wouldn't be me if we didn't listen to Tori, and Tool just rocks.
Two of my favorites are "There is" from Box Car Racer and "Move Along" by the All-American Rejects.
They always help me make it through the 6 hour trip from NY to DC.
Vick! I bought "Tori Amos: The Singles" piano music solely in your memory and think of you every time I rock out. One of these days we'll have a reunion in Mexico... maybe that will be my next road trip!!!
Warren - what kind of car fits six people...?!
UPC - Come back to DC asap.
Yo, AK
Dude, there's, like, a grip of tight songs that have to be considered for the roadtrip/summertime listening pleasure. It's hard to isolate a few, but here's my straight up humble attempt, if you will:
"This DJ"; Warren G
"Let Me Ride"; Dr. Dre
"Livin' On A Prayer"; Bon Jovi
"Come Clean"; Hilary Duff
"Tearing Up My Heart"; NSync
"Bootylicious"; Destiny's Child
"Izzo (H.O.V.A.)"; Jay-Z
"Since U Been Gone"; Kelly Clarkson
"Escapade"; Janet Jackson
"To Be Real"; Cheryl Lynn
"Where's The Love?"; Hanson
"Sweet Child Of Mine"; Guns N Roses
I mean, dude, that's just to start. But seriously, the list can go and on.
Late,
Dude
Sometimes we would go in a van. But we usually our friend Ben would try to borrow his dad's car that we dubbed the "pimp mobile." It was one of those old huge cars that could fit three in the front and three in the back. We got to be good friends by the end of the summer.
I was envisioning a Geo Prism like the one my friends squashed six guys into to drive to Wyoming overnight and back just to say they'd done it. That would be a bonding experience indeed.
Dude -- A playlist with Jay Z and Hanson? I'm adding it to my iPod right this minute. Don't forget Ghetto Superstar.
Warren, I'm glad to hear other people appreciate the Weezer blue album as much as I do and take it seriously enough to literally pass the legacy on to their posterity:)
And Jonas isn't that bad . . . they could have named him Rivers:P
So my all-time favorite summer road trip song, huh? How about several of my favorites:
1. Surfing U.S.A (from my California childhood of course:)
2. Holiday (Weezer)
3. Closer to Fine (Indigo Girls)
4. Country Road (John Denver)
5. Summertime (DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince)
6. The Entire Joshua Tree Album (U2)
7. Vivir Sin Aire (Mana)(Probably my all-time favorite actually, and I don't even speak Spanish. I totally annoyed my brother on a road trip once when I made him play it over and over again so I could learn the words.)
Becks, we're so loading up Vivir Sin Aire for our road trip to CANCUN!!! (okay air trip, blah blah, details... by the way, I could have signed you up for kosher airline meals but I didn't. I hope you don't mind.)
Closer to Fine is one of the few songs I sort of play on the guitar. We'll bust it out one of these days.
From my most recent road-tripping experience (wow, I am happy I won't be repeating that stint for another five months), here's a few of my new found favorites:
"Sunshine" by Matt Costa"
"Cardigan Weather" Meg & Dia (the rift at 50 seconds was repeated over and over again!)
"Land of Canaan" by Indigo Girls
I had to admit, I kinda wished I had the Dixie Chicks "Wide Open Spaces" song during the trip. Shake head.
Dude, I totally needed your songs. If only we had discussed a week earlier...
AK- Can I request an encore of Indigo Girls when I get home!
I was obsessed by "Sunshine" by Matt Costa all last winter. It kept me sane during the cold months:) Such a fabulously simple and upbeat song!
Yo, AK, a few for your Mexico trip pleasure:
"Ave Maria"; David Bisbal (a must)
"Se Fue"; Laura Pausini
"Soy Yo"; Marta Sanchez
"Corazon de Melao"; Emmanuel
"Candela" and "Torero"; Chayanne
"Escapar" and "Chica de Ayer"; Enrique Iglesias
"Ciega, Sordomuda"; Shakira
"Djobi, Djoba"; Gipsy Kings
"El Muelle de San Blas"; Mana
So apparently I'm four years late to your list but I totally agree with your commentary! Remember that song "I get knocked down but I get up again, you ain't never gonna keep me down" and "everyone needs a bosom for a pillow"?? Also, and more importantly, thanks for the *NSYNC dance parties. :)
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