Mamma Mia - Volvo’s summer road trip songs!
Volvo have released a CD of summer road trip songs, so naturally I couldn’t resist tearing strips off theirs and releasing a list of my own, which you can then proceed to tear strips off whilst writing your own lists in comments.
To Volvo’s list:
- “Born to Run” Bruce Springsteen*
“S.O.S.” ABBA
“Ramble On” Led Zeppelin
“Me and Bobby McGee” Janis Joplin*
“Dancing Queen” ABBA
“Jackson” Johnny and June Carter Cash
“Take a Chance on Me” ABBA
“Paradise by the Dashboard Light” Meatloaf
“Stuck in the Middle With You” Stealer’s Wheel*
“Mamma Mia” ABBA
“Born to Be Wild” Steppenwolf
“Highway to Hell” AC/DC*
“Low Rider” War
“Running on Empty” Jackson Browne
“Southbound” Allman Brothers
“Waterloo” ABBA
“Highway 61 Blues” Bob Dylan
“Little Deuce Coupe” The Beach Boys
“Knowing Me, Knowing You” ABBA
“Drive My Car” The Beatles*
“On the Road Again” Willie Nelson
The asterisks denote songs I could possibly handle on a CD if it were given to me, though I most likely wouldn’t put them on a disc myself. Most of the rest I could handle on the radio if they happened to be playing at the time, but several would cause me to switch. This includes any of the ABBA songs mentioned with the possible exception of Waterloo, and Willie Nelson would almost give me cause to stop the car and do some sort of cleansing ritual (with apologies to country fans out there….but how many country and western singers does it take to change a light bulb? Answer below)
I’ve asterisked Janis Joplin on philosophical grounds (she should never, ever be switched off once playing) just as I’ve left Meatloaf off the list on philosophical grounds - he should never be given the chance to start due to the fact that he never knows when to stop.
I like the idea of Born To Be Wild but for some reason the original Steppenwolf version always leaves me thinking they were singing something they didn’t believe for themselves. I don’t know why.
So on to the teenage past-time of creating my own list. Songs for a summer trip in my Saab. 21 songs as per the Volvo list. The links are to Youtube, where available.
- Just - Radiohead
Zebra - John Butler Trio
Last Goodbye - Jeff Buckley
Everyday Sunshine - Fishbone
By the time I get to Arizona - Public Enemy
Sweet Child O Mine - Guns n Roses
Plush - Stone Temple Pilots
Foxy Lady - Jimi Hendrix
Little Wing - Stevie Ray Vaughn
It’s Only Natural - Crowded House
Back in Black - AC/DC
Weak - Skunk Anansie
Exodus - NPG (Prince)
Come Together - Beatles
Suck My Kiss - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Panama - Van Halen
Power and the Passion - Midnight Oil
Hey Jealousy - Gin Blossoms
Sleep Now In The Fire - Rage Against the Machine
Are you gonna be my girl? - Jet
My Happiness - Powderfinger
It’s not a particularly Saaby list, though there is a Saab in one of those filmclips (the Aussies might know which one). It’s also a list that could change if I were to write it again tomorrow. I tried to fit some Chris Cornell in there but nothing seemed to suit.
It’s a pointless exercise, but thanks to Volvo for prompting it anyway.
Fire away in comments, though please understand that the spam filter will hold you up if you post links (more than one link gets a comments suspended for moderation). I’ll get around to approving suspended comments in due course.
UPDATE:
In a massive oversight, I neglected to include any Swedish music to make my car feel at home. Consider that oversight at least partially rectified:
Hate to say I told you so - The Hives
Trilogy Suite Op 5 - Yngwie Malmsteen
——
Answer: 100.
1 to actually change the light bulb and 99 to sing about how good the old one was.
Actually, this is sort of a country and western Saab site sometimes, now I think of it…….
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love buckley and radiohead. seeing Thom and the boys live next month.
:)
Some interesting choices Swade! My song list would have to include (among others) “Happy with what you have to be happy with” by King Crimson, “Double Dare” by Bauhaus, and (in anticipation of the possible release of the 9-1) “It’s a miracle” by Roger Waters (haha)!
A great start but……
If you’re gonna have the Gunners its gotta be Paradise City hasn’t it?
And where’s the Cold Chisel - Forever Now or Standing on the Outside?
Or Led Zep; RocknRoll, When the Levee Breaks
Bob Marley - anything really, One Love - if I had to pick
The Special AKA: Free Nelson Mandela
SRV: Couldn’t stand the weather
The whole St Germain Tourist album over a long trip
The Cruel Sea: anything really, Betta get a Lawyer at a pinch - or 4.
Julian Cope: Beautiful Love
Aerosmith: Cryin’
The Stones: Midnight Rambler, Sympathy for the Devil, Anything off Tattoo You.
Powderfinger: The Metre, Sunsets - the whole Vulture Street album really…..
The Hindu Love Gods: Mannish Boy
Magic Dirt: Dirty Jeans
Ben Lee: Thats the way I like it
AC/DC: Long way to the Top, Hells Bells, Thunderstruck, Jailbreak
Miles Davis: anything really
The New Christs: You’ll never catch my wave
The Eastern Dark: the whole Long Live the New Flesh EP
Al Green - the early stuff
Stevie Wonder: Superstition, Higher Ground, Master Blaster
Hmmm, this could go on for a while…..
Well, I was keeping myself to 21 songs, PT…. but Chisel was a major oversight. Bow River for me, thanks.
You can come around and program my iPod anytime. I like that list!
NICE! Always happy to see that there are Fishbone fans elsewhere (outside
the North American ‘hood)!
Check out Arch Enemy if you want to get your Swedish metal on!
A few tunes that will be on my ultimate summer road mix:
“the wagon” - DINOSAUR JR.
“median strip” — SLOAN
“chuck wagon rag” — WNOC
“kissing tar” - Throwing Muses
“hard road” — Sam Roberts Band
“drive that fast” — Kitchens Of Distinction
“GTO” — Engine 88
“out on the highway” — Kula Shaker
“go w/ the flow” — Queens Of The Stone Age
“road to rock-n-roll” — Joe Strummer & The Mezcoleros
“2,3,GO” — Wedding Present
“Speed King” — These Animal Men
“duel” or “Son of Mustang Ford” — Swervedriver
“in your car” — Kenickle
“sally’s car” — Fruit
“magic carpet ride” - Pizzicato 5
“Kundalini Express” — Love & Rockets
“overdrive” — Foo Fighters
“drive” — PACHA MASSIVE
“down my street” — PACHA MASSIVE
“cruisin’” — PACHA MASSIVE
“jerry was a race car driver” — PRIMUS
“from a motel 6″ — Yo La Tengo
Wait a minute! If you are going to do the Stones you have to have Beast of Burden! Chris Cornell? The only stuff I liked was in Soundgarden. The day I tried to live, Black Hole Sun, Spoon Man, or It fell on Black Days. I also noticed there was No The Cure? Hhmm.. Otherwise, nice list.
2-Don, I could fit some Cure on there if I had extra minutes on the CD. Probably “Why Can’t I be You” or “Never Enough”.
The Chris Cornell song I’d have loved to link to was a one-off he did with a few other guys for a Jimi Hendrix tribute album. It was “Hey Baby” (Land of the new rising sun). The whole CD is awesome but that song is the jewel in the crown.
I’d like to add Iron and Wine to your lists as well, just for the nice change of pace. It’s great for those long journeys…
NEVER switch off Janis!!
The other one that jumped out at me from Volvo’s list that would have to stay high on my own version is Waterloo by ABBA. When I bought my first Saab (a 1992 9000 Turbo — red, of course
) I bought a disc to inaugurate the CD player — the track I first played was Waterloo performed by ABBA in Swedish!
Ho-hum.
How about some music that’s really suited to driving. A few of my faves. Many of these are German and feature the “motorik” beat for good reason:
“Hallogallo” - Neu!
“Isi” - Neu!
“Halleljuwah” - Can
“One More Night” - Can
“Moonshake” - Can
“Lunar Sea” - Camel
“Les Oiseaux Rapides” - Philharmonie*
“Europe Endless” - Kraftwerk
“Neon Lights” - Kraftwerk
“”Deluxe (immer weider)” - Harmonia
“Velmwend” - Ozric Tentacles
“Dot’s Thots” - Ozric Tentacles
“Bluebeard” - Cocteau Twins
“Duncan Idaho” - Richard Pinhas*
* (Yeah, I know none of you have ever heard of these guys, just trust me and check the links.)
By the way, the new site looks good, Swade. Keep up the good work.
Oh ho. Ultimate Saab Summer Road trip list for me:
1. Funeral For a Friend - Elton John (Perfect song to start out to, especially if you’re starting out in the rain)
(It’s fast and one of my favorite songs)
2. Coolidge - Descendents (It’s fast)
3. Above Me - Rufio (It’s also fast)
4. Yellow Camaro - Weezer (It’s loud and about a car)
5. All Summer Long - Beach Boys (You can’t have a summer playlist without the Beach Boys, and I think this is their best song)
6. I Feel Fine - Beatles (You can’t have a rock playlist without the Beatles, and this is a good summer song)
7. Earthcrosser - Veruca Salt (Earthcrosser, road trip…get it?)
8. “What If We [Swam] Into Nothing?” - The Wonder Years (A song about turtles, but it makes me want to drive at night)
9. Under the Milky Way - The Church (Also makes me want to drive at night, plus the Australian-ness of The Church makes me think of Swade, which makes me think of Saab)
10. Heartache of Soccer Moms -
11. First Day of School - Cruiserweight (I had a hard time only picking one Cruiserweight song, this one won because I listened to it a lot when I drove across the country 2 years ago)
12. Holiday in Cambodia - Dead Kennedys (Holiday, road trip…just like Earthcrosser)
13. Interstate Love Song - Stone Temple Pilots (Man, a lot of these are on here because their titles are trip-related)
14. Boys of Summer - Ataris (Summer, Boys of Summer, come on)
15. F.C.P.R.E.M.I.X. - Fall of Troy (Loud and fast, good for driving)
16. Thanks for Nothing - Hellacopters (Loud, fast, and Swedish, good for driving in a Saab)
17. The Trooper - Iron Maiden (Galloping guitar/bass is good for driving)
18. Rockin Stroll - Lemonheads (Fast and bright)
19. Crazy Sunshine - The Pillows (Sunshine…road trip…summer…)
20. Born to Hula (Old Version) - Queens of the Stone Age (Every mile leads you my way, roll on)
21. Let Us Share This Roof Again/With Solid Hope For The Sun’s Gleaming Return - Blind The Thief (My band , haha)
I had a hell of a time keeping it to 21.
As for some of the picks I’ve seen here:
Swade - Hell yeah, Gin Blossoms! Hell no, Van Halen. And why Come Together, it’s so downbeat, I wouldn’t put that on a “road trip” compilation. Also, I’m so tired of Janis Joplin, I can’t even listen to her anymore. I’ve heard Bobby McGee more times than any human should.
2-don - Beast of Burden, no offense, has to be one of my least favorite Rolling Stones songs of all time. If I put some Stones on there, it would be Street Fighting Man. As for the Cure, I would have definitely used Just Like Heaven had I had the room.
PT - Aerosmith would make me want to end the summer road trip by crashing my car into a pole…anything to get it to stop.
j - I wanted to put the Foos on there, but I rand out of room. I would have used This Is A Call…or Everlong, either one.
Rich - Last time I was at Disneyworld, they were doing some outdoor ABBA thing at EPCOT, and EVERY SINGLE TIME I walked by, they were singing Waterloo. They did like 10 or 15 songs, but the 4 times I went by the amphitheatre, all I heard was WATERLOO, I WAS DEFEATED YOU WON THE WAR…it was weird.
Metrognome - I’ve heard of both of those acts, and I don’t like either of them at all.