OK, we've had books, we've had films so now how about songs!
What are the songs which inspire you and make you want to
pack up your old kit bag and hit the road? Herewith a few
of the naffest suggestions:
Anyone remember that song (early-eighties, I reckon) called
"Caught between the Moon and New York City" OK, I know it's
silly but it really does make me want to hit the Big Apple
asap. Frankie's "New York, New York" has the same effect,
of course!
Another song which gives me the travel bug is another oldie.
I don't know the name but it goes like this "I'm going
where the sun keeps shining/Through the pouring rain/Going
where the weather suits my clothes". It was covered (by the
Beautiful South?) a few years ago and I remember listening
to it before a recent trip to Croatia and it just made me
feel sooo dreamy ...
Add to that another naff eighties song "One Night in
Bangkok" - always calls to mind the adventures I've had
which one my travel (even though I've never been to
Thailand!)
Do let me know what inspire you!
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Ok, just about EVERY song on their "Nomads, Indians and
Saints" album works for me. As a matter of fact, that tape
is a necessity for every road/plain/train trip I take.
"Southland in the Springtime" always takes me straight to
Georgia...
Some other sweet lyrics from that album...
"I wish I was a nomad, an indian or a saint-give me walking
shoes, feathered arms, and a key to heaven's gate"
"Gotta get outta bed, get a hammer and a nail, learn how to
use my hands..."
"Up on the watershed, staring at the fork in the
road...don't wanna fly as the crow flies-'stead get used to
a country mile, learning to face the path at your place,
every choice is worth your while."
Anyway it's good stuff, possibly the best stuff, ever. Have
fun!
"Get out the map, get out the map and lay your finger
anywhere down; We'll leave the figurin' to those we pass on
the way out of town ..."
Songs that are great to travel down the Australian highway
to are "From St. Kilda to King's Cross" by Paul Kelly (in
fact ANYTHING by Paul Kelly).
* "On The Road Again"....as in "just can wait to get on the
road again..."
* "Kathmandu" by Cat Stevens
* "Marrakesh" by Crosby Stills and Nash
* "The Traveller" by Alan Parsons Project
* "Kokomo" - that song that goes "Arumba, Jamaica, oh I'm
gonna take ya to Bermuda, Bahamas, come on pretty mama, Key
Largo, Montego...."
* "Margaritaville" by Jimmy Buffet - "Living on spongecake,
watching the sun bake, all of those tourists covered with
oil."
* "Mexico" by James Taylor - "Oh, oh down in Mexico, never
really been, so I don't really know..."
* "America" by Simon and Garfunkel
* "Me and Bobby McGee" - "busted flat in Baton Rouge,
waiting for a train, feeling near as faded as my jeans.
Bobby thumbed a deisel down, just before it rained, rode it
all the way to new Orleans..."
from the countries I want to visit - or from countries I
didn't know I want to visit! Or by artists from those
countries. Listen to Miriam Makeba "Sangoma" CD if you are
thinking Africa. Listen to Zap Mama if you might want a
host of middle eastern/east european countries. Try some
digeridoo (well, I know I butchered the spelling, sorry) for
Australia. Try Altazor for Latin America.
these always do it for me...buena vista social club..ry
cooder...songtrack to the "year of living dangerously",
moondance...van morrison,ravel's bolero...summerwind..frank
sinatra...not to mention anything by cubanismo...ciao
West End Girls (Pet Shop Boys)
Life is a Highway (Tom Cochrane!)
anything with the word "Georgia" in it!!
(I know it's cheesy, but there's no accounting for taste :)
"I'm just a girl" by No Doubt - not only is the song peppy
and expressive, but I had it on a tape on my first true
backpacking trip to Central America.
I also like Tom Cochrane's "Life is a Highway".
Any Latin American music, especially from Shakira!!
p.j. harvey's albums "dry" and "rid of me" make me want to
move, plus, they have the added effect of making me feel
myself to be a strong, independent WOMAN (yes, all in
capital letters).
also, this is cheesy, but any punk rock (rancid, NOFX, sex
pistols, etc.) is good for travel.
...always have a song for travelling (Goin' Down the Road
Feelin' Bad [which is actually not as depressing as it
sounds!], Truckin' and my favorite, Scarlet Begonias:
"Wind in the willows singin' tea for two, the sky was yellow
and the sun was blue,
Strangers stopping strangers, just to shake their hands,
everybody's playing in the heart of gold band.....
See you on the road!
Nicole
If you're Australian there is no doubt when you're on the
road:
'My Island Home' by Christine Anu
Perhaps if you're a Torres Strait Islander My island home
would be good but for me the quintessesntila Aussie(or any
other travellers) song is: The wide Open Road by The
triffids