AMY SALISBURY
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
As the semester comes to a close, many of us students plan for fun that can’t be had during our normal school schedules. One pivotal college experience is quite simple, not that expensive, and can (potentially) reveal a lot about you and the personalities of those you travel with: road trip.
My limited knowledge of long-term travel has led me to one conclusive thought: road trips are made or broken by the music that accompanies them. You might get stuck with the annoying guy who hogs the chips or the relative who snores, but strategically placed tunes tend to fix most anything within the square footage of a sedan.
Some songs beg for the road. I don’t know what it is about me and Cameron Crowe films, but “Tiny Dancer” by Elton John as utilized in “Almost Famous” is practically anthemic in the context of a highway. Another Crowe movie, “Elizabethtown,” with its indulgent use of the mix tape, uses John’s “My Father’s Gun” as another powerful tune with a resonating chorus.
For some reason, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young are the best representation of ‘70s music I can come up with. Along with Jackson Browne and James Taylor, road trip playlists will have that special bit of nostalgia combined with just damn good lyrics. Key tracks: “Helpless,” “Sky Blue and Black,” “Running on Empty” and “Fire and Rain.”
With every classic, there must be something modern for balance. Kings of Convenience, an electro-folk pop band, bring that special mix of composition and jive to playlists with songs like “I’d Rather Dance with You” and “Know How.” Icelandic artist Bjork has a track called “All is Full of Love” that has as much electronica as it does emotion.
As for a playlist’s requisite rock, Led Zeppelin’s “Since I’ve Been Loving You” is a must. [For the best vibe, use the live version off “How the West Was Won.” All the imperfections make it sound fresh.] Although incomparable, The Black Keys have some purely rocking songs that are easy to listen to and almost pop-driven. Some of the band’s road-ready tracks include “Do the Rump,” “Everlasting Light” and “Thickfreakness.”
A few tunes for good measure: “Dress Looks Nice on You” by Sufjan Stevens, “All I Need” by Radiohead, “Ragged Wood” by Fleet Foxes, “Gray Stables” by Iron & Wine, “Natural Anthem” by the Postal Service, “Saturday Sun” by Nick Drake, “Harvest Moon” by Neil Young and “Hold Music” by Architecture in Helsinki. Of course, these are just my personal playlist standbys. Humor me.
Although I know (and you can surely tell) that I haven’t included all that I want to, there’s one song I just couldn’t feel right about leaving off a road trip playlist: “America” by Simon and Garfunkel. The lyrics portray the innocence of youth in an epic way. I’d recommend beginning the road trip with this track. I guarantee it will make you feel free.
Good playlists have variety and feeling. They must be tailored to fit individual tastes but familiar enough to have the right energy. Enjoy the trip and absorb the music. No matter how many miles you travel, it will go quicker than you think.
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