I want to know: what music do people listen to when they travel?
Everybody is showing pictures and is narrating Odysseys, but what about your ears: what was on the radio, on the street or in your head?What were you singing, humming, whistling during your journeys?
For me, there are "standards" as well as songs connected solely to a special trip.
The year of the journey isn't necessarily the release year of a certain song.
So, let's start with:
France, Winter 1994: Mr.Jones,Counting Crows
I had gotten a tape with this song in the summer, I think, sent from a dear friend. In Paris it was playing very often on the radio.
Naples, April 1995: Here I could lie, but I believe I used to listen to Jeff Buckley a LOT, so Last Goodbye
France, Summer 1999: Dream On, Dreamer, Brend New Heavies
Japan, 2000: I Try, Macy Gray
In Japan you have speakers on the streets and there is noise and music everywhere.
I had just arrived in Miyazaki,in southern Japan, and was walking out of the station. This was a nice surprise.
USA, 2001:
because this was a two month road-trip, the soundtrack is pretty consistent.
I find that Red Hot Chili Peppers are perfect companions when traveling. They gave energy and they have that desert-like warmth, which perfectly captures the atmosphere of a long and hard journey.
So, a lot of RHCP
Soul To Squeeze
Scar Tissue
Around The World
Snow
(it might be that some of these songs were released and heard in a later US road-trip)
Of course Blues Travelers
Hook
Run Around
Washington D.C., 2002
No one Knows, The Queens of the Stone Age
I have one for a sailing trip on the Baltic (I believe 2004):
La Nonna di Frederick Lo Portava al Mare, Quintorigo (it makes sense because it is about the seaside).
In between I think I was in Korea and Japan, where the soundtrack were some popular songs (Korean bus drivers' choice) cicadas (as loud as road works!), traffic light tunes and an amazing number of other unknown noises.
Tennessee, 2007: Can't no Grave Hold This Body Down, Mike Farris
Mike Farris is a Nashville based singer I had the chance to hear live at the Blue Plate WDVX of Knoxville.
Montreal, 2010: on the road from Long Island, NY to Montreal there were the usual RHCP and Blues Travelers.
But on the way back (much enjoyed at the Montreal Jazz Festival) the fun and amazing
Lost Fingers with
Thunder/You shook me all night long (AC/DC cover), which by the way, my kids kept singing and requesting for the whole trip!
Tainted Love (Soft Cell cover)
Generally speaking I like energetic songs.
What about you?
In Japan you have speakers on the streets and there is noise and music everywhere.
I had just arrived in Miyazaki,in southern Japan, and was walking out of the station. This was a nice surprise.
USA, 2001:
because this was a two month road-trip, the soundtrack is pretty consistent.
I find that Red Hot Chili Peppers are perfect companions when traveling. They gave energy and they have that desert-like warmth, which perfectly captures the atmosphere of a long and hard journey.
So, a lot of RHCP
Soul To Squeeze
Scar Tissue
Around The World
Snow
(it might be that some of these songs were released and heard in a later US road-trip)
Of course Blues Travelers
Hook
Run Around
Washington D.C., 2002
No one Knows, The Queens of the Stone Age
I have one for a sailing trip on the Baltic (I believe 2004):
La Nonna di Frederick Lo Portava al Mare, Quintorigo (it makes sense because it is about the seaside).
In between I think I was in Korea and Japan, where the soundtrack were some popular songs (Korean bus drivers' choice) cicadas (as loud as road works!), traffic light tunes and an amazing number of other unknown noises.
Tennessee, 2007: Can't no Grave Hold This Body Down, Mike Farris
Mike Farris is a Nashville based singer I had the chance to hear live at the Blue Plate WDVX of Knoxville.
Montreal, 2010: on the road from Long Island, NY to Montreal there were the usual RHCP and Blues Travelers.
But on the way back (much enjoyed at the Montreal Jazz Festival) the fun and amazing
Lost Fingers with
Thunder/You shook me all night long (AC/DC cover), which by the way, my kids kept singing and requesting for the whole trip!
Tainted Love (Soft Cell cover)
Generally speaking I like energetic songs.
What about you?
