Hey, everybody! Reader here, and no, I haven’t vanished off the face of the earth. I’m just wrapping up a couple more weeks pitching in in the newsroom, covering the agriculture desk, while our News/Ag Director Doug Falconer wraps up his summer holidays.
And after I finish that up tomorrow? Two glorious weeks of vacation!
I’m ready to hit the road, and enjoy some much-needed rest and relaxation. And honestly, an underrated part of the journey is the road trip itself. I enjoy jumping in the car, rolling down the windows (because my car doesn’t have air conditioning), cranking up the tunes, and settling in for a nice, long drive.
I posed a question to our AI assistant – “What makes a great road trip playlist?”
Here’s what it suggested:
- Feel-Good Tunes: Pick songs that lift your spirits and make you smile.
- Variety: Mix in different genres and tempos to keep things interesting.
- Sing-Alongs: Include those tracks everyone knows the words to.
- Chill Vibes: Add some mellow tunes for those scenic, laid-back moments.
- Personal Favorites: Toss in some songs that hold special memories for you.
So, with that in mind, here are a few from my road trip playlist.
Under the “Feel-Good” banner, let’s kick things off with a little Creedence Clearwater Revival.
To this day, “Born on the Bayou” is one of my favourite CCR tunes. John Fogerty wrote a lot of bangers, but this is one of the best. CCR is one of those bands that my dad and I bonded with on many road trips. Often, we’d inevitably end up playing “Song & Singer,” in which we’d have to, as you might have guessed, identify the song and singer of the song on the radio. (As a fun aside, that’s where I got the idea for “That’s My Jam!”)
Another feel-good track? How about “Stay High,” by Brittany Howard. Many know her as the voice of Alabama Shakes, but she’s released a pair of great solo albums, and and “Stay High” never fails to put me in a great mood!
Now, variety is the spice of life, and it’s nice to throw in a few different songs to mix things up.
If I feel like having a little dance party in the car, a little Jamiroquai hits the spot. They always get me moving!
I’m a Jazz fan too, and sometimes, I want to hear two of the all-time greats – Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald!
When I road trip, pretty much any tune is a sing-along, but there are definitely some that I always belt out.
Like Bachman Turner Overdrive’s classic “Let It Ride.” By the way, with that sweet bass line, it’s a great song to blast when it’s dark, and you have the highway all to yourself.
And I always sing loud when Stevie Wonder comes on!
Sometimes, you just want to slow things down, and chill out for a bit. One of my favourite songs by Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats will do the trick.
By the way, they put on a helluva show. If you get the chance to see them in concert, do it!
Another great song to chill out with on the road? “Our Love,” by Winnipeg’s own The Bros. Landreth.
And then, there are those favourites I can listen to any time, like the Stones’ “All Down the Line.”
I will never get tired of that one! (You knew the Stones would appear on my list at some point!)
And another track I love is this gem, by a little band from Pennsylvania called Crobot. The describe their sound as “dirty, groove, rock,” and it certainly applies! I wasn’t familiar with these guys, until I saw them a few years ago in Saskatoon, opening for Volbeat and Anthrax. And they were awesome! It happened to be May 4th, and in the spirit of “Star Wars Day,” lead singer Brandon Yeagley was dressed as a rockin’ Han Solo! It was pretty rad! “Nowhere To Hide” is a such a great tune!
I’m not one to listen to podcasts or audiobooks when I’m on the road. I need music to keep the blood pumping!
These are a few of my favourite road songs. What are some of yours?
