Songs in cars, mostly

I feel rotten about not getting in on the Life CD swap. I was really busy right then, and am really, really bored right now. Plus, I wasn't too sure of myself for coming up with songs that would define my "life" in anything remotely like a chronological order. But I am making another mix CD for my road trip tomorrow, and since much of my musical loves were developed spending way too much time behind the wheel, here's a songs for cars and other traveling. I may actually bother to make it one day.

R.E.M--"Driver 8"
The song to go to when you are on a journey home that needs to be romanticized a bit.

Bikini Kill--"Rebel Girl"
One of the best songs evah. Made me realize that it was perfectly feminist to be a snot-nosed brat. Good for waking up to.

The Breeders--"Driving on 9"
Out in West Texas, you spend a lot of time on the road. To El Paso and back to Alpine. And then from Austin to either Alpine to El Paso and back again. This song made the whole thing seem romantic and made me feel like one day I would be driving somewhere, instead of just in a loop.

Gladys Knight--"Midnight Train to Georgia"
This song broke my heart--the pain of impossible decisions. Many songs that touch me are ones that came over my radio at late hours when I was alone.

Patsy Cline--"Walking After Midnight"
Put the word "midnight" in it and I'm yours. I used to spend a lot of time really late walking around pondering...stuff. Sometimes love, but sometimes the mysteries of the universe.

The Ramones--"The KKK Took My Baby Away"
I could put all sorts of Ramones tunes on here, but this one always makes me think of a long distance drive I took with my dad, where we were switching back and forth, his music and my music. I put in the Ramones on my turn and this song came on and my dad, who'd never heard it, just died laughing. And then he said he really liked it, which was nice. I like it, too.

Pulp--"Common People"
The first time I really listened to the lyrics was in the car. It pulled a tear from me. I have an odd relationship to the very concept of slumming, and he really draws the anger that it can cause out here.

Beastie Boys--"So What'cha Want"
Check Your Head and Ill Communication are basically the bookends of my high school years. My senior year, I made a tape with one on Side A and the other on Side B. We listened to it until our ears bled. Mostly sitting in my crappy pick-up truck, of course.

Sleater Kinney--"Banned From the End of the World"
I got The Hot Rock as a gift and I just threw it in the c.d. player to listen to as I drove around. This song impressed me so much I had trouble concentrating on the road.

The Raincoats--"Lola"
Friend's birthday. I'm sober, she's drunk. We're driving from a karaoke bar to downtown Austin. We're almost there but she starts begging to pull over to pee. I give in and she hides behind a bush to pee. She gets back in the car, and we listen to this song, singing along loudly all the way downtown. She'd never heard this cover before, but well, it's a pretty famous song and everyone knows all the words.

Motorhead--"Ramones"
My boyfriend and I were driving to see David Cross downtown. This song comes on a mix he just made and it sounds so good. We just start laughing and singing along at the top of our lungs. By the time we get to the show, we are in way too good a mood.

Devo--"Mongoloid"
I have recently made a friend and we go out together by ourselves downtown. We have fun, but decide to go home early. On the way back, I throw in Are We Not Men and she's all excited to find another hardcore Devo fan. We sing along, rocking out and by the time I drop her off, I think we realized that we were gonna be good friends.

Astrud Gilberto--"Who Needs Forever"
I'm in college, I don't really don't want to go to my house or to that of any friends. I drive around a little. The DJ on the college station puts this song on. I cry some, suck it up and go home. I adore this song.

The Kinks--"You Really Got Me"
Thought I would wind up with the best song in the world for getting everyone in the car all amped up. Good for putting on shortly before you reach your destination.