Songs to ride by

Okay, since this board offers the biggest, best, and uhh, baddest collective of music enthusiasts to be found anywhere on the infobahn ...

Recommendations for great songs to listen to while riding a motorcycle?

I'm thinking, a song of any genre that provides a good sense of momentum and energy, that sounds/feels right while riding down the open road.

I have plenty of ideas for this; my goal is to gather the astute, well-intended opinions of others, on songs I may have missed. Thanks in advance.

Well, there are the cliché tunes like Steppenwolf's "Born To Be Wild" or Golden Earring's "Radar Love," but those are now so iconic--and, well, just so obvious--that recommending them seems absurd. Personally, I have always imagined The Doors "L.A. Woman" as the song I'd have playing while driving a vintage Corvette convertible down Ocean Avenue, or perhaps "Roundabout" by Yes.

We all know cars and driving were two of the main subjects of early rock and roll, right? It turns out that rockabilly was the genre of choice of the original "old school" café racers. You can get a lot of mileage out of the Stray Cats and their high-octane rockabilly tunes, many of which are car-themed and highly suitable for a road trip. Or if you like your rockabilly served up with some mescaline and a shot of tequila you might go for Reverend Horton Heat's "psychobilly" sound. Hunter S. Thompson would approve. Fear and Loathing, baby.

And if you are in the mood for some hypnotic Krautrock music for high-speed eurocruising you could take a trip on the Kraftwerk's "Autobahn." Highly recommended for driving the BMW K 1200 GT from Düsseldorf to Amsterdam for a little weekend fun, if you know what I mean.

I typically produce my own driving music mix tapes. Any music that makes me feel like I just tossed back a couple of double espressos is a definite candidate.

Aw, c'mon, this is WAAAAYYY too easy: Link Wray or Davie Allen. Turn it up to 11, and ride that thing like Eric Von Zipper.

Bonus points for mentioning Von Zipper!

Such a tragedy when he was cut in half by that buzzsaw.

I've always thought that some indie rock band worth their salt should write a song about Harvey Lembeck--a true legend.

I have never driven a motorcycle but for years I started every road trip in my car by blasting "I wanna be sedated" by the Ramones. Come to think of it almost any Ramones song will suit your purpose.

Jesus & Mary Chain "Living End"
Serge Gainsbourgh "Harley David Son of a Bitch"
Brigitte Bardot "Harley Davidson"
Hondells "Little Honda"
and speaking of the J&MC, Primal Scream's "Loaded" with it's Peter Fonda "The Wild Angels" samples.

That said, I'm way too chicken to ride a motorcycle, I know I'd kill myself on one of them death-mobiles.

Steve Wynn - "Amphetamine"

Play Deep by The Outfield (in its entirety) is a strict listening requirement of mine for any long road trip. Power-pop perfection with the slightest tinge of new wave and nary a bad track in the lot.

And while I recognize the album's adolescent simplicity, lyrical shortcomings, perceived low "artistic" worth and lack of influence, this is just one of many instances where I'm very thankful that I'm not evolved, sophisticated or perhaps intelligent enough for any of this to really matter to me. I'll go with passion, verve and enthusiasm over the aforementioned nearly every time.

The Outfield were always in the same category for me as Toad the Wet Sprocket or Collective Soul - they were somebody I enjoyed hearing on the radio on occasion, but I was perfectly content to let them stay there.

Not quite the same category as the Gin Blossoms - someone I liked enough to buy their discs but who I still would rather hear on the radio than listen to the discs.

> I recognize the album's adolescent simplicity, lyrical shortcomings,
> perceived low "artistic" worth ...

In other words, Shizzle, you recognize that the album offers a good cross-section of what rock & roll is supposed to be all about. My hat's off to ya.

BTO, Bryan Adams, Aerosmith, Ted Nugent!!!

this is carmen who is using clashminded's thing for posting.
'i can see clearly now the rain is gone' was in my head when i was on a bike.



Clash Jam:

[www.youtube.com]

I found recently that Steve Wynn & the Miracle 3's ...tick...tick...tick made excellent driving music.

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The Outfield were always in the same category for me as Toad the Wet Sprocket or Collective Soul - they were somebody I enjoyed hearing on the radio on occasion, but I was perfectly content to let them stay there.

I hear what you're saying but with all due respect, I'd prefer to not hear Collective Soul on my CD player or on the radio. Now, I do have one Toad The Wet Sprocket CD so...

Also, if you'd rather hear Gin Blossoms on the radio than listen to their discs, trade 'em in for Play Deep!

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In other words, Shizzle, you recognize that the album offers a good cross-section of what rock & roll is supposed to be all about.

Agreed, Delvin. It also helps to bring me back to the basics when I feel like style is starting to take over for substance a little too much.

from P.J.O'Rourke's "How to Drive Fast on Drugs While Getting Your Wing-Wang Squeezed and Not Spill Your Drink":
"There's been a lot of discussion about what kind of music to listen to while staring doom square in the eye and not blinking unless you get some grit under your contacts. Watch out for the fellow who tunes his FM to the classical station. He thinks a little Rimsky-Korsakov makes things more dramatic – like in a foreign movie. That's pussy style. This kind of guy's idea of a fast drive is a seventy-five-mile-an-hour cruise up to the summer cottage after one brandy and soda. The true skidmark artist prefers something cheery and upbeat – "Night on Disco Mountain" or "Boogie Oogie Oogie" or whatever it is that the teenage lovely wants to shake her buns to. Remember her? So what do you care what's on the fucking tape deck? The high, hot whine of the engine, the throaty pitch of the exhaust, the wind in your beer can, the gentle slurping noises from her little bud-red lips – that's all the music your ears need, although side two of the first Velvet Underground album is nice if you absolutely insist. And no short jaunts either."

Deep Purple, Highway Star
Alice Cooper, Under My Wheels
Manowar, Into Glory Ride (album)
everything by Zeke and probably many things by Turbonegro

Fu Manchu - The Action Is Go

Ventures in Space -- If you have to own one Ventures album ... (and I own at least a dozen ...)

Track 1 from that album, "Out of Limits"--my favorite Ventures tune.



Post Edited (05-05-08 08:50)

All of the Dictators "Bloodbrothers", of course.