What about the MUSIC?

[swa]

All I wanna do - Sheryl Crow When we first drove Route 66 it was a big hit and nearly every radio station played it.

Heading on an adventure (back in 1994 guidebooks were far from what they are today) towards LA the lyrics include things like "This is LA!" and "Until the sun comes up over Santa Monica Boulevard " (=Route 66).

Hit the road Jack is somewhat of a classic.

Born to be wild - Steppenwolf From easy rider ... another classic no doubt.

Rock music is dangerous when played in a car - it tends to make your car go faster for some reason ...

[TheEditor]

Rock music is dangerous when played in a car - it tends to make your car go faster for some reason ...

Yeah, one of my all-time favorite road songs -- "Radar Love" -- tends to have that effect on my right foot, especially when they get to the drum solo. Not good if I'm driving through a speed trap!

[TheEditor]

After completing my first trip across the California desert yesterday, I couldn't help singing to myself, "I've been through the desert in a car with no name, it felt good to be out of the rain ..."

[strapshoechris]

I think most of America's biggest hits constitute good "road music" even with the customised lyrics.

[Kris]

bump

Haven't seen Lynyrd Skynyrd mentioned here, but IMO they have some great songs for the road.

And ofcourse Johnny Cash, but that's good where ever you are.

[ChallengerSRT8]

My car came with satellite radio so I only listen to the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s stations while on the route. I find it sets the right vibe.

[Kris]

Do rental cars usually have a CD player?

I've been to the US before, also with a rental, but can't remember if it had one.

[Natonstan]

What about Lynyrd Skynyrd? Freebird would be a great song or even Sweet Home Alabama

[hotrodfords]

All the above are a great start - but yer gonna be on the road a long time and will burn through that play list faster than HighTest through a 426 HEMI.

I’d add these whole CDs to your files, but I’m a hopeless "60/70s sound" addict:

Rolling Stones: 40 licks, or Hot Rocks
Eagles: Greatest Hits (vol one), and Hell Freezes Over
CCR: Greatest Hits
Bob Seger: Greatest hits vol 1&2
Beatles: Red and Blue albums
Eric Clapton: any compilation, there are lots...
The Doors: any compilation, there are a few...
Beach Boys: Pet Sounds

Rock on, and good luck!

[rocky123]

it would be Tom Cochrane's Life is A Highway plus anything by ZZ Top. I am coming from Northern Ireland in May 2010 to drive the Route and I will be bringing these CDs with me

[Randy H]

My daughter and I are driving east along the route at least from Barsow to Oaklahoma City this New Years on our way from San Francisco to Maryland...

Lots of good suggestions…

Personally I still prefer CD’s to MP3’s… All suggestions taken from CD’s currently in my car…

Possibilities

Guy Clark, LA Freeway (especially east bound)

Eagles… (other songs mentioned, but add) Old 55, Hotel California (especially West bound)

Marshall Tucker Band… almost anything from their Catalog…

John Hyatt… again, most of his catalog… Especially “Crossing Muddy Waters”, “Drive South”

Emmylou Harris… singing Steve Earle’s Guitar Town… and most of “Live from the Ryman

Sammy Hagar, I can’t drive 55

Mark Knofler… most of the catalog, but especially Border Reiver from the new album “she need a heel and toe...” or The Car was the One, or “Speedway at Nazareth” from Sailing to Philadelphia, or Our Shangri-La from Shangri-la…

Richard Thompson, Vincent Black Lightning…

Gram Parsons, Wheels…California Cotton Fields (Emmy Lou Harris has covered both) **** Store Truck Driving Man

The Doors… especially Border Radio

And an off the wall offering… Beyond the Blue Horizon… From Michael Nesmith…

More so… driving is my chance to listen to full albums

Randy Hees

[longneckgoose]

zak66--
At least Willie Nelson is MENTIONED in Waylon's "Bob Wills is Still the King" so the cop might let you off on a technicality.

[Lucydill]

There are so many great songs listed here. We didn't take very many CD's with us as we preferred to listen to local stations as we passed through the towns. When we stopped in Winslow my son insisted on picking up an Eagles CD although I already had it at home. From Winslow on it was on continuous play. It also gave me one of my best memories of the trip. Driving through the Mojave Desert late in the day provided the opportunity to just stop the car and make this very amateur video. But it was perfect.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsy0a-t4Esc

[Fred Wesley]

Thought this thread deserved a bump because no one has mentioned Neil Young yet.
Specifically his songs Albuquerque and Roll Another Number (For The Road). They are both from his excellent album Tonight's The Night. Check it out if you don't know it.
Albuquerque couldn't be more appropriate for a drive down 66 in NM.

[TheEditor]

I just thought of another song with Route 66 applications: "Me and You and a Dog Named Boo," a Lobo hit from the 1970s.

It's a guitar-strummin' ballad about the freedom of the road, but in particular there's the last verse that includes the line:

"I'll never forget the day
We motored stately into big L.A ..."

If you want to hear it, here's a karaoke-type video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDL9rS2p_wA