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45 Favourite Travel Songs: Selected by pocketvillage.com’s Fave Travel Bloggers
A song can transport you back to a certain time or place, inspire you to travel, or bring upon the wanderlust to pack up your bags and keep moving on. We invited 45 of our favourite bloggers to share with us their favourite travel songs and to let us know why the song is special to them. We have compiled all these songs into a mix that can be enjoyed and listened to on youtube. Whether you’re enjoying summer time right now or need some ‘summer lovin’ inspiration to get you away from the cold, we hope that these songs will transport you to that place. So sit back, crank up the music and press play. Enjoy the sounds of Summer 2011!
* Please note: All the songs are listed in the order that they were drawn from a hat. Feel free to listen to the playlist here *
1. Traveling Greener: “Jungle Drum” by Emiliana Torrini
‘I’m constantly falling in love with new places, connecting with their people, cultures, landscapes… This song captures my feeling of love and joy of travel.’
2. Europe Up Close: “On the Road Again” by Willie Nelson.
‘There is something exciting about traveling to new places and Willie sums it up with this line ” On the road again, Goin’ places that I’ve never been, Seein’ things that I may never see again, and I can’t wait to get on the road again.” I am always ready to get on the road again (especially to Europe).’
3. Exile Lifestyle: “When We Meet Again” by Nicole Reynolds.
‘This song is currently the first track on the playlist I listen to when moving from one place to another. It’s a feel-good song about the continuity of relationships, and it’s playful enough to keep me chipper about the possibilities of those relationships, even though I’ll be so physically far away from those people who matter so much to me.’
4. Travel Bite: “We Are The People” by Empire of the Sun.
‘This is my favourite travel song as it does what a good travel song should do: it gets you through those long coach journeys with a catchy rhythm and lyrics. It’s a really upbeat song and I always feel in a great mood when listening to it.’
5. Twenty-Something Travel: “Time to Move On” by Tom Petty.
‘I may be a twenty-something, but when it comes to travel music my tastes gear to classic rock. This song really captures the energy and excitement of starting a new trip.’
6. The Middle Finger Project: “Gypsy” by Shakira.
‘Right off the bat, the song that came to mind was Shakira’s “Gypsy” – mostly because of one line that represents exactly why I continue to travel and explore: “Walking gets too boring, once you learn how to fly.” In addition, the song, to me, embodies the spirit of everything carefree – and that’s how I feel when I travel. You realize just how small you are in this huge world, but paradoxically, you also realize how connected we all are. And once you feel that connection, it’s almost as if nothing else matters. You’re out there in the world, letting serendipity do its thing, and taking in every moment of it.’
7. Velvet Escape: “Kokomo” by The Beach Boys.
‘A dreamy classic that never fails to get me thinking of escaping to a beach with powdery white sands, swaying palms, crystal-clear turquoise waters and cocktails.’
8. Nomadic Chick: “Home” by LCD Soundsystem.
‘The melodic beats swoop me into a state of happiness and this one line sums up travel to me: “And we can break the rules like nothing will last.” My life the past year has been nothing but breaking rules and living in the moment.’
9. Delicious Baby: “Love Me Do” by The Beatles.
‘Somehow this song just sounds like summer to me. Plus it’s a fun song to sing along to when you have kids in the car. The lyrics are simple enough for even very young children to join in on.’
10. Maiden Voyage: “Rental Car” by Beck.
‘It has a great beat and a fun, laid-back vibe. I like the idea of traveling until the road ends – going so far that there’s nowhere else to go.’
11. Europe A La Carte: “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynward Skynyard.
‘It reminds me of driving down the Pacific Highway from San Francisco to San Diego.’
12. Traveldudes: “One Love” performed by Playing For Change (originally by Bob Marley)
“One Love” by Bob Marley…. But played together by musicians worldwide. It’s just an awesome project: Playing For Change. The song is just beautiful… Imagine lying in a hammock and listening to it.
13. Global Grasshopper: “Paris is Burning” by Ladyhawke.
‘This great electro pop/indie tune has a dreaminess and catchiness about it which makes it perfect for a journey or road trip. Of course it also mentions a great city and to me captures everything that is great about travel. It’s also the song I couldn’t stop singing along on my road trip honeymoon – definitely one of the happiest moments of my life so far!’
14. Runaway Juno: “Viva la Vida” by Coldplay.
‘Some songs are great because of the brilliant lyrics and some songs just feel right because of the melody. This is a kind of song with a latter reason. There’s just something about this melody. It makes my footsteps lighter and faster.’
15. Traveling Savage: “Prelude for Time Feelers” by Eluvium.
‘”Prelude for Time Feelers” is a disarming and epic piano ballad with electronic flourishes. Listening to it always puts me in the moment while I’m traveling and helps me to internalize the experience. It’s also fantastic writing music, which is another common activity for me while I’m traveling.’
16. Brendans Adventures: “In Exile” by Thrice.
‘For me it captures the essence of the long term traveler. Not only does it look at the beauty of it, but it touches on the difficulty of being a nomad without a home.’
17. Uncornered Market: “Road to Nowhere” by Talking Heads.
‘Going old school. This song has been around the block, but it’s as relevant as it’s ever been. It’s timeless. It makes us laugh. And it’s quite possibly the ballad of the modern perpetual traveler.’
18. Lifecruiser Travel: “The Road to Hell” by Chris Rea.
‘For us travel in itself is a road AWAY from hell – the every day life routines. This song tells you that the life you’re trapped in, is the road to hell and you cant get out. It’s a wake-up call for more freedom. Somehow it also reminds us about the Vikings with their urge to go on their plundering trips… Besides that: the music is very catchy, the guitar-playing is simply awesome and Chris voice so d*rn pleasant to listen too!’
19. Soul Travelers 3: “Born to be wild” by Steppenwolf.
‘As a family that has been on an open ended, non-stop world trip going on 6 years to 42 countries on 5 continents on just $23/day per person…what could be better? “Get your motor runnin’, Head out on the highway,Lookin’ for adventure, And whatever comes our way” and “Take the world in a love embrace” fits us to a T!’
20. Isabelles travel guide: “Surfin USA” by The Beach Boys
I like “Surfin USA” from the Beach Boys, always has a summer feeling to it and I`m a beach girl at heart, so the Beach Boys fit that bill perfect!
21. Traveling Canucks: “Jammin” by Bob Marley.
‘Whether you’re boarding a long haul bus or arriving at a new hostel, there is no better song (or artist) to help lighten the mood.’
22. Elliott: “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison.
‘It evokes memories of the summers I used to spend with my extended family on the Jersey Shore. For some reason, that song got a lot of airtime every August in the early 80s. Come to think of it, it probably still does. Maybe it’s because it just feels like summer.’
23. Everything Everywhere: “Love generation” by Bob Sinclair.
‘It was stuck in the CD player when I rented a car on Easter Island and I’ve associated that song with Easter Island ever since. It is a very worldly and global song which really deals with why we travel.’
24. Art of Backpacking : “Corner of the earth” by Jamiroquai.
’Beautiful calming song that easily describes how I feel about the destinations I go to. The song makes me feel grateful for where I am.’
25. Hole in the Donut: “Why Georgia” by John Mayer.
‘He talks about leaving it all behind and just hitting the road, which is exactly what I did. Giving up most of my material possessions to hit the road was the most freeing experience, as if a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders, and this song helps me to remember that I need to follow my passions rather than the almighty dollar.’
26. The Planet D: “Home For a Rest” by Canadian Folk Rock band Spirit of the West.
‘This song is pure fun. It starts off slow with the lyrics… “You’ll have to excuse me, I’m not at my best I’ve been gone for a week, I’ve been drunk since I left. These so-called vacations will soon be my death. I’m so sick from the drink, I need home for a rest.” Then it kicks into a high energy Irish drinking song where they sing about their vacation in London. Every time we hear it, we want to get up and dance. We’re heading to London next for the first time and I know that we are going to be singing that song whenever we enter a pub. “We never saw nothin’ but brass taps and oak, kept a shine on the bar with the sleeves of our coats” Hopefully we’ll see a little bit more then these guys did when we’re in London though.’
27. Solo Traveler: “Closing Time” by Leonard Cohen
‘I’m a little old school when traveling solo. I like tunes that are familiar and comfortable. My favorite album for that is Leonard Cohen’s “The Future”. I first listened to it on a trip through Newfoundland in the early 90s and it has been with me ever since. I like every tune on the album. But when I have to choose only one song of his, it would probably be “Closing Time”.’
28. Unbrave Girl: “We Walk the Same Line” by Everything But the Girl.
‘A year and a half ago, I left my cushy, well-paying job and comfortable apartment in Japan and took a year off to travel and volunteer in Southeast Asia. Before setting off on that trip, I was terrified. Frankly, this is no surprise as it takes very little to frighten me. Heck, all I need is a wobbly ceiling fan to strike fear in my heart. The fact that I was going to be living in countries with spiders bigger than most Golden Retrievers was enough to give me heart palpitations. Prior to boarding the plane, my iPod played “We Walk the Same Line” by Everything But the Girl. There’s a line towards the end of the song that really spoke to me: “When we meet what we’re afraid of, we find out what we’re made of.” During my year of traveling and volunteering, I faced a lot of my fears (including, yes, lots of ceiling fans and spiders). But I survived and definitely discovered what it is I’m made of. (And, in case you’re wondering, I’m made of 40% junk food, 25% sweat, 20% beer, 10% frizzy hair and 5% bravery.)’
29. Nomadic Matt: “Breakaway” by Kelly Clarkson.
‘The song may be cheesy but if you listen to the lyrics, it’s a good song about desiring to escape where you are and explore what the world has to offer. Before I went traveling, I heard it and it expressed exactly how I felt about leaving. I bet if people got passed that Kelly Clarkson sings it, they might enjoy it more!’
30. The Art of Non-Conformity: “Sleeping with the Lights On” by Teitur.
‘It captures the feeling of being alive and the sense of wonderment I hope to always have while venturing out around the world.’
31. Beers and Beans: “Coming into Los Angeles” by Arlo Guthrie.
‘We like the folkie, upbeat tempo and the romanticized imagery of the 1960′s drug runner it creates in our mind.’
32. Almost Fearless : “Go Outside” by Cults.
‘Aside from the fact that it seems to have a tranquilizing effect on our 16 month old, who loves the song, it also reminds me to actually get outside and appreciate where I am. Though we are travelers, I can easily catch myself staying in and working my butt off all day, so any kick in the pants to leave the house is always a good thing.’
33. Prolific Living: “I love Paris” by Frank Sinatra.
‘I have loved Paris even since I was a child, mainly from the influence of my grandparents and Mom when they lived briefly in France. The song “I love Paris” glorifies the love I feel for the city and especially since I have been there in the dreadful winters and still love it all the same. An eternal city and an eternal song.’
34. Jack n Jill Travel: “Learning to Fly” by Pink Floyd.
‘A long-time favorite of Jack, this song is perfect for long bus rides, especially one of those bus rides in Colombia where the sceneries were usually amazing.’
35. Wandering Earl: “Brothers in Arms” by Dire Straits.
‘It’s certainly not the most uplifting of songs, but its message is important to me as someone who spends their life constantly traveling. The message is that we are all brothers and sisters, everyone on this planet, and yet, we allow our silly differences to lead us to war and to even kill each other. I listen to this song before I began any new travels in order to remember that my goal as a traveler is to try and eliminate the misconceptions and assumptions that divide us from those who are, in reality, the same as us.’
36. Life Out of a Suitcase: “Summer of ’69” by Bryan Adams.
‘‘This song is the definition of summer with its catchy lyrics, light and fun beats and not to mention it is a complete sing a long song!’
37. Cumi & Ciki: “Ramble On” by Led Zeppelin.
‘It’s my ALL time favourite! Robert Plant’s lyrics were inspired by the work of J.R.R. Tolkien, author of The Lord of The Rings. The references are to the adventures of the Hobbit, as he goes to “the darkest depths of Mordor” and encounters “Gollum and the evil one.” So basically this song says, when you go on a long and sometimes difficult journey, you need to always persevere, and to always keep going and never quit. Isn’t that fabulous? Not to mention that Led Zeppelin, the Stones, the Beatles happen to be the biggest bands of all time and my favourites! LOL!’
38. y Travel Blog: “Solace Amongst the Sin” by Xavier Rudd.
‘This is the best song to listen to while swinging in a hammock with an ice cold drink at sundown on a beach in Thailand. The first line of the song, “Farewell to the West and welcome to the East” and further into the song, “Farewell to the West now, my mind is open to the East. To all the new faces, new minds and things to see…. you will see me through the colours as the sun sinks in the sea” shows just why it is a great travelling song. And we also met Xavier Rudd on our travels in Washington D.C at a small concert he put on in a coffee house. Great memories.’
39. The Vacation Gals: “Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen
Jennnifer: ‘I live in Los Angeles now, so nearly every time I get in my car it feels like an adventure in gridlock. But I grew up on the east coast and am forever a Jersey Girl at heart. I go back 3 times a year including August. When I’m driving around NY, NJ and Long Island, windows down, picking up my old childhood friends to spend the day at the beach, the best song for that moment is Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run. Turn up the volume on that sax solo, feel the wind through my hair, and I could be a teenager again.’
40. 2 Backpackers: “Dust in the wind” by Kansas
‘Depressing, I know. But, when I look out the window of a bus and see all natural landscapes passing by, the song just seems so fitting. “Nothin last forever, just the earth and sky.” I think that’s true, so we better get out and see the world and realize we aren’t really that important, we are just dust in the wind.’
41. Inside the Travel Lab: “Danger Zone” by Kenny Loggins.
‘I’m going to go for the cheesy old Danger Zone track from Top Gun because it relates to flying and the above skydiving post from my blog.’
42. Location Independent: “Weepin” by Josh Groban
‘This song evokes lots of good memories of our time in South Africa. It’s been one of our favourite places to live in our journey so far and we’ve spent around 9 months there in total over the past 4 years. We didn’t discover this song until after we’d been there but it’s become one of our most-played songs wherever we go.’
43. 501 Places: “The Long And Winding Road” by The Beatles
‘Whenever I hear this song I’m always taken back to a train journey from Narvik in northern Norway to Rovaniemi in Finland. It was 1987, I was 18 years old and I had to choose my music cassettes carefully for my Walkman. This was a perfect soundtrack for the many hours of endless pine forest that I watched through the window of the train that day.’
44. The Indie Travel Podcast: “Hitchcock” by The Phoenix Foundation
‘This song builds slowly to a triumphant yet better-sweet conclusion. It’s multilayered and a bit unorthodox, joyful and teasing … just like any trip worth taking. I love it, although it’s not my normal style of music.’
45. Go, See, Write: “Strange Love” by Depeche Mode
‘I love this song for one main reason — it gets my head and heart going. The beat is upbeat and gets me moving. And I move a heck of a lot with my overland travel schedule.’
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