The Perfect Road Trip Songs, pt. 2

Indiana is "Let it Bleed" country.

It was Sunday afternoon that my Brother and I decided on an impromptu Road Trip to Hersher, IL to spend Easter with family. Of course, to get to Illinois from Michigan, a stretch through Indiana is inevitable (Unless you're a stupid and you decide to go through Wisconsin, but that doesn't make sense, bimbo).

As we made our way through the tiny towns of Indiana, each with a charming, one-stoplight main streets and signs comprised of chain-link proudly displaying the emblems of local churches, the vintage country twang of 'Let it Bleed' just seemed to fit like a glove, specifically the title track.

I used to hold the misconception that the Rolling Stones were just 'Gimme Shelter' and 'Jumpin' Jack Flash', that is, until someone bought me Let It Bleed. Very dusty, very country, in fact, 'Gimme Shelter' sounds too produced and rock 'n' roll for the rest of the album. I guess that's ok, but just remember, if you're driving through Indiana, you'd be better off starting on 'Country Honk', then just put the cruise control on and let the album spool out.


cheers


[She said "this one will bring you love", and I don't know if it's true, but I keep it for good luck]

The Perfect Road Trip Songs

Yesterday, I was making my way home from a show in Ravenna, MI, which is essentially in the middle of nowhere. Mind you, I use the phrase "middle of nowhere" not as a sleight against the fine town of Ravenna, but merely as means of description. In fact, it's almost a complement. Many times, I find myself driving to work or a friend's house, staring down the highway, lusting for the "Nowhere" it leads to. Too often, I'm tempted to neglect all of my responsibilities for the day in order to serve my desires to explore the unknown that lies just over the next hill, but I digress...

The point of the story is this: The trip from Ravenna to Grand Rapids is decent enough, about 45 minutes. Not enough to be considered a "Road Trip" per se, but at a certain state of drowsiness, the crooked country roads wrapped on all sides by the furrowed cornfields of Spring create the illusion that I'm really very far away from home. On my own. A pioneer.

So, I started the trip out with "Golden Age" by Beck, which appears as the first track on the album Sea Change. It matched the situation perfectly, and I'll go so far as to say, if you're setting off during the afternoon or early evening (when the sun is not yet orange), and you're in the farmlands of the Midwest, you want "Golden Age" to be that first track of the journey.

It's a perfect Road Trip song.

In fact, the entire Sea Change album is excellent, especially in the car.

But we're not talking about albums, are we? We're talking about songs, and my pick for this week is "Golden Age".

What's your pick?



[Put your hands on the wheel. Let the Golden Age begin]