Driving to and from Tuscaloosa is one of my favorite things to do, despite how long it takes. The drive to Atlanta should only take three hours, but since I do not drive on the interstate, it takes me four hours and 49 minutes to drive through the back roads of Alabama and Georgia to finally make it to one of my two homes. There is always sadness as I leave my family behind in both towns. As I drive, I listen to one of my favorite Spotify playlists: “Drivin.” While the name is far from spectacular, the playlist is comprised of songs that I need to hear while driving away. I know them backwards and forwards. They can make me cry tears of joy and sadness, and they remind me of my friends and family. Here are the seven quintessential songs for any of your own back road excursions you may find yourself on.
“Strawman” – The Revivalists: Every song by The Revivalists is good for a long drive, but “Strawman” has a special place in my heart. The lyrics are something that we all need to be reminded of: “Hey you know things can always be easier / hey but though we all complain” and “wasting so much energy / searching for an enemy.” As a college student, these lyrics suggest that complaining about my schoolwork, the organizations I’m apart of, things that annoy me, etc. is pointless. Everyone is going through different struggles, and complaining is ultimately fruitless. The lead singer, David Shaw, sings these lyrics while the guitar quietly strums away.
“Beaches” – Moon Taxi: My favorite part about “Beaches” is how it slowly builds. It begins softly and then guitar is added, and then drums, then the lead singer starts singing. The lyrics “Don’t wait on / Don’t wait on me,” make up the refrain. Half way through the six-minute song, “Beaches” becomes mainly instrumental with the refrain quietly sung in the background. The instrumental section begins with a guitar and builds like the beginning of the song and slowly fades out.
“Rivers and Roads” – The Head and the Heart: If you listen to this song as you drive away from Tuscaloosa, be prepared to cry. The first stanza says “A year from now we’ll all be gone / All our friends will move away / And they’re going to better places / But our friends will be gone away.” The Head and the Heart continues to sing about the heartbreak of not being close to your family and friends. They express how life and people change. Later in the song, the lyrics change to “Rivers and Roads / Rivers ‘til I reach you.” The song changes tone to say that no matter the distance, they will traverse the country to see their friends and family.
“Under the Bridge” – Red Hot Chili Peppers: Anthony Kiedis, lead singer of Red Hot Chili Peppers, wrote this song about a time in his life when he was unable to connect with anyone he loved. All Kiedis had was hist city, Los Angeles. The song began as a poem that Kiedis wrote during a period of sobriety. He felt unable to connect with his band because they were not sober at the time. Kiedis wrote this song driving down the freeway from a Red Hot Chili Peppers rehearsal. He wrote the lyrics in a notebook, which his producer found and forced him to record the song.
“Morning Song” – The Avett Brothers: The Avett Brothers are another band that makes great driving music. Their music incorporates many instruments that mesh together perfectly. This song is special to me because of the lyrics. The brothers sing, “Cause even though I know there’s hope in / Every morning song / I have to find that melody alone.” At the end of the song, every member of the band sings those three lines in perfect harmony.
“Dreams” – Fleetwood Mac: is a band that I think we can all get behind and no road trip is complete without at least one song. While “Landslide” is an obvious choice, “Dreams” is the secret hero. The refrain, “Thunder only happens when it’s raining / Players only love you when they’re playing,” is a metaphor for the ages and is best heard while driving.
“The Age of Worry” – John Mayer: The song begins with the lyrics “Don’t be scared to walk alone / Don’t be scared to like it.” Mayer continues to sing about finding your own path and taking it. “The Age of Worry” expresses that worrying is pointless and that you should not let it restrict you. For me, it’s a reminder to not be afraid of going against the grain, which is important to remember in college when it is so easy to get bogged down by the norm.
