Classic road trip songs to keep you moving

Is there anything better than a road trip? Not for me. There’s just something so American and funloving about the thought of getting behind the wheel and out on the open road.

They say that getting there is half the fun. As you start out, your time away is full of possibilities. You begin to see new things, meet new people and breathe fresher air. Your return to dayto-day life — wonderful as it may be — is probably at least a week away.

Like with most human endeavors, great songs only enhance the fun. Great road trip songs should be about getting away, even in an ephemeral sense, and must have a hard, driving edge to keep you rockin’ down the highway. But be careful. I’ve been known to speed up much faster than I should when one of my favorites kicks in.

Here are my top 10 classic road trip songs. Queue these up before you hit the road.

10. “ON THE ROAD AGAIN” Willie Nelson, 1980

This Hall of Famer talks about the pure joy of joining friends on the road and making music as they go. Not a rocker but pleasantly country-pop with great guitar work.

“The life I love is making music with my friends, and I can’t wait to get on the road again.”

9. “RAMBLIN’ MAN”

The Allman Brothers Band, 1973

Southern rock at its best. Dueling guitars and a reedy vocal from Dickie Betts tell the sad story of making mistakes on the road.

“Lord, I was born a ramblin’ man, tryin’ to make a livin’ and doin’ the best that I can. When it’s time for leavin’, I hope you’ll understand.”

8. “RUNNIN’ ON EMPTY”

Jackson Browne, 1977

Of course, you’ll want to avoid this circumstance on your own road trip, but this veteran rocker makes it work as metaphor for wistfully looking back.

“Looking out at the road rushing under my wheels, looking back at the years gone by like so many summer fields.”

7. “EAST BOUND AND DOWN”

Jerry Reed, 1977

This quintessential trucker song burst out of the 1977 movie “Smokey and the Bandit,” perfectly capturing a happy-go-lucky, “you can’t catch me” vibe. Jerry Reed amazingly wrote it during filming.

“Keep your foot hard on the pedal, son — never mind them brakes. Let it all hang out ’cause we got a run to make.”

6. “ROCKIN’ DOWN THE HIGHWAY”

Doobie Brothers, 1972

Upbeat with a driving groove, the Doobie Brothers set out to create a seminal road trip song and succeeded wildly. I dare you to keep it under 80 while listening to this one!

“Got those highway blues … can’t you hear my motor runnin’? Flyin’ down the road with my foot on the floor!”

5. “RADAR LOVE”

Golden Earring, 1973

This Dutch band tells the story of a truck driver driving all night to reach his love and overcoming obstacles along the way. The strange title and haunting tune caught our attention in the early ’70s.

“No more speed — I’m almost there. Gotta keep cool, now gotta take care. Last car to pass, here I go, and the line of cars go down real slow.”

4. “LIFE IN THE FAST LANE”

The Eagles, 1976

We knew the Eagles could rock! This song has the up-all-night feel of hopeless people trying to keep up with their image. A great Don Henley vocal.

“There were lines on the mirror, lines on her face. She pretended not to notice, she was caught up in the race.”

3. “MAGIC CARPET RIDE”

Steppenwolf, 1969

The followup to No. 2 below, the hardest-driving American band of the ’60s gave us this unrelenting rocker about the effects of drugs but worked just fine as a symbol of a fun, fast car.

“Well, you don’t know what we can find. Why don’t you come with me, little girl, on a magic carpet ride.”

2. “BORN TO BE WILD”

Steppenwolf, 1968

This seminal road trip song from Steppenwolf became the bikers’ anthem and the soundtrack to a feeling of pure freedom and adventure.

“Get your motor runnin’ — head out on the highway. Looking for adventure in whatever comes our way.”

1. “BORN TO RUN”

Bruce Springsteen, 1975

The masterpiece that made Bruce Springsteen famous comes complete with grinding guitars, a rollicking sax part and lyrics that perfectly capture the restlessness of youth.

“We gotta get out while we’re young, ’cause tramps like us, baby, we were born to run.”

Honorable Mentions:

AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell,” Bachman Turner Overdrive’s “Roll on Down the Highway” and “Let It Ride,” Beach Boys’ “I Get Around,” The Beatles’ “Drive My Car,” Boz Scaggs’ “Break Down Dead Ahead,” Canned Heat’s “Going Up the Country,” CCR’s “Up Around the Bend,” Crosby, Stills and Nash’s “Marrakesh Express,” Edgar Winter Group’s “Free Ride,” Foghat’s “Slow Ride,” The Ides of March’s “Vehicle,” John Travolta’s “Greased Lightnin’,” Linsey Buckingham’s “Holiday Road,” Thin Lizzy’s “The Boys are Back in Town,” and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ “Break Down.”

Did I miss any of your favorites?

Gary Bennett is a longtime Frederick resident who spends his time hiking, biking, volunteering and providing childcare for grandchildren. He is married and retired from his career as a nonprofit marketing executive.