In The Buzz

Where Hip Comes to Die

Thursday, August 10, 2006

Top 5 Wind in Your Hair Driving Fast Songs

Sorry, I know this is a day late, but you know job and all…

I’ve decided to buy a car… I can’t live on Staten Island and continue to not have one… stupid lack of decent public transportation…
So I’ve picked one out pretty much, gonna go down to the dealership today and take a test drive. This got me thinking, of course, about driving… driving fast… blasting music.
So for your reading pleasure, I give you my top 5 songs to blast while driving fast on a gorgeous summer afternoon.

5. U2 – Where the Streets Have No Name

It’s a journey to nowhere in song form.
Sling a bag over your back; grab the keys from the table next to the door… practically trip down the stairs as you run to the car. Keys in the ignition… pick up your girl/boy-friend. Windows down, stereo blasting.
U2 generally lends itself well to driving, the push of Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. and the histrionics of “the Edge” and Bono combine to create a soundtrack that makes you wish your car could take off into the air.

4.Cake – The Distance

The pulsating bass and chugging guitar that drive The Distance are the building blocks of many great driving songs of old (sic Radar Love by Golden Earing, Born to be Wild by Steppenwolf, Let’s Go by the Cars). Cake updates this formula with G-funk synths, pseudo hip-hop rhythms and wry spoke-sung lyrics. The chorus alone puts it on this list

“He’s going for distance! He’s going fooor speed.”


3.Spoon – The Way We Get By

I spent some time praying that this song would become huge, disgusting, this generations Smells Like Teen Spirit… it never happened. But it is still an undeniable pop classic. It’s a crowd pleaser that is perfect road fodder. The driving drums and hopping piano line, even the dynamics of the song are perfect for driving down the road… and occasionally flooring the gas pedal.

2.The Cardigans – My Favourite Game

From their often overlooked album Grand Turismo My Favorite Game is complete with high BPM processed drums that seemed to be a prerequisite for releasing a single in the mid/late 90’s… and it doesn’t hurt that the video was like a bad and dangerous driving highlight reel.

1.Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run

Topping off one of my lists for the second time (in case you can’t tell I sort of dig the guys tunes) the Boss has crafted the perfect driving song. Its epic. Its chugging. Its rhythms are pushing. Its immediately satisfying. This is the song where Springsteen perfected his formula of girls, cars, and music. The Springsteen mythology is in its best form right here.


There are so many honarable mentions but I just don't have the time... plus that would be cheating.

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2 comment(s):

I'm sorry man but these are not the best driving songs. This is your worst top 5 lists yet. You and your blog are really going downhill. But it's cool, I still like you and all.

By Blogger Pat, at 10:10 AM  

so why don't you contribute your top 5 and stop being a nay sayer?
And I don't think it gets any better than Born To Run damnit.

By Blogger Unknown, at 11:23 AM  

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