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BY Matt Wickstrom
June 9, 2024
Fire up the engine, turn up the volume, and jam out to C&I’s favorite road trip songs.
It’s road trip season. And the country genre has no shortage of perfect driving music — and songs about driving. We’ve compiled some of our favorite road trip songs to crank up on your way to your destination.
The Allman Brothers Band, “Ramblin’ Man”
Inspired by a 1951 song of the same name by Hank Williams, “Ramblin’ Man” sees The Allman Brothers Band cue up visions of a Greyhound bus rollingdown Highway 41 in Georgia and trekking from Nashville to the New Orleans bayou on one of its most successful and country-leaning tunes.
Jackson Browne, “Running on Empty”
Written during his daily treks to the studio to record The Pretender when his car was operating on fumes, Jackson Browne’s “Running on Empty” has gone on to become not only one of his biggest hits, but one of the biggest in all of rock ’n’roll in the near half-century since its release.
Cake, “The Distance”
A song about success, failure, and the gray area in between, Cake’s “The Distance” is also synonymous with racing and life on the road due to visions of green lights flashing and hugging the turns as its protagonist yearns for the trophy waiting at their ultimate destination — the finish line.
Canned Heat, “Going Up the Country”
Despite its ties to the 1960s counterculture movement and Vietnam-era draft-dodging, Canned Heat’s “Going Up the Country” is ambiguous enough to keep the listener focused on the road ahead, no matter where your end point may be.
Johnny Cash, “I’ve Been Everywhere”
Possibly the most iconic road-tripping song that’s been covered by everyone from Johnny Cash to Asleep at the WheeltoLynn Anderson, the Geoff Mack-penned “I’ve Been Everywhere” has seen its journey from Winnemucca to Dodge City cemented in the Great American Songbook in the 65 years since its writing.
Tom Cochrane, “Life Is a Highway”
The No.1 hit in the ’90s from Tom Cochrane was given new life in 2005 by Rascal Flatts, whose country rock reprisal for the movie Cars introduced a new generation of fans to the tale of self-discovery through the curveballs and bumpy roads life throws at you.
Sheryl Crow, “Everyday Is a Winding Road”
A song about mental health and how every day is a new beginning, Sheryl Crow’s “Everyday Is a Winding Road” also conjures up road-tripping imagery like hitching a ride with a vending machine repair man, making it perfect for driving around with the windows down.
Deep Purple, “Highway Star”
One of the most iconic rock songs ever, it’s fitting that Deep Purple’s “Highway Star” — a song about driving fast and living free — was born on the band’s tour bus in 1971.
The Eagles, “Take It Easy”
Co-written by Jackson Browne, The Eagles’ first-ever single “Take It Easy” set the foundation for the legendary band’s future. Although it’s a story about love and grace, lines like “Don't let the sound of your own wheels make you crazy” are a perfect fit for life on the road.
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, “Home”
For some, home is a specific place, and for others it’s “whenever I'm with you.” Such is the case on Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros’ 2010 hit “Home,” a heartfelt story that doesn’t tie itself to one specific place or destination like most do on road trips, but instead a person they want to share that journey of life with.
Grateful Dead, “Truckin’”
From the flashing marquees out on Main Street to getting busted on Bourbon Street, the Grateful Dead’s “Truckin’” chronicles a drug raid on the band’s hotel in the 1970s — among other things — and also includes one of the band’s most revered lyrics, “What a long, strange trip it’s been.”
Sammy Hagar, “I Can’t Drive 55”
A hell-raising song about driving fast and taking risks similar to Deep Purple’s “Highway Star,” “I Can’t Drive 55” details a speeding ticket Sammy Hagar received in New York in the early ’80s after exceeding the 55-mile-per-hour speed limit.
Cyndi Lauper, “I Drove All Night”
Covered by everyone from Roy Orbison to Cyndi Lauper to Céline Dion, the Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly co-write “I Drove All Night” is a ballad about driving all night to be with the one you love.
Willie Nelson, “On the Road Again”
A tune centered around his excitement about getting back to the life he loves making music with his friends, Willie Nelson’s “On the Road Again” was first written for the film Honeysuckle Rose before transforming into one of the country singer’s most recognizable songs.
Tom Petty, “Runnin’ Down a Dream”
In a similar fashion to Sammy Hagar’s and Deep Purple’s contributions to this list, Tom Petty’s “Runnin’ Down a Dream” centers on a protagonist behind the wheel chasing down a dream even though he may not know where it’ll lead him.
The Proclaimers, “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)”
A road trip by foot rather than by automobile, Scottish duo The Proclaimers’ 1988 song “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” made the group a household name, thanks in large part to its rhythmic chorus and crowd feedback loop of “da da da” that resembles one footstep after another on the epic journey within.
Jerry Reed, “East Bound and Down”
Written for the soundtrack of Smokey and the Bandit, Jerry Reed’s “East Bound and Down” covers a journey from Atlanta to Texarkana to illegally transport a shipment of beer. The tune is rife with road-tripping references like keeping your foot hard on the pedal and diesel truckin’.
Bruce Springsteen, “Born to Run”
A love letter to a hot rod-riding lady named Wendy, Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run” sees the singer escaping Freehold, New Jersey, viaHighway 9 to track down the woman he can’t stop thinking about.
Steppenwolf, “Born to Be Wild”
An anthem of the 1960s counterculture movement, Steppenwolf’s “Born to Be Wild” substitutes as a road trip tune thanks to its unforgettable opening lines “Get your motor runnin’/ Head out on the highway.”
Widespread Panic, “Shut Up and Drive”
The Southern rock and jam icons show up on the list with the underrated and trancelike “Shut Up and Drive,” a cosmic Western tale that references hitchhikers and cactus shadows lit in blue moonlight.
Bonus Song: Emily Nenni, “Drive & Cry”
While writing this piece I got to listening to the new album from Nashville honky-tonk queen Emily Nenni and fell in love with its title track, a “windows rolled down, lonesome tunes turned up” ditty about the healing power of a well-timed drive.
Listen to Best Of The West: Road Trip SongsSpotifyplaylist below:
What’s on your road trip playlist? Let us know on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn.
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