Sunday Drive
As I was listening to Car Talk yesterday (yes, I’m an old man and I listen to Car Talk), I realized that I have a very conflicted and storied history with cars. On the one hand, I hate them. Absolutely detest them. Every car I’ve ever owned has been a big pain in the ass (and the wallet). I don’t enjoy fixing them, I don’t enjoy working on them. In fact, I’ve been subject to violent car sickness ever since I was a wee lad (boats don’t do much for me either, oh don’t get me started on boats) so I suppose my distaste for cars started at rock bottom. If I could live a life without a car, I would happily do so.
The love part is a little trickier. I don’t love cars so much as I love the idea of cars. That 50s/60s glamorous portrayal of cars as a ticket to freedom and exploration. Eisenhower’s National System of Interstate and Defense Highways. The open road that can take you anywhere and everywhere. Plus, they just knew how to make them back then. They might have been the size of aircraft carriers, but my god were they gorgeous. Keep in mind, I’ve also lived most of my life within a stone’s throw of Historic Route 66, so you can’t help but feel the allure. It’s in my blood! So maybe I really do hate cars, but I love the open road. Or something.
Pondering over all this, I found myself thinking about car songs. See, on Car Talk they always play these songs about cars during the breaks. A lot of them are silly piss-takes, but it had me thinking about good songs about cars, traveling, the road, etc. Besides Numan’s ‘Cars’, obviously. Way too easy. So here we are, what I am now labeling the definitive road lovers mixtape. It seemed appropriate, it being Sunday afternoon and all.
M83 – Highway of Endless Dreams
The Divine Comedy – Your Daddy’s Car
Belle & Sebastian – I Love My Car
Shocking Blue – Long Lonesome Road
Regina Spektor – Carbon Monoxide
The Faint – Cars Pass In Cold Blood
Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan – Who Built The Road?
Tags: beck, belle & sebastian, blur, isobel campbell, m83, mark lanegan, portishead, regina spektor, shocking blue, the divine comedy, the faint
