I’ll be driving my sister and her boyfriend back to New York soon. Seeing as how I have a full gas tank already and recently brought my car for an oil change, I figured the best way to prepare for the trip was to make a playlist.
No brainer, right?
So, I’ve spent much longer than I should have rooting around among my iTunes archives to find a selection of songs that is varied, caters to both of our tastes, and will be good for a road trip. This was a bit more difficult than I initially anticipated, but I finally have a final sequence that will last the entire hour and a half journey (give or take).
You’ll find some songs that Jaime first introduced me to via her consistently high-quality compilations, songs like “Anti-Christ Television Blues” from Arcade Fire and “I Just Do” by Dear & the Headlights. Other songs are my picks from albums that she introduced me to, tracks like Right Away, Great Captain’s “What A Pity” and Neutral Milk Hotel’s “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea.”
I would have liked to include a different track by the Hush Sound (“A Dark Congregation” is a song that she included on a compilation), but I haven’t picked up a copy of their 2008 album Goodbye Blues yet.
Emphasis on “yet”…
The rest of the playlist is populated by blasts from the past, like the opener from Relient K, as well as a healthy helping of new 2010 tracks that I want her to hear (the songs from the Black Keys, the Hold Steady, Locksley, and Spoon). And, of course, I couldn’t resist Bob Dylan and Beach Boys songs with New York in the title, as well as the only song I know of that refers to Nyack in the lyrics: Fountains of Wayne’s “Little Red Light.”
So, that’s my thought process on the creation of this playlist. If you can think of any songs I should have added, comment as soon as possible so I can make the necessary updates! 🙂
1) “My Way or the Highway…” – Relient K
2) “I Just Do” – Dear & the Headlights
3) “Asleep in the Chapel” – Thursday
4) “Hard Times in New York Town” – Bob Dylan
5) “Cream and Bastards Rise” – Harvey Danger
6) “16 Military Wives” – The Decemberists
7) “Drive My Car” (Live from Good Evening New York City) – Paul McCartney
8) “Tighten Up” – The Black Keys
9) “Am I Ever Gonna Find Out” – Lifehouse
10) “Get Back” (from Love) – The Beatles
11) “Hustle and Cuss” – The Dead Weather
12) “The Girl From New York City” – The Beach Boys
13) “Try” – Straylight Run
14) “The Fixer” – Pearl Jam
15) “What A Pity” – Right Away, Great Captain
16) “Drive” – Incubus
17) “Blue Orchid” (Live from Under Great White Lights) – The White Stripes
18) “Soft in the Center” – The Hold Steady
19) “21st Century” – Locksley
20) “A Dark Congregation” – The Hush Sound
21) “The Vampires of New York” – Marcy Playground
22) “Anti-Christ Television Blues” – Arcade Fire
23) “Hop a Plane” – Tegan & Sara
24) “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea” – Neutral Milk Hotel
25) “California Zephyr” – Jay Farrar & Ben Gibbard
26) “Little Red Light” – Fountains of Wayne
27) “Written In Reverse” – Spoon
28) “Everybody Learns From Disaster” – Dashboard Confessional