Best Songs for Road Trips

There really aren't too many experiences that are quite like a road trip, if any for that matter. Whether you're trekking across the open road alone or you're with a group of friends, there's always something to be learned and valuable experiences that you encounter.

However, one downside to a long road trip is the fact that you're likely to become bored, even if you're with your buddies. Personally, I think there are a few necessary things for a road trip. I'd say that a vehicle and money are undoubtedly the most important things for a road trip. But for me, it's just not a road trip without music.

So if you're planning on hitting the road any time soon and you're looking for some songs to put on that "Road Trip" playlist on your MP3 player, look no further. Make sure you've got everything charged because you're going to want to hear these songs over and over again.

Brief Note: Because this is a list of 10 songs rather than a top 10 list, the subsequent songs are in no particular order. Also, I'm going to try to avoid songs that are too cliché for a road trip, i.e. Born to Be Wild, Get Your Kicks (On Route 66), etc.

1. California by Phantom Planet

This song is particularly great if you are in or headed for California. The song's lighter beat and slightly poppy yet rock-like sound makes you feel like you should be driving down the highway with the windows down and the volume cranked. Who knows, maybe you'll even see the cast of the O.C. on the way.

Memorable Lyric: "On the stereo, listen as we go, nothing's gonna stop me now."

2. Running Down a Dream by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

I remember hearing this song when I was younger on the MLB All-Star commercials. It took me more than a couple of years to find the title and the song, but ever since I've loved it. With great respect to the guitar riffs and the toe-tapping drums, this song just wouldn't be what it is without the lyrics. The chorus' continual references to a road and "going wherever it leads" make this a perfect choice for road tripping.

Memorable Lyric: "I put the pedal down to make some time. There's something good, waitin' down this road."

3. Truckin' by The Grateful Dead

I had the pleasure of hearing this song just before starting my senior year of high school. I just managed to stumble upon it one day and since then I haven't stopped listening. In fact, it's in my "25 most played" list on my Itunes. The song has such a groovy beat and Jerry Garcia's voice, along with his lyrics, just make this song outstanding. Make sure this is on your road trip playlist.

Memorable Lyric: "Truckin', got my chips cashed in. Keep truckin', like the doo-dah man. Together, more or less in line, just keep truckin' on."

4. I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide by ZZ Top

Much like Steppenwolf's Born to Be Wild (which I excluded from the list for reasons discussed earlier), this song is one of those that you can just picture playing while going through the desert on a motorcycle. You have to love Billy Gibbon's rough sounding voice and how it (along with the band) fit into that "bad boy" persona. ZZ Top perfected what I call a "rock 'n blues" sound more than 20 years ago, and I still love to listen to them. They can just jam.

Memorable Lyric: "Well I was movin' down the road in my V-8 Ford, I had a shine on my boots I had my sideburns lowered."

5. Touch the Sky by Kanye West

I wanted to put a little hip hop music on the list because it's fun to listen to, especially when you're cruising with your friends. But this song made the list for a few other reasons. Reason one is because of the unique sound the song has thanks to the trumpets. In fact, Kanye's song samples another song titled "Move on Up" by Curtis Mayfield. Another reason this song makes the list is because it has a "free spirited" sound. Even if you don't like Kanye, this is still a neat song.

Memorable Lyric: "Baby, I'm going on an airplane, and I don't know if I'll be back again."

6. Working For the Weekend by Loverboy

Every time I hear this song, I think to myself "Man, it's a shame Chris Farley isn't still around." Of course, that is referring to Chris Farley and the late Patrick Swayze's SNL "Chippendale's" skit. Aside from having the honor of being in one of SNL's best and most memorable skits, this song isn't too bad either. The main reason I include this on the list though is because this is a great road trip song, especially if you're going somewhere for the weekend.

Memorable Lyric: "Everyone's wonder, 'Will you come out tonight?' Everyone's trying to get it right."

7. Just a Friend by Biz Markie

If there is any other song in the world that can make men bust out in spontaneous synchronized singing like this one, then you have to let me know. It's as close to Grease as you'll ever get in real life. I'm not even kidding when I say all you have to do is sing the first part of the chorus and more guys than not will know what comes next; after that, then good luck stopping them. Biz Markie's playful and comical attitude and lyrics make this a definite choice. It's worthy of a quick mention though, that this song is better when you're road tripping with some friends.

Memorable lyric: "So please listen to the message that I send when I say don't ever talk to a girl who says she just has a friend."

8. Rocky Mountain Way by Joe Walsh

Do you have one of those songs that no matter what your mood is at the time, the song can just work its magic and put you in a better mood? That is this song for me. Admittedly, I don't have much of a reason to put this on here other than it sounds like a road trip song. With its incredibly catchy lyrics, an awesome display of guitar skills and a unique vocal/talk box sequence towards the end of the song, it all add up to make this song worthy of being on the list.

Memorable Lyric: "And we don't need the ladies, crying because the story's sad. Because the Rocky Mountain Way, is better than the way we had."

9. I Am the Highway by Audioslave

I had a hard time choosing between two Audioslave songs. Obviously, this one won, but it was hard to not give the nod to Audioslave's Cochise. Cochise was the great Indian leader who fought courageously for his tribe, and it's an inspired song. What is my reason for putting this on the list instead? Well, frankly I wanted to put to a song on the list that was a little slower, and a little more somber. This particular song is a wonderful road song, but it's not a happy song. Still I can highly recommend this song because it's deep, and it's all about the road. Such a fine song from the band Audioslave.

Memorable Lyric: "I am not your rolling wheels, I am the highway. I am not your carpet ride, I am the sky. I am not your blowing wind, I am the sky here. I am not your autumn moon, I am the night."

10. Convoy by C.W. McCall

Okay, you have to admit, you really didn't think I would leave this off the list did you? Of course not! This song is what road tripping is all about. I was extremely surprised when I got to college and I learned that many people had never had the joy that is listening to this song. That same fact also disappointed me because this was my favorite song growing up. The whole song is about an illegal convoy of trucks giving some cops the business, and it makes you feel like you should be joining the convoy along side C.W. McCall. If I did have a top song on the list, I would say this is it. 10-4.

Memorable Lyric: Really, all of them. But because I'm picking one, "I says Pig Pen this here's the Rubber Duck and we just ain't gonna pay no toll. So we crashed the gate doin' 98 I says 'Let them truckers roll, 10-4.'"