Music, Mountains, Motorcycles, and Milk. Four of my favorite things, all beginning with the letter “M.” I listen to music almost every day. I daydream about the Rocky Mountains a lot. I ride my motorcycle when I can. I drink a couple of gallons of milk a week.
Major motorcycle trips usually come later in the year, I like to go after Labor Day when there are less people. I’ve made just under 20 big trips on two wheels, beginning in 1994. Music is an essential take along, most often played at the campsite or in the tent. It began with a Sony Walkman and a half dozen cassettes. At first, favorite songs or groups, but only a few as space is limited on a bike or in a backpack. As the rides grew, songs became themes for specific trips, and in 2007 a “Motorcycle Music” mix tape was made by “Double K Productions”. Now in the digital age, a lot more music can be carried on an iPod and/or phone. The list has grown to 47 songs.
The list was once somewhat organized, based on the order of a trip. “Leaving,” the “middle,” “coming home,” and “arriving home.” Songs have been added, like a weed patch, the list has gotten out of control, It needs attention.
Some are obvious, some are subtle, some are personal, and some may leave you wondering why they’re in the mix. The most obvious omission is ‘Born to Be Wild’ by Steppenwolf. I left it off because it’s too obvious.
I’m a lyrics driven person. I like songs that tell stories. Here are those 47 tunes and some notes as to why they’re part of the fabric of who I am, why I ride, and why I love the mountains.
I just poured myself a tall, cold, glass of milk. The motorcycle was out yesterday, I’m daydreaming of the smell of firs and granite, and music plays as I type. Let’s ride!
‘On The Road Again’ by Pete Townshend: Townshend covers a song made famous by Canned Heat.
‘Going Up The Country’ by Canned Heat: This was on my list waaay before it was used in tv commercials. It was my theme song for my 1996 trip to the northeast when I visited the Woodstock site.
“Born To Wander’ by Rare Earth: “The wind was my mother, the highway is my brother…”
‘Roll Me Away’ by Bob Seger: A nice story.
‘Outlaw Man’ by The Eagles: One of my favorite Eagles songs, top three for sure. “A life upon the road is the life of an outlaw man.”
‘Splendid Isolation’ by Warren Zevon: I love people but I sure like to escape them at times. The motorcycle and a tent provide that opportunity. This is a great song.
‘Ventura Highway’ by America: C’mon, you know the song.
‘Runnin’ Back To Saskatoon’ by The Guess Who: Coming home from an epic trip in 1998, I rode across Canada from Calgary to International Falls. Another theme song.
‘Colorado Song’ by The Ozark Mountain Daredevils: “I’m going back to Colorado, Rollin down the highway. Just my life to carry, it’s written in the wind again”
‘Colorado’ by Stephen Stills: “Me and my mountains, we’ll be right here.”
‘The Roadblock’ by Stan Ridgway: Quite a wild and funny tale.
‘Dead Skunk’ by Loudon Wainwright III: All of your senses are alive on a motorcycle. I love the smell of fresh cut hay. On the other hand, as Wainwright sings, “You don’t have to look and you don’t have to see, you can feel it in your olfactory. Dead skunk in the middle of the road, and it’s stinkin’ to high heaven.”
‘Up On Cripple Creek’ by The Band: Technically, I think it’s about Lake Charles, Louisiana. I always, ALWAYS associate it with the old mining town in Colorado.
‘Levelland’ by James McMurtry: Released in 1995, it’s all about Texas. But it was my theme song for a trip west with a group of people. We hit 11 states in 11 days on that one.
“Crystal Blue Persuasion’ by Tommy James and the Shondells: A stretch to call it a motorcycle song, just a positive message.
‘Out In The Country’ by Three Dog Night: A sleeper here, this is a great tune. “Whenever I feel the need to get away, or leave it all behind. I find a quiet place, far from the human race, out in the country.”
‘Carefree Highway’ by Gordon Lightfoot: The title sounds literal. The lyrics are more subtle.
‘Thrasher’ by Neil Young: Such a great song, filled with so many great lines. “I was just getting up, hit the road before it’s light, tryin’ to catch an hour on the sun.” Another great line… “It was then that I knew I’d had enough, burned my credit card for fuel…. With a one way ticket to the land of truth…”
‘Stranger In A Strange Land’ by Leon Russell: Eternity fascinates me. Any song that begins with “How many days has it been since I was born, how many days til’ I die,” has my attention. It’s just a great song.
‘Human Highway’ by Neil Young: “I come down from the misty mountains, I got lost on the human highway.”
‘Wondering Where The Lions Are’ by Bruce Cockburn: An even BETTER song that touches on eternity. “Sun’s up, okay, the world survived into another day, and I’m thinking about eternity.”
‘A Beautiful Morning’ by The Rascals: A big one here. When I crawl out of the sleeping bag and open the tent fly to sun and mountains, THIS ONE is in my head! “It’s a beautiful morning, think I’ll go outside for awhile… Just take in some clean fresh air.”
‘Wichita Lineman’ by Glen Campbell: I’ve been through Wichita three times on rides west. The first was 2004 on a ride to the Grand Canyon, This was one of the theme songs for that trip. Hands down, it’s my absolute favorite Campbell song (written by Jimmy Webb)
‘Rose Of Cimarron’ by Poco: Great song, another theme song from the 2004 trip. Yes, I rode through the town of Cimarron, New Mexico.
‘Key To The Highway’ by Derek & The Dominos: Pretty literal.
‘Southbound’ by Thin Lizzy: A sense of resignation in this one. “Hey, you’re not getting any younger, the wild west has already been won.”
‘Illinois’ by Dan Foglelberg: This used to be further down the playlist, a coming back east song. “And it looks like you’re gonna have to see me again…Illinois, I’m your boy.”
‘Homeward Bound’ by Simon & Garfunkel: What to say about this one?
‘Kansas You Fooler’ by The Ozark Mountain Daredevils: “We head across Kansas, on our way home, Colorado thank you, goodbye.”
‘I’m Coming Home’ by Johnny Mathis: Speaking of theme songs for trips, and where they may have started with me… This was Aunt Betty’s theme song when she took me to the Indy 500 in 1973. It’s a really nice song.
‘Return Of The Grievous Angel’ by Gram Parsons: FULL of great visions and lyrics.
‘Six Days On The Road’ by Gram Parsons: Gram again. This should be higher up the list, more of a middle of the trip song. Or just starting home.
‘Endless Highway’ by The Band: “With the cost of living and the price of dyin’, well it looks this time like I won’t be a buyin’. You’re gonna walk that endless highway…”
‘Refuge Of The Roads’ by Joni Mitchell: A brilliant song by a brilliant songwriter.
‘Time’ by Pink Floyd: Not literal, but everything we do is measured in time. Go back to that first line from Leon Russell’s song. My point here is that a motorcycle is a great place to think and put things in perspective. We’re totally insignificant.
‘One For The Road’ by Ronnie Lane: A boisterous number by the late Ronnie, ex bassist of Faces.
‘Take It To The Limit” by The Eagles: Good God, could Randy Meisner sing! I guess some look at this as the invitation to put the pedal to the metal of a car. I view it as the way to go through life. I suppose both could apply.
‘Long Lonesome Highway’ by Michael Parks: This is literally the theme song from the television series, ‘Then Came Bronson,’ about a guy who chucks it all and goes off on his motorcycle. Michael Parks sings the part he played, Bronson.
‘Sweet Betsy From Pike’ by Burl Ives: This is a substitute for the snippet of the song Strother Martin sings in '‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.’I’d love to have a full version of that. I grew up in Pittsfield, IL, that’s in Pike County!
‘Back Home Again’ by John Denver: My favorite Denver song, and a perfect song for this playlist. It’s on the original mix tape.
‘Gasoline Alley’ by Rod Stewart: An almost home song. “Take me back, carry me back, down to gasoline alley where I started from.” You can’t escape your roots. Stay grounded.
‘Anything At All’ by David Crosby: It has nothing to do with a motorcycle but it has everything to do with the frame of mind my motorcycle puts me in. I’m very introspective anyway, the bike amplifies it all. Just when you think you have it figured out, Crosby sings, “Anything you want to know, it should be perfectly clear. You see, just beneath the surface of the mud, there’s more mud here. Surprise.”
‘Child Of The Wind’ by Bruce Cockburn: This song could be my epitaph.
‘Show Me The Way To Go Home’ by Emerson, Lake & Palmer: “You can always hear me, singin’ this song, said show me..the way..to go home…”
‘Not Goin’ Home Anymore (reprise) by Burt Bacharach: A short, sad sounding piano instrumental from the Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid soundtrack. This one closes it out. At some point the road comes to an end. Figuratively and literally. No more motorcycle trips because you’re dead. That’s why you take it to the limit.
‘Glad And Sorry’ by Faces: I warned you about housekeeping and this list. This needs to move up as it’s a late addition. “If I’m not smiling, I’m just thinking…” “Can you show me a dream, can you show me one that’s better than mine.”
‘When The World Was Round’ by Ian Hunter: A second, new addition that needs to move up the list somewhere. More resignation from a dude who was known to be a rocker. Hunter (and me too) lament the way it is now. “I think I liked it better when the world was round.”
