Highway to Hell

December 27, 2007 10:13 PM

I want to make a play list of songs that have a reference to a US highway somewhere in the lyrics. Which songs do you know that have this?

For example, the song Mississippi Moon by John Anderson has the lyric:

Goin on back to the delta
I'm tired of searching for the answers
Always out there on the run
I'm goin back to where my heart is...
Down on Highway 61

And as a small addendum, what is the significance of picking the particular highway for each song?

posted by markovich to media & arts (63 comments total)

Get your kicks on Route 66
posted by txsebastien at 10:18 PM on December 27, 2007

Highway 29 by Bruce Springsteen
posted by Martin E. at 10:20 PM on December 27, 2007

The obvious one is Get your kicks on Route 66
posted by legotech at 10:21 PM on December 27, 2007

Here is one list. Click the title to see relevant lyrics (ie is it a specific highway or simply 'the road').

Here is another. Some are specific highways, some generally the road but there's a slew with a specific highway in the title.
posted by Martin E. at 10:27 PM on December 27, 2007

Springsteen's State Trooper from Nebraska is the first one that comes to mind (mentions the New Jersey Turnpike). I think others on that album may, as well, but I can't bring specific lyrics to mind at the moment.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:36 PM on December 27, 2007

The Breeders have a song called "Drivin' on 9".
posted by web-goddess at 10:38 PM on December 27, 2007

California by Phantom Planet
posted by The Esteemed Doctor Bunsen Honeydew at 10:41 PM on December 27, 2007

405, by Death Cab for Cutie
posted by Kwantsar at 10:45 PM on December 27, 2007

Highway 40 Blues by Ricky Skaggs,

The highway called when I was young,
Told me lies of things to come.
Fame and fortune lies ahead!
That's what the billboard lights had said.
Shattered dreams, my mind is numb,
My money's gone, stick out my thumb.
My eyes are filled with bitter tears,
Lord, I ain't been home in years.
Got the Highway Forty blues.

South of I-10 by Sonny Landreth

I woke up in Mississippi in '51
Migrated next door became a native stepson
Grew up on the rhythm of Clifton and Cleveland
And the Red Hot Louisiana Band

Rocking my baby through the Seventies roll
In '81 I counted thirty years old
Turning me loose and yet holding me close
Life was a waltz that wouldn't let go

Allons danser, Allons danser
Come on let's dance, come on let's dance
South of I-10 we really had it made


Highway 101 by Social Distortion
posted by dawson at 10:47 PM on December 27, 2007

To be somewhat more specific, I'd like songs that include the lyrics "highway x" or "route x" where x is a number. I.e, not just talking about roads or turnpikes in general, etc. And it does not have to be in the title, more in the lyrics of the song.
posted by markovich at 10:47 PM on December 27, 2007

Highway 101 by Social Distortion (about California life)
Readin', Rightin', Route 23 by Dwight Yoakam (about miners escaping to the north for better work)
posted by Roman Graves at 10:49 PM on December 27, 2007

The Other Shoe, The Old 97's, I-35
Die By What You Live By, Harvey Danger, Highway 99
posted by Good Brain at 10:54 PM on December 27, 2007

Bob Dylan, Highway 61 Revisted
posted by nathan_teske at 10:55 PM on December 27, 2007

The Allman Brothers 'Ramblin' Man' has the great line "And I was born in the back seat of a Greyhound bus, Rollin' down highway 41."

Highway 41 shows up quite a bit actually:

Chalee Tennison's 'Go Back' starts with "She was waiting tables in a diner off of highway 41"

Alan Jackson had 'I Don't Even Know Your Name', that starts with "Well, I was sitting in a roadhouse down on Highway 41"

Travis Tritt's 'Hard Times And Misery' - "Another day on Highway 41, It's a long black snake that runs to the sun"

Brak (from Space Ghost) had a song on one album (with Freddie Prinze Jr., of all people) that features the lyric "I'm driving down highway 40 in my big ol' pickup truck!". Actually, that's the only lyric...

Then there's always "Ventura Highway" by America, but that's not an 'official' hoghway name I think.
posted by pupdog at 10:57 PM on December 27, 2007

61 Highway Blues, Mississippi Fred McDowell
posted by Asherah at 11:00 PM on December 27, 2007

Oh, and "72 (This Highway's Mean)" by the Drive-By Truckers.
posted by Roman Graves at 11:01 PM on December 27, 2007

It doesn't say "highway" or "route", but does give the numbers: Carrie Underwood - I Ain't In Checotah Anymore
posted by illek at 11:02 PM on December 27, 2007

Kim Ferron's 'Nothing But You' has:

I think i'll go for a ride
Til my memory fades
Roll down the windows and glide
Down 75 to the Everglades
posted by pupdog at 11:03 PM on December 27, 2007

A Sorta Fairytale by Tori Amos is about driving up the west coast on Highway 101, which she names in the song.
posted by otolith at 11:08 PM on December 27, 2007

"America" by Simon and Garfunkel:

"Counting the cars on the New Jersey turnpike..."
posted by fings at 11:10 PM on December 27, 2007

There's a man standin' over a dead dog
down by the highway in a ditch
he's lookin' at it kind of puzzled
pokin' that dog with a stick
his car door's wide open
standing out on highway 31
like if he stood there long enough
that dog get up and run
struck me kind of funny
some kind of funny serenade
how at the end of every hard day
you can find some reason to believe

Bruce Springsteen, "Reason to Believe"
posted by InnocentBystander at 11:12 PM on December 27, 2007

also, "Interstate" by the Refreshments is about route 95, and mentions it by name in the song as "95 from Boise"

and to clarify, California mentions "Driving down the 101," as in US 101, which seems to be a popular subject from the looks of it.
posted by The Esteemed Doctor Bunsen Honeydew at 11:19 PM on December 27, 2007

Yet another Springsteen: Born to Run ("sprung from cages on highway 9")
posted by djb at 11:30 PM on December 27, 2007

I'd second the FHA list. It had pretty much every song I was going to mention - it even has the Wedding Present!
posted by mykescipark at 11:31 PM on December 27, 2007

James Taylor - Enough To Be On Your Way
Highway 591
posted by illek at 11:34 PM on December 27, 2007

The Mountain Goats - Jeff Davis County Blues
i have no place to go, so i drive up to new mexico.
fix my eyes in the rearview when i cross the state line.
and i panic, i guess. and although it's quite late,
i take the first exit to 128.
i am coming back to Midland.
i hope you won't mind.
polaroids of the two of us scattered on the passenger's seat.
i drive slowly
and evenly
and i dream about home.


The Mountain Goats - Wild Sage
I leave the house as soon as it gets light outside
like a prisoner breaking out of jail.
and I steal down to business 15-501
like I had a bounty hunter on my tail.
and somebody stops to pick me up,
but he drops me off just down the block.
and along the highway where the empty sprits breathed,
wild sage growing in the weeds.

The Mountain Goats - 15-1
if I had a car and you were riding in it
I'd show you what my car could do
I head east down highway fifteen and see the starlight
shower over you
gas fumes rising from the blacktop
cheap hotels with flashing signs
just an old sweet song made new
and oozing through the pines

There are probably more, but Jesus, that guy has too many songs.
posted by wemayfreeze at 11:34 PM on December 27, 2007

The significance is that he tells stories about places?
posted by wemayfreeze at 11:35 PM on December 27, 2007

Sorry, two more:

The Mountain Goats - Short Song about the 10 Freeway (not in the lyrics, but it's the subject of the song?)

The Mountain Goats - Going to Chino
I'd like to say hello
to all our friends from chino.
to the people from chino, hello.
I'd like to say hello
to all our friends from chino.
to the people from chino, hello.

convenient access to the 60 freeway.
accredited medical care, down at chino valley hospital.
a unified school system, the likes of which you won't find elsewhere.
and friendly people.
posted by wemayfreeze at 11:40 PM on December 27, 2007

Amarillo Highway by Terry Allan. "As close as I'll ever get to heaven is makin' speed up old 87, that hard Amarillo Highway"
posted by jvilter at 12:08 AM on December 28, 2007

The Modern Lovers - Roadrunner references Route 128
posted by clearly at 12:11 AM on December 28, 2007 [1 favorite]

Tweeter and the Monkey Man by The Traveling Wilburys contains the following verse:

Tweeter was a boy scout cause he went to Vietnam
And found out the hard way, nobody gives a damn
They knew that they found freedom just across the Jersey line
So they hopped into a stolen car, took Highway 99
posted by chudmonkey at 12:18 AM on December 28, 2007

There is always "Goin' back to Memphis" by the Soledad brothers. The song was also covered by The White Stripes in their DVD "Under Blackpool Lights"
posted by Blandanomics at 12:20 AM on December 28, 2007

Just go here and browse through the lyrics. You'll find more highways, imaginary and real, than you know what to do with.

The significance? Um, El Jefe has a hard-on for roads? Seriously, I'm sure folks have written dissertations on this but factors include the New Jersey car culture and the highway as symbol for escape and the journey of life.

God, I'm awful with lyrics, and far from a leading Springsteenologist, but here's a couple I haven't seen anybody mention yet:

"Open All Night" references the "Route 60 Bob's Big Boy." He might've made that one up, as there's no NJ 60 and US 60 is a bit too far south, I think. (It runs east and west starting in Virginia Beach. True, he's driving all night to get to his baby but even if it's technically within overnight driving distance that would be one hell of a commute.)

"Spirit In the Night": "It's about a mile down on the dark side of Route 88." No doubt NJ 88.

Extra Credit: "New York City Serenade" mentions Broadw.ay several times. Broadway in Manhattan is also U.S. Route 9.
posted by Opposite George at 12:21 AM on December 28, 2007

I thought this was too obvious to miss, but here I am waaaay down the page mentioning:

Pacific Coast Highway, Mamas & The Papas.

PCH was also mentioned more recently in the Ataris "Summer of 79", and while I can't think of any examples offhand, it must be in many Beach Boys songs.
posted by rokusan at 12:32 AM on December 28, 2007

Highway 40 Blues by Ricky Skaggs
posted by wsg at 12:33 AM on December 28, 2007

Also, if you can put up with the somewhat-coherent ramblings of semi-autistic road idiot-savants*, there's this Usenet thread.

----
*Or, as I like to refer to them, "my people."
posted by Opposite George at 12:35 AM on December 28, 2007

Bill Safire just called: Apparently it's "idiots savants."

Two Whoppers Junior, please.
posted by Opposite George at 12:42 AM on December 28, 2007

One of the funniest songs I've ever heard about LA is "Too Long in LA" by Bob Dorough (who wrote a lot of the old Schoolhouse Rock tunes), and one lyric is: "Just got off the 405. Lucky I got out alive." I think you can find it on itunes.

Other West coast highway inspired songs...
405 -- Death Cab for Cutie
Road Trippin' -- Red Hot Chili Peppers (mentions Highway 1)
King's Highway -- Tom Petty (King's Highway is another name for El Camino Real in California)
Diamonds on my Windshield -- Tom Waits
Highway 66 Blues -- Woody Guthrie
Interstate 5 -- The Wedding Present
Highway 101 -- Social Distortion
Highway 5 -- American Music Club
Highway One -- The Waifs
Feedback out on Highway 101 -- Van Morrison
San Diego Zoo -- The 6ths
Swingin' -- Tom Petty (It doesn't refer to an interstate number, but it talks about crossing the Georgia line)
posted by miss lynnster at 12:54 AM on December 28, 2007

John Mayall: Jacksboro Highway. Cover

Just outside of Fort worth
Texas one ninetynine
There's a rundown strip of old night clubs
Been there for a very long time
Head on out towards Jacksboro
Till you see that neon flashing
Man they got it all there
If you're looking for some action

They got the craps game at the Black Cat
Strip tease at the Duce
Over at the Skyline
It's always loud and loose

Hey the winos bummin'
Rich folks slummin'
Watchout man
'cous the cops ain't going to

The Jacksboro Highway
Jacksboro Highway
Jacksboro Highway
There's always something going down
posted by Rumple at 1:46 AM on December 28, 2007

Also, Big Joe Williams: Highway 49



Well I'm gonna get up in the morning
Hit the Highway 49
I'm gonna get up in the morning
Hit the Highway 49
I've been looking for my woman
Lord don't think she can't be found

Also covered by the Stones, I think.

And, who says the US Government never does a good deed?
posted by Rumple at 2:00 AM on December 28, 2007

LA Freeway by Guy Clark doesn't mention the number, but it still works.
posted by notsnot at 2:59 AM on December 28, 2007

Two songs by Tom Petty - "Night Rider" (references the Pacific Coast Highway) and "American Girl" (references route 441).
posted by christinetheslp at 3:12 AM on December 28, 2007

Babe the Blue Ox, T.G.I.F.U.; "Pack your case with strings and picks and head out on Route 66"
posted by Daily Alice at 3:55 AM on December 28, 2007

James Taylor- Sweet Baby James- the "Turnpike was snowy from Stockbridge to Boston"
Jethro Tull - Too Old to Rock and Roll: Too young to die -" Up on the A1 by Scotch Corner"
Also Yes covered the Simon and Garfunkle "America"
posted by Gungho at 4:29 AM on December 28, 2007

The Blessing (William Topley),
Highway 5
posted by vers at 5:45 AM on December 28, 2007

I-90 by Storyhill
posted by belladonna at 5:51 AM on December 28, 2007

I-95 by Fountains of Wayne
posted by Sweetie Darling at 5:52 AM on December 28, 2007

The Dismemberment Plan - Fantastic ("But I'll head my way up I-95")
The Get Up Kids - Mass Pike ("Last night on the Mass Pike")
posted by soma lkzx at 5:55 AM on December 28, 2007

sisters of mercy, 'black planet':
"driving down the highway headed for sunset
on the 101, in the acid rain"
posted by skybolt at 6:16 AM on December 28, 2007

The Zac Brown Band - Highway 20 Ride
posted by odi.et.amo at 7:01 AM on December 28, 2007

Bif Naked has a song called Sophia with lyrics referencing the New Jersey Turnpike. Beautiful song about a road trip with her dog =)
posted by infinityjinx at 7:15 AM on December 28, 2007

I-76 by G. Love & Special Sauce.
posted by digiFramph at 8:11 AM on December 28, 2007

Peter Wolf - Nothing but the Wheel (a song about driving old two-lanes, featuring Mick Jagger and the lyric "41 goes on and on")
Ted Leo & the Pharmacists - Counting Down the Hours ("But after listening all morning, as I drove down 95 / To a story of detainees who were barely kept alive ...")
posted by theoddball at 8:18 AM on December 28, 2007

Convoy by CW McCall--they start out on the "I-one-oh", aka Interstate 10 near LA.
posted by anaelith at 10:22 AM on December 28, 2007

"Down South, Ten Hours, I-5" by the All Girl Summer Fun Band is a fun catchy one.

"Gettin' there in style - just a few more miles - it's a rock'n'roll weekend
Better get there fast 'cause we're running out of gas, this van's a-leakin'
The window's open, we're getting rained on, we're still here, but not for long -
I heard it's sunny, it's sunny, it's sunny
Down south, 10 hours, I-5!"
posted by bubukaba at 10:59 AM on December 28, 2007

John Mayer: "Why Georgia"
posted by Megafly at 11:13 AM on December 28, 2007

I am driving up 85 in the
Kind of morning that lasts all afternoon
Just stuck inside the gloom
Four more exits to my apartment but
I am tempted to keep the car in drive
And leave it all behind.
posted by Megafly at 11:13 AM on December 28, 2007

"Southtown Girls" by the Hold Steady: "Take Penn Ave. out to the 494..."

(I'm sure they've got others, given Craig Finn's constant references to Twin Cities geography, but that's the first one that jumps out in my head.)
posted by anthom at 12:05 PM on December 28, 2007

Paul Simon's "Graceland" has the following lyrics:

The Mississippi Delta/was shining like a National guitar
I am following the river down the highway through the cradle of the civil war
I'm going to Graceland. Graceland. Memphis, Tennesee, I'm going to Graceland
Poor boys and pilgrims with families, and we are going to Graceland.

And so on. Great song. Hope it's the sort of thing you're after.
posted by SlyBevel at 12:45 PM on December 28, 2007

Indefinitely by the Old 97's mentions Highway 1. They also cover Beercans with Highway 34 in it.
posted by gingerbeer at 12:56 PM on December 28, 2007

"Is Anybody Going To San Antone?" -- Charley Pride ("Here I am walking down 66/wish she hadn't done me that way")

Shaun Groves' "I95 The Asshole Song" (YouTube)
posted by fourcheesemac at 7:27 PM on December 28, 2007

"18 Wheels" by the Murder City Devils talks about I-5.
posted by disaster77 at 9:36 PM on December 28, 2007

The Verve Pipe's Veneer repeatedly mentions US Route 31.
posted by shannonm at 6:09 PM on January 3, 2008