A Playlist for Itchy Feet

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My new job has me commuting across town three times a week, and my iPod has been getting a lot of exercise. I’ve discovered that I often associate certain songs with certain people, or places, or periods of my life. There are some songs that, while not affiliated with any concrete memory, always get me thinking about travel. It’s makes for nice subway daydreaming, so I couldn’t help but share.

Below is the soundtrack to my wanderlust. I’m keen to hear if other people get inspired or restless when they hear these songs. 

This Time Tomorrow – the Kinks

Any Kinks tune will get me in a good mood, but I can’t resist these sleepy lyrics about looking down at the earth from a plane. You know that “look out, world!” feeling of looking out the window and spotting tiny houses and roads and cars below? “I can see the world and it ain’t so big at all.” – this song sums up that dreamy escapism of airplane travel. 

Country Leaver – Dandy Warhols

The Warhols sing about following one’s beloved across oceans; in this case, Amsterdam. The line “I’ve packed my bags, Oh Lord, I’m a travelin’ man” always conjures that giddy first-trip feeling. Sometimes the best expectations come when you actually have no clue what to expect. The possibilities feel endless…

Graceland – Paul Simon

One of the best American road-trip tunes describing the “poorboys and pilgrims with families” all journeying to the Memphis landmark. For me, this song addresses the blind faith involved in travel; faith in others and in the unknown, and in one’s own resourcefulness whenever we embark on new travels. It also takes me back to childhood car trips, with my mum and dad singing along to Paul Simon from the front seat. Don’t we all have that childhood memory, buried somewhere?

Holiday In Spain – Counting Crows

This 90s relic takes me back to the itchy feet of my teenage years. As the song pondered a sudden escape to Barcelona, I would fantasize about being in a new city, establishing myself with new people, creating a new identity. All those teenage yearnings, really. The song has faint resonance of heartache, of feeling like a deadbeat in one’s city, of seeking out romance in a new place. I just love it.

Come Fly With Me – Frank Sinatra

Yeah, I’ve got Sinatra on my iPod. This tune brings to mind the Hollywood glamour of travel in the first half of the 20th century, where holidays were for society’s most affluent and dashing people. I’m sure that when Sinatra traveled, it was in the best circles of fascinating people, in complete luxury, to the chicest of destinations. This song brings to mind whirlwind romance, palatial hotels with views of the sea, or old Hollywood couples locking eyes at smart European cafes. 

I‘ve Been Everywhere – Johnny Cash

Cash’s litany of tour destinations, sung in his hearty, world-weary tone, always gets me plotting imaginary road trips in my head. Ever the underdog’s man, this list of anytown North American destinations makes me appreciate the earthiness of Cash’s music. Nevermind the high-class jetsetting of Sinatra’s set. This song makes me think of traveling the roads, fleshing out the feel of new towns, and finding their uniqueness. This vagabonding song is one of Cash’s best.

Kokomo – the Beach Boys

Okay, this song is more about love’s swooning phase than actual travel, but I think the Beach Boys are sending deeper messages here. Tropical destinations and indulgent beachy holidays can make anyone giddy, bolder, less inhibited. Kind of like those first stages of love, isn’t it? No wonder so many people take their honeymoons in the tropics.