Songs that inspire me to travel
My iPod is an eclectic mix, full of new country, hip-hop hits and indie sensations. Even though I enjoy putting the headphones away and soaking up another aspect of a culture through its sounds, I couldn’t live without a constant stream of familiar music as I watch the countryside speed by in the train or as I try to fall asleep in a noisy hostel room. It can be both comforting and motivational, gently reminding me of home and also inspiring me to seek out new experiences. Without further ado, the musical accompaniment that I couldn’t travel without:
So Close Now, by Eli Young Band
I am so close now to walking away
About to walk a path I’ve gotta take
I am packing up heading out
I can’t sleep I’m dreaming way too loud
This is the song that goes on repeat in the days and hours before every big departure, as the inevitable doubts start creeping in and make me wonder why I’m leaving. That final stretch away from home, the streets and faces I know by heart, is always heart-wrenching–but I know that bigger things are waiting.
Swingset Chain, by Loquat
Is there something I could do to slow it down?
Live in a day for once
Instead of watch it screaming by
There’s something about this song that makes me feel the urgency of a needed change. In some ways, it’s just a love-story-gone-bad, a song where you can sense the desperation of a relationship unwinding. But it makes me yearn for something more, to have the courage to seize the moment.
Fly Away, by Sugarland
If I promise you that I’ll be back someday,
will you set me free so I can fly away?
Every time I leave, I worry about the toll it will take on my relationships with my friends and family. They shake their heads when I announce another crazy travel plan and make me feel guilty for missing weddings, graduations, birthdays. This song makes me feel grateful for having the opportunity to go and see, while always having the option of coming home.
3×5, by John Mayer
Didn’t have a camera by my side this time
Hoping I would see the world through both my eyes
I’ve flipped to this song on my iPod while gazing at the Swiss Alps, taking in a sunset in Maui, wandering through Roman ruins in Italy. It never fails to bring me back into the moment, to soak up the beauty surrounding me with every sense–and to remind me to put my camera away and take a mental picture to carry with me every day.
How Far Do You Wanna Go, by Gloriana
There’s an open sky staring back at us
And it’s daring us to tear it up
Bury that town in a cloud of dust
How far do you wanna go?
Are you looking for a little more
Than this hold-you-down broken town
Better leave now or you’ll never know
I used to roll down the windows and turn up this song, secretly wishing that I could drive right past the gym, the office, my apartment and speed onto the open road. This song always fills me with the same adrenaline that rushes through me moments after I buy a plane ticket, that certainty of adventure that is soon to be.
Navy Taxi, by Kate Nash
Carrying bags and a navy taxi man said
“Take your time love
‘Cause you don’t have to rush
‘Cause it’s your life and it’s no one else’s, sweetheart
Don’t let someone put you in a box.”
There’s a nagging guilt that sometimes creeps in, making me feel like I’m cheating because I’m not slaving away in an entry-level desk job like most of my friends. I worry that I made the wrong choice by abandoning a career in which I surely could have succeeded. Kate Nash’s unflinchingly honest lyrics and cheeky British accent are a staple on my iPod, and this song always reassures me that I’ve got my whole life to figure it out.
The Long Way Around, by The Dixie Chicks
Well, I never seem to do it like anybody else
Maybe someday, someday I’m gonna settle down
If you ever want to find me I can still be found
Taking the long way around
One of my best girlfriends told me about this song, adding that it reminded her of me. It immediately made me feel a lot cooler. Maybe I don’t have the Swift-esque love story, but I do have a heck of a lot of stories and the confidence to go get some more.
American Girl, by Tom Petty
Well, she was an American girl
Raised on promises
She couldn’t help thinkin’
That there was a little more to life somewhere else
This has always been one of my favorite getting ready songs, one of those ones that just puts a smile on my face and makes me want to dance. It still makes me want to dance, but it also makes me darn grateful that I’m lucky enough to explore life somewhere else.
Breakaway, by Kelly Clarkson
I’ll spread my wings and I’ll learn how to fly
Though it’s not easy to tell you goodbye
I gotta take a risk, take a chance, make a change
And break away
It’s the quintessential “finding yourself” song, the one that encourages you to take the risk and follow your heart. One of my favorites when I need a burst of inspiration–and these are the lyrics that made it into my Facebook status when I couldn’t contain my excitement about booking my ticket to Nice.
Simple Man, by Lynyrd Skynyrd
And be a simple kind of man
Be something you’ll love and understand
It’s not exactly a travel song, but this song still reminds me of what’s important in life. It’s not having the money to jetset to cosmopolitan capitals or checking off seeing the wonders of the world. It’s about being a person who you can respect in your heart. It’s helping people when they need it: lending a hand, giving a smile or donating a few coins. It’s accepting, even appreciating, differences. Mostly, it’s about doing the right thing, whatever you do and wherever you are in the world.
What’s your favorite travel song?
