Road trip soundtrack

Take this as a fair warning, but this weekend we’ll be exchanging some asphalt as I attempt to drive my first road trip for spring break.

That’s right, after a series of negotiations and a firm promise not to kill myself, my parents are extending the long arm of freedom — even if the stubby pinky of paranoia is slightly resting on the stop/eject button.

If I learned anything from watching those Aerosmith music videos of school girls going crazy and driving cross-country, I know for this trip I need to: A, be prepared to pole dance for gas money and B, have a great soundtrack to drive to.

Since I know I am way more proficient in choice B, I’ve decided to pass on some great road-trip tracks as you break out of campus.

Whenever you’re traveling on the road, nothing fits more perfectly than “Ventura Highway” by the ’70s band America. It is probably more recognized as the sample used in Janet Jackson’s “Someone To Call My Lover” — which is a good substitute if you’re not feeling the original.

But the acoustic guitars, delicate harmonies and the laid-back groove of America’s track is tailor-made for gliding down the highway while chewing on a piece of grass.
Who really does that, you ask? Well, who really wears shutter shades anymore? Don’t deny it, I saw you last weekend.

The next best road-trip song is “Move B****”  by Ludacris, because this generation had to wait too long for road-raging sociopaths to get an anthem. Plus, it’s just a great song to turn all the way up and frighten old people with, especially when you try to mouth the gibberish of rapper Mystikal.

For those who don’t travel with a baseball bat in the passenger seat and want everyone to get involved, then you can’t go wrong with the popular song, “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz. Seriously, even if someone tells you they hate this song, they loved it at some point, and its universal flavor gives it sing-along potential.

The key to the great roadtrip sing-along is for everyone to know the first verse and chorus, then kind of drop out during the second verse. This lets the person who saw Mraz three times last summer take the solo, and then everyone can come back strong for the ending.

Someone then has to say ‘good times,’ just to punctuate the moment.
And that’s exactly what it is — a good time. The classic road trip is a staple of life, and half of the fun comes from moments shared as the music plays in the background.

Just sitting there in silence while you drive feels too mechanical, like driving is your job. But once there are music and friends to tag along, it doesn’t seem like such a bad idea to get a little lost.