Greatest driving songs

1) Life Is A Highway: Tom Cochrane

Turn this on as you cruise down the road and it’ll put you in a retrospective mood, making you wonder what life is all about. Is it just about the rat race, earning as much as much as you can so you can afford the good things in life such as a good a  car insurance policy, an awesome house, etc?Shaped by Cochrane’s famine relief mission to West Africa, this number rhythmically reflects the ups and downs on the highway of life.

2) Born To Be Wild: Steppenwolf
One of the first heavy rock metal songs to beautifully capture the biker’s carefree spirit, “Born To Be Wild” seduces you to get your motor running and your head out on the highway.

3) Highway To Hell: AC/DC
This devil’s anthem is your ticket to a one-way ride – if you can take everything in your stride. You sure won’t need a rhyme or reason on this trip to hell – especially when there’s the promise of a rockin’ party at the end of it all, with all your friends showin’ up.

4) Let It Ride: Ryan Adams
The song moves like a fog on river… so put your mind on autopilot and just go with the flow. This easy cruising and humming-friendly song will put you in a peaceful place.

5) Fuel: Metallica
As you sing along with “Quench your thirst with gasoline... Burning hard, lose and clean…” you become the machine. Clearly one for the adrenaline junkies, these beats will get you headbanging – and a speeding ticket – in no time.

6) Panama: Van Halen
Of course nothing beats a shiny, snazzy, piston-popping machine. But if you don’t have one, you can still feel your machine burning down the avenue: Just play this one full blast, windows down, and fly to the sound of an amazing guitar lead by Eddie Van Halen.

7) Running On Empty: Jackson Browne
With this medium-paced track, this Grammy-nominated, bestselling artist will make you wanna lap up the miles. You’ll feel mesmerised by the road rushing under your wheel. Take it all in, enjoy the moment, and expect the unexpected.

8) Highway Man: Johnny Cash
With a pistol and sword on his side, Cash tells us about his journey as a highwayman and how many young soldiers shed their blood to his sword. It reflects the resilience of a brave spirit, which never gets crushed. The song is slow and soothing – perfect company on a long, lonesome highway.

9) One Headlight: The Wallflowers
This Grammy-award winning number has enough power to drive you and your girl home with just one headlight. Literally, the lyrics tell a fragmentary story about a former friend and her death. Lead singer Jakob Dylan said that the song is about the ‘death of ideas’, explaining that the band had very little support when they were putting together the record and how they got through a lot of hindrances driving on just “one headlight”. “Hey, come on, try a little...”

10) Slow Ride: Foghat
It will be a slow ride… take it easy. The rhythm will be right, move to the music… all this melodious seduction is gonna make you want to pull over for some fine loving. Do it too early on, though, and you’ll lose your date.

11) Drive My Car: The Beatles
It’s about a girl trying to be a famous star — who wants to be seen in a cool car and promises to show the driver ‘a good time.’ Well, we did the same, but somehow, it didn’t work for us… Must be the car.

12) American Woman: The Guess Who
Girl dumped you? No sweat. Hit the road and vent it all out with this one. Seems Canadians have had tough times with American chicks, as the song grumbles, but still gets voted the best Canadian single of all times.

13) Take it Easy: Eagles
“Don’t let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy...” This Eagles’ classic will sure help you take your mind off the senseless traffic and help you retreat to an inner oasis.

14) Rock & Roll: Led Zeppelin
Might have been a long time since you rock & rolled, might have been a long time since you strolled. Won’t be the case with this one playing out loud in your car.

15) Get Outta My Dreams: Billy Ocean
Billy Ocean makes you feel like a fast-driving smooth operator who’s asking fine women to get outta your dreams and into your car. If only dreams came true...

16) Highway Star: Deep Purple
“Nobody gonna take my car... Nobody gonna beat my car...” These die-hard lyrics blaring in your ears will con you into believing your rickety old Fiat is a mean killing machine.

17) Tulsa Time Eric Clapton
Not to be confused with the desi herb, this is Clapton tripping on Tulsa time. So take his cue, drive away all your worries and roll down the windows. ‘Coz it’s your time to be on Tulsa time.

18) Little Deuce Coupe: Beach Boys
The flashiest set of wheels of its time, the song is an ode to the fast and furious, Little Deuce Coupe. It’ll rev up all your car fantasies – but the Beach Boys, of course, got the real deal.

19) Everyday Is A Winding Road: Sheryl Crow
This Grammy-nominated single is about a hitch-hiker’s experiences on an endless journey. Listening to Sheryl taking it all so cheerfully in her stride, no matter how bad it is, you’ll get a bit closer to feeling fine.

20) Tube Streak Boogie: ZZ Top
A song which will make you do the snake boogie, and then the boogie-woogie, all night long. Pull over, celebrate the exhibitionist in you and watch the traffic ‘snarl’.

21) Are You Gonna Go My Way: Lenny Kravitz
Now this is a good way of asking your girl if she wants to go your way. Considered one of Lenny’s best works, strangely, it never works for us.

22) Can’t Drive 55: Sammy Hagar
If you’ve got the stomach for some wild driving, but not exactly the mad, bad, Tarantino kind which we saw in Deathproof – you’ll like this one. ‘Coz though the song makes you wanna pull off some illegal moves in traffic, it tells you to keep one foot on the brakes.

23) Born To Run: Bruce Springsteen
This number is credited with having propelled Bruce into the mainstream. The cover on the album is iconic and is considered to be one of the best of all times. The ultimate ‘grab your girl and getaway’ song makes you want to run away from whichever crappy town you’re from. But just don’t tell her you wanna die with her on the streets tonight.

24) Turbo Lover: Judas Priest
A wacky music video, please tell us there’s no other. Hearing this one, you might want to pull her closer and hold her tighter, and like love machines in harmony, drive into fury.

25) Ride The Wind: Poison
Just the stuff you would want to listen to on a gloomy Monday morning on your way to work. Makes you wanna rev up the engine and ride wild with the wind.