water transportation songs: big river

there aren't many songs (at least that I know of) that provide nautical directions. The Johnny Cash song Big River is one of them. This is truly a classic, documenting a trip south along the great Mississippi

big river - johnny cash

i met her accidentally in st. paul (minnesota)
and it tore me up every time I heard her drawl, southern drawl
then I heard my dream was back downstream cavortin' in davenport,
and I followed you, big river, when you called

then you took me to st. louis later on (down the river)
a freighter said she's been here but she's gone, boy, she's gone
i found her trail in memphis, but she just walked up the bluff
she raised a few eyebrows and then she went on down alone

now, won't you batter down by baton rouge, river queen, roll it on
take that woman on down to new orleans, new orleans
go on, i've had enough; dump my blues down in the gulf
she loves you, big river, more than me

transportation songs: i want my city back

I am on a never ending search for songs with directions in them and a (re)acquaintance informed me of a Mighty Mighty Bosstones song with such directions. I remember seeing the Bosstones play in the Capitol Ballroom in DC back in 1996. That's over a decade ago! Wow. And now the area where the Capitol Ballroom used to is slated to become yuppie heaven, as I blogged about recently, as it was just north of the new DC baseball stadium.

To get around NIMBY'ism and zoning ordinances clubs like the Capitol Ballroom located in near SE as did many gay clubs. Now that they're on the way out, these establishments are having a difficult time finding new locations.

the song: I Want My City Back

Up around 95, sailing down Storrow Drive
Left exit into Kenmore Square
Slowed down when I got there
And that's when it was crystal clear
It wasn't there, it wasn't where
I left it, when I left it
I want my city back

transportation songs: sad but true

The other day I advocated for including directions in songs. Today, I'm highlighting a second song that includes detailed directions, and this completes my anthology of songs with directions in them. If you are aware of other songs with directions, please let me know of them.

The song is Sad But True by the Transplants, whose singer Tim Armstrong's primary band Rancid is one of the Great Transit Bands (post forthcoming). Sad But True, like the other song I profiled, gives directions starting in Berkeley. Berkeley it seems, even in the realm of punk songs, is the center of transportation planning. The route offered by Armstrong is a circuitous one but it eventually takes you to Harmon Street in South Berkeley. Anyone familiar with Berkeley know what's on Harmon St?

In a dream we take a trip
down Shattuck to Durant
up the hill, to the steps, Sproul Plaza and Telegraph
we pass Channing, we pass Derby
we go to Ashby, down to Adeline
take MLK to 54th and go down to Genoa
yeah and follow the BART tracks
to Harmon street, ahhhh Harmon street,
Harmon Street, Harmon Street
it's reoccurring, it's like a dream
I live a thousand times, yeah
and it's always like the very first time

transportation songs: carry on

Are you a band or singer looking to better incorporate transportation planning into your songs? I bet we all are to some extent. Here's one easy suggestion: add directions to your lyrics! Take for example, the song Carry On by Common Rider which features directions to get from Berkeley to the place where my brother got married in addition to other locations along route 1 south of SF.

There ain't no dream like the one that's real
Ashby to Eighty
Eighty to the Bridge
Bridge down to One
Route One carry on
We ate the night up and we shot the big coast
'cause the shoreline makes a heart open like a rose