“Everything in the universe has a rhythm, everything dances.” – Maya Angelou
My 12 best travel songs
Music can take you places.
Music can transport you to a place you’ve never been or flash you back to a time and place long lost. It can fill your heart with love and your head full of dreams. Music can inspire. Here you’ll find my best travel songs to inspire travel and fill your heart with wanderlust and hope. Most are about travel but a few here are purely inspirational.
In doing a little research, before writing this best travel songs article, I found that most of these lists… well… suck. Many simply list a song because it has a geographic name in the title. Many just repeat what the other lists have.
I like to think this list is a little better. If you think my list sucks then please do let me know in the comments at the end of the article. You certainly won’t find many of these songs on other lists. Music is such a personal thing but hopefully, there is much here you’ll enjoy.
Before my last big trip, I listened to these songs. Now I wait and plan. In these cold grey uncertain times, I listen to them again to keep the dream alive. They inspire. Music fills my heart with hope and wanderlust. My wish is that they do the same for you! Now, more than ever, I think we all need to dream a little and hope a little more. Dream and hope for better days and the sun on your face. It will come again.
If you are on the road or planning for the road and wings, I hope you find something you like.
So here are my 12 best songs for travel.
Enjoy.
Shotgun – George Ezra
“Homegrown alligator, see you later.
Gotta hit the road, gotta hit the road
The sun it changed in the atmosphere
Architecture unfamiliar
I can get used to this.”
On The Road Again – Willie Nelson
“On the road again
Goin’ places that I’ve never been
Seein’ things that I may never see again
And I can’t wait to get on the road again.”
I was born a Rambling Man – The Allman Brothers Band
“Lord, I was born a ramblin’ man
Tryin’ to make a livin’ and doin’ the best I can
And when it’s time for leavin’
I hope you’ll understand
That I was born a ramblin’ man.”
Cups (Pitch Perfect’s “When I’m Gone”) – Anna Kendrick
“I’ve got my ticket for the long way around.
The one with the prettiest of views
It’s got mountains, it’s got rivers It’s got sights to give you shivers
But it sure would be prettier with you.”
Leaving On A Jet Plane – John Denver (Cover) by The Macarons Project
“So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you’ll wait for me
Hold me like you’ll never let me go
‘Cause I’m leavin’ on a jet plane
Don’t know when I’ll be back again
Oh babe, I hate to go.”
One Night in Bangkok – Murray Head
“One night in Bangkok and the world’s your oyster
The bars are temples but the pearls ain’t free
You’ll find a god in every golden cloister
A little flesh, a little history
I can feel an angel sliding up to me.”
José González – Stay Alive
“And I will wait for you tonight
You’re here forever and you’re by my side
I’ve been waiting all my life
To feel your heart as it’s keeping time
We’ll do whatever just to stay alive.“
It’s My Life – Bon Jovi
“It’s my life It’s now or never
I ain’t gonna live forever
I just want to live while I’m alive (It’s my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said, “I did it my way”
I just want to live while I’m alive It’s my life.”
Shaun Gibson – Journey 旅程
“I’m gonna pack a bag start living my dreams
Find the place where the suo na sings
There must more to see than the TV shows!“
Dream it Possible – Jane Zhang
“I will run, I will climb, I will soar
I’m undefeated
Jumping out of my skin, pull the chord
Yeah, I believe it
The past is everything we were
Don’t make us who we are
So I’ll dream until I make it real
And all I see is stars
It’s not until you fall that you fly.”
Ehrling – This Is My Passion
“You can’t wait on other people
To be what you’ve been called to be
You can’t wait on their affirmation
You can’t wait on their approval
You can’t wait on their support
Sometimes you’ve just got to run
And look behind you and say: “Everybody that wants to run, run”
“But I can’t stop running because you’re not running with me”
Listen, Listen to me, hear me
You can’t stop chasing your dream just because somebody in your life won’t chase it with you
You can’t stop believing in yourself just because somebody in your life won’t believe in you
You can’t stop chasing the dreams of your life, just because you know when you do it, you’re gonna have to do it all by yourself.”
John Denver – Take Me Home, Country Roads
“Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads.”
“Imma secretly do 13 songs in ma 12 travel song list…” – Me.
THAT’S A WRAP on the 12 best travel songs list!
So what did you think of the list? Do you have a favourite travel song? What music makes you dream of blue open skies and dusty open roads? What are your favourite wanderlust songs? What music inspires? What did you think of my list? I would love to hear from you down below in the comments.
Girls Like You isn’t a travel song, but when I listen I’m whisked far away. Girls like you takes me back to Malaysia. My hotel had a TV hooked up to the internet and this song would often come on. I close my eyes, listen, and I’m back again. The warm morning sun floods the room with light. Scents of coffee and spice. I’m eating nasi lamak.
What song takes you back to your travels? Let me know in the comments.
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Thanks for reading and Happy Travels.