Music

It’s clear how books can help improve a journey, but what about music?

To me, travelling can be greatly enhanced by hearing the right tune, whether by design or chance.  And vice versa. This occurred to me on two separate occasions in France. The first time was on arrival in Toulouse after taking the night train from Paris. It was 6am on Saturday morning and the dawn sky outside Matabiau station seemed alarmingly pink. Tired and emotional people were emerging slyly from doorways and late-night bars, and all I could hear was Air’s Alone in Kyoto in my headphones. It was a beautiful and surreal moment.

The second occasion was on the return trip from Paris to London. It was a glorious early autumn day with the sun reflecting off passing pylons, stanchions and other railway furniture as the train thrust its way through northern France. Almost in tune with the passing of these objects was the Chemical Brothers’ Star Guitar – and video director Michel Gondry agrees. To this day, I have struggled to find a more appropriate track to describe train travel.

Here, I intend to link to certain songs that, for me, epitomise travel on either road or rail. No doubt the list will increase over time.

Please feel free to add your own suggestions in the comments section below.

• Levellers: The Road – The inspiration for the name of this blog.
• Frank Turner: The Road – Okay, so the titles aren’t imaginative so far, but this should be any traveller’s mantra.
• Air: Alone in Kyoto – For the reason given in the text above.
• Chemical Brothers: Star Guitar – Likewise, see above.
• Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: Shuffle Your Feet – Fell in love with this driving through Death Valley.
• Gogol Bordello: Wanderlust King – The spirit of freedom through travel is alive and well here.

• Elbow: Station Approach – A song for homesickness.
• My Morning Jacket: I’m Amazed – Grand and full of sunny goodness.
• Plump DJs: Morning Sun – Stare out of a train window and try not to enjoy this.
• Secret Machines: Road Leads Where Its Lead – The driving rhythms are perfect.
• Eagles: Already Gone – One of the many great American driving songs.
• Marshall Tucker Band: Can’t You See – And another.
• Joe Fagin: Breaking Away – The spirit of travel is prevalent in this underrated gem.

• Jason Isbell: Life You Chose – One for the solo traveller here. I’ve often been walking either at home or abroad asking myself the question “Are you living the life you chose, are you living the life that chose you?” The answer depends on my location.