Whether or not you can get out to the Pacific Coast Highway, check out a list of tunes that would be perfect for that ideal California road trip.
As you drive up the PCH (that's “Pacific Coast Highway" for you non-Californians) from San Diego to San Francisco with a surfboard strapped to the top of your Woodie, you may be thinking, “Dude, I need some tunes." So before you head to the bonfire on the beach, load up your iPod with these California classics.
- “California Girls" by The Beach Boys (1965): Infectious and lighthearted, this song definitely captures the essence of a time and a place. You'll understand why they wrote this tune when you spot the surfer girls on Manhattan Beach one of The Beach Boys' famous hangouts.
- “L.A. County" by Lyle Lovett (1987): Lovett adds his signature quirky storytelling and country-folk style to a song about stalking a lost love under the twinkling lights of Los Angeles.
- “California Dreamin" by The Mamas and the Papas (1966): This 1965 hit captures the doldrums of winter weariness and longing for California sunshine.
- “I Left My Heart in San Francisco" by Tony Bennett (1962): Paris, Rome and Manhattan have nothing on Bennett's city by the bay.
- “Rooming House on Venice Beach" by Jonathan Richman (1992): Richman celebrates the freewheeling hippy spirit and what used to be cheap and carefree California living when togas, yoga and “weirdo weird guys" ruled beach. On second thought, besides the price of real estate, some things never change.
- “I Love LA" by Randy Newman (1983): After insulting New York ("all the people dressed like monkeys") and Chicago ("too rugged"), Newman declares his love for the Santa Ana winds and the city where “everybody's very happy."
- “San Francisco Days" by Chris Isaak (1993): Isaak croons his way through San Francisco in this brooding tune about a lost love.
- “California" by Phantom Planet (2002): The perfect sing-at-the-top-of-your-lungs song for a road trip. You may recognize this song from the opening credits of “The O.C."
- Pick a movie soundtrackany movie soundtrackbut preferably a blockbuster.
Catch the Hollywood spirit. Put on your shades and blast the score to The Transformers, Batman Begins or Star Wars to feel like you're in the biz. - “Pipeline" by The Ventures (1963): The Venture's quintessential surf music brings the excitement of catching a wave to a pair of car speakers near you.
(Editor's Note:)
I can think a few tunes I remember my dad playing on the car radio going down this wonderfull US 1 as a child, can you?
Route 66
Cherokee
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