Almanac Music: Songs about Roads

 

U.S. Route 95, Churchill County, Nevada, [Wikimedia Commons.]

 

 

Songs About Roads

 

This week’s music piece concerns songs that mention roads in the title, whether they be specifically highways, streets, avenues, boulevards, esplanades or similar infrastructure. Roads, of course, offer rich metaphorical possibilities for the songwriter; although, yes, sometimes a song with a road in it just means a literal road. As usual, dear readers, you are warmly invited to contribute your own song choices and discussion in the ‘Comments’ section.

 

 

‘Why Don’t We Do It In The Road?’, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney (1968), performed by The Beatles

 

This brief song is a bit of a throwaway, a heavily piano-based rocker from the Beatles’ double album, The Beatles, as many would know; nevertheless, it possesses a peculiar power and force. It was written by Paul McCartney, though credited to the Lennon-McCartney partnership.

 

 

 

 

 

‘Ventura Highway’, written by Dewey Bunnell, performed by America (1972)

 

This country-rock number is a quintessential song of the open road, and was a worldwide hit for America, from their album Homecoming.

 

 

 

 

‘Carlton (Lygon Street Limbo)’, written by Greg MacCainsh, performed by Skyhooks (1974)

 

What lover of Australian popular music doesn’t know Skyhooks’ Living in the Seventies album, and the opening track of side 2, ‘Carlton (Lygon Street Limbo)’, focused on the main street of Melbourne’s well-known inner suburb?

 

 

 

 

‘Girls on the Avenue’, written and performed by Richard Clapton (1975)

 

This iconic, tuneful rock number vividly brings back Australia of the seventies for many Australians of a certain vintage, me included.

 

 

 

 

‘Highway To Hell’, written by Bon Scott, Angus Young and Malcolm Young, performed by AC/DC (1979)

 

A hard rocker by AC/DC, about life on the road for a rock’n’roll band, this song has stood the test of time, appearing in many compilations of greatest rock songs, such as Rolling Stone magazine’s ‘500 Greatest Songs of All Time’.

 

 

 

 

‘Electric Avenue’, written and performed by Eddy Grant (1983)

 

A funk, reggae-influenced dance song, this number, influenced by events associated with England’s Brixton riots, was a worldwide hit for Eddy Grant in 1983.

 

 

 

 

‘Road To Nowhere’, written by David Byrne, performed by Talking Heads (1985)

 

This heavily rhythmic rock song, an odd but catchy mixture of joy and nihilism, is from Talking Heads’ album Little Creatures.

 

 

 

 

‘Dirty Blvd’, written and performed by Lou Reed (1989)

 

This powerful indictment of New York’s great divide between rich and poor is from Lou Reed’s album, New York.

 

 

 

 

Accidentaly [sic] Kelly Street’, written by Tim O’Connor by Frente! (1992)

 

This breezy, pop song with a retro, indie feel, by Melbourne band Frente!, was a big Australian hit for them in the early 1990s.

 

 

 

 

‘Streets of Philadelphia’, written and performed by Bruce Springsteen (1994)

 

As many would know, this moody, evocative ballad by Bruce Springsteen was the theme song of the movie of the same name. It was a world wide hit and much-awarded, including Academy Award for Best Original Song.

 

 

 

 

………………………………………………………..

 

 

So, wonderful readers, it’s that time again! Over to you. Your responses to this topic are welcomed. In the ‘Comments’ section, please add your own choice of a song (or songs) with roads, highways etc. in the title, along with anything else you’d like to say.

 

[Note: Wikipedia has been a good general reference for this piece, particularly when it comes to checking dates and other details.]

 

 

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About

Kevin Densley is a graduate of both Deakin University and The University of Melbourne. He has taught writing and literature in numerous Victorian universities and TAFES. He is a poet and writer-in-general. His fifth book-length poetry collection, Please Feed the Macaws ... I'm Feeling Too Indolent, will be published in late 2023 by Ginninderra Press. He is also the co-author of ten play collections for young people, as well as a multi Green Room Award nominated play, Last Chance Gas, which was published by Currency Press. Other writing includes screenplays for educational films.

Comments

  1. Colin Ritchie says

    Great list KD!
    A couple of songs that come to mind are:
    ‘Tobacco Road’ – Nashville Teens
    59th Bridge Street (Feelin’ Groovy) – Simon & Garfunkel

  2. Kevin Densley says

    Great, Col. Thank you for opening the batting!

  3. Ok, KD, I reckon this is an easy one. And the list will be huge.

    Two of the great Australian songs:
    Triffids – Wide Open Road; Go Betweens – Streets of Your Town.
    Archie Roach:
    Down City Streets; Charcoal Lane.
    Paul Kelly:
    Foggy Highway; Standing on the Street of Early Sorrows; Beggar on the Street of Love.
    And of course, Bruce Springsteen:
    Thunder Road; Backstreets; Working on the Highway; Tenth Avenue Freeze-out;
    Racing in the Street; One Way Street; Wrong Side of the Street; Highway Patrolman.
    Beatles – The Long and Winding Road.
    Simon and Garfunkel:
    59th Street Bridge Song; Bleecker Street.

  4. I’ve always enjoyed the classic 1949 Hank Williams recording of Lost Highway. A maudlin tale of woe, and gloom, that can befall a young man who makes the wrong choices on life’s journey.

    Though Hank’s version is probably the best known, certainly my favourite, the song was written and recorded by Leon Payne back in October 1948.

    The old deck of cards, and the jug of wine, by that point it’s too late to pray as you’ll be on the lost highway.

    What more can one say?

    Glen!

  5. Kevin Densley says

    Thanks, Smokie, for this excellent list – the Aussies get a good run in it, which is a fine thing to see.

    I think the list will get particularly interesting and more complex when it comes to songs with esplanades, avenues, boulevards and the like in the title. Even ‘ways’ – The Beatles’ ‘Blue Jay Way’, written by George Harrison, has just sprung to mind in this context..

  6. Kevin Densley says

    Hi Glen! Love this – ‘lost highway’ as metaphor.

  7. Legend, led by London chug, pub rock maestro Mickey Jupp, release the brilliant Cross Country in about 1970.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tP_j9GULWQo

  8. Kevin Densley says

    Hi Tony. Thanks for your contribution – very much a ‘song of the road’, even if no form of road is specifically mentioned in the title.

  9. Mark 'Swish' Schwerdt says

    I’m up now KD – here goes

    Roadrunner – Modern Lovers – Best.Song.Ever

    Endless Grey Ribbon – Nick Lowe (about roads, but doesn’t name one specifically)
    I-94 – Radio Birdman
    A13, Trunk Road To The Sea – Billy Bragg
    On The Road Again – Willie Nelson
    Dead End Street – Kinks
    Incident On South Dowling – Paul Kelly
    Copperhead Road – Steve Earle
    Jolimont Road – Greg Champion
    Never Turn Right At Burke Road Malvern – Greg Champion

  10. Mark 'Swish' Schwerdt says

    I’ve dug a bit further into my melodic rolodex KD

    Hard Road – Stevie Wright
    Goodbye Yellow Brick Road – Elton John
    Haunted Road – New Race
    Hit The Road Jack – Ray Charles
    Middle Of The Road – Pretenders
    Take Me Home, Country Roads – John Denver (on high rotation at the Gabba?)
    Walking Down A Road – Split Enz

    ‘A’ Bomb In Wardour Street – Jam
    Beasley Street – John Cooper Clarke
    Down In The Street – Stooges
    Dark Streets Of London – Pogues
    Dancing In The Street – Martha and the Vandellas
    Fascination Street – Cure
    One Way Street – Saints
    Street Fighting Man – Rolling Stones
    Streets Of London – Ralph McTell
    Wall Street Shuffle – 10CC

    Highway 61 Revisited – Bob Dylan
    Highway Star – Deep Purple

    Penny Lane – Beatles

  11. Kevin Densley says

    Hi Swish – what a big, impressive collection of ‘road’ songs!

    Even the wonderful John Cooper Clarke gets a guernsey.

  12. From my boys the Dropkick Murphys:
    Sunshine Highway; Pipebomb on Landsdowne; Road of the Righteous;
    In the Streets of Boston; Echoes on A Street;

    And from The Pogues:
    Dark Streets of London; The Old Main Drag; Sunny Side of the Street; Rain Street;
    Rocky Road to Dublin.

  13. Kevin Densley says

    Thanks again, Smokie – great to see the Dropkicks and Pogues in the mix.with their particular varieties of ‘Irish Celtic’.

  14. Roads are hazardous places, especially without instructive symbols. So, we need, ‘Greg! The Stop Sign!!’

  15. Kevin Densley says

    Thanks, Mickey.

    Ripper song!

  16. Matt O'Hanlon says

    What about the great Lindsey Buckingham hit -Holiday Road -from Vacation . A road song for happiness and a Xmas staple.
    Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Take a ride on the West Coast kick. A genuine metaphor for happy days!

  17. The road, hey. Here goes:

    Old Stock Road, Hennessy Road, Car Park, Heading West on Sunset, Sidewalk Surfin’, Strange Night and North of the Equator by Dave Warner.
    Hard Road, Bus to Baton Rouge, Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, Down the Big Road Blues, Side of the Road, Ghosts of Highway 20 by Lucinda.

    More to come :)

  18. Colin Ritchie says

    Some more that have come to mind KD.

    ‘Dead End Street’ – The Kinks
    ‘Celluloid Heroes’ – The Kinks
    ‘The Road Goes On Forever’ – Robert Earl Keen
    ‘Heartattack and Vine’ – Tom Waits
    ‘Highway 61 Revisited’ – Bob Dylan
    ‘Route 66’ – various

  19. Kevin Densley says

    Hi Matt. Thanks for ‘Holiday Road’, a great song to choose in terms of the present discussion – it could be considered iconic, I reckon.

  20. Kevin Densley says

    HI Rick. Interesting selections, as always – wonderful additions. Like a “Two Ws’ LP – with Dave W. on one side and Lucinda W. on the other.

  21. Kevin Densley says

    Thanks again, Col – the more selections, the better. Great stuff! To select just one of these for comment: ‘Heartattack and Vine’ – what a fine title and song!

  22. Here are some lesser known songs
    Highway 31 – Johnny Chester
    A Road is just a Road – Mary Chapin Carpenter (from her first album Hometown Girl which wasn’t a hit but which I think was better than some of her albums that were)
    Waterloo Road – Smacka Fitzgibbon (originally released by Jason Crest but I only know Smacka’s version).
    The Boulevarde of Broken Dreams – Tony Bennett and a whole lot of other artists including Marrianne Faithfull but not Green Day who had a diffrerent song with the same title.

  23. Kevin Densley says

    Many thanks for these, Dave. I’ll comment on two of them. Johnny Chester was certainly a big Oz name back in the day, wasn’t he? ‘Highway 31’ is catchy tune with momentum. (Incidentally, Chester is still alive today, in his early eighties.)

    And I remember liking Smacka’s ‘Waterloo Road’ as a kid, with its often repeated line ‘You’ll find what you’re looking for down Waterloo Road.’

  24. We’re a couple of swells – by Fred Astaire and Judy Garland, from the second verse they sing about different ways of traveling up the avenue, it’s quite a classic.

  25. Kevin Densley says

    Thanks Fisho, for your contribution – not a road of any kind in the title of the song, but avenues feature a great deal in the body of the number. Great fun!

  26. Hi Kevin, A few oldies which spring to mind,

    King of the Road – Roger Miller
    Creeque Alley – The Mamas and the Papas
    42nd Street – Classic musical
    On Broadway – Ben E King and the Drifters
    Slaughter on Tenth Avenue – Richard Rogers (from musical On Your Toes)
    Sunset Blvd – Scott Grimes

    Cheers, Burkie

  27. Kevin Densley says

    Thanks, Burkie. You’ve put forward a fine bunch of songs here! With themes like this, the more songs that have already been listed, the harder it generally is to come up with new material. Great work!

    To select one for the moment, ‘Creeque Alley’ – it was ages since I listened to that sixties classic. I just did then, and it’s still as good as ever.

  28. Speaking of 42nd Street, the finale in the 1933 movie is gold.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ok31-VZWg0

  29. Colin Ritchie says

    KD, how could I have forgotten my favourite Bob song, and probably his greatest song?
    ‘Positively 4th Street’ – Bob Dylan

  30. Kevin Densley says

    Hi Tony. Thanks for the clip. 42nd Street is an all-time classic musical (as well as song), for certain – Depression-era, pre Hays Code (1933), an archetypal ‘backstage’ musical plot, and a young Ginger Rogers playing a character whose nickname is ‘Anytime Annie’. Fabulous!

    And Col – I think ‘Positively 4th Street’ is just about my favourite Dylan song, too. Pretty close to it, anyway.

  31. Car Wheels on a Gravel Road; Lucinda Williams.

    Glen!

  32. Here’s a few oldies – Wide Open Road, Johnny Cash
    End of the Road, Jerry Lee Lewis
    Highway No 61 Blues, Jack Kelly
    Key To The Highway, Jazz Gillam
    Down the Road Feeling Bad, Woody Gurhrie

  33. Kevin Densley says

    Some fabulous old classics, Fisho! They add to the songs chosen so far in a wonderful way. To select just one for more comment – isn’t ‘Wide Open Road’ performed by Johnny Cash just about the perfect country song? It was written by him, too, and recorded originally for Sun Records in 1955 but not released by him for close to another decade.

  34. Kevin Densley says

    Thanks for putting forward ‘Car Wheels on a Gravel Road’, Glen, mentioned earlier by Rick Kane.

  35. This is fun Kevin. 3 More for luck.

    Waterloo Road – Smacka Fitzgibbon
    40 Miles of Bad Road – Duane Eddy
    (It’s a) Long Lonely Highway – Elvis

    Cheers, Burkie

  36. Kevin Densley says

    Thanks, Burkie, for some more selections. Smacka’s song has already been listed, but Duane Eddy’s and Elvis’s are new and highly relevant additions.

    Duane Eddy was one of my father’s favourite artists – I listened to a lot of Eddy’s stuff on the family record player when I was a kid, and liked it a lot, too.

  37. Sorry Kevin, I clearly missed Rick’s post: seniors moment.

    Has any one put up Martha & the Vandella’s 1964 hit Dancing in the Street?

    There was a Rose Tattoo track, Sidewalk Sally that may fit the selection criteria.

    Glen!

  38. Kevin Densley says

    Hi Glen – Swish has already listed Martha’s song, but as far as I can see – having gone quickly through the complete list a couple of times – the Rose Tattoo track is a goer; after all, a sidewalk is a place upon which one travels (and I don’t want the definition of these things to be restrictive).

  39. Kevin. Missed Dave’s mention of Smacka’s Waterloo Road unfortunately so I’ll throw in another.

    Six Days on the Road – Dave Dudley. Huge hit at the time – don’t think it’s been listed yet.

    The 42nd Street clip was magic. Thanks Tony! But would I be right in suggesting the very last scene – the camera closing in on Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler – has been ‘adjusted’ a little. I seem to remember the original being a bit raunchier, Anyway….

    Cheers, Burkie

  40. Kevin Densley says

    Thanks, Burkie for ‘Six Days on the Road’ – know it and like it!

  41. I’m a Lonesome Fugitive, Ramblin’ Fever, White Line Fever, The Road to my Heart, Down at the End of the Road by Merle Haggard
    Lights on the Hill, The Road to Gundagai, Charleville, Under the Spell of Highway One, Long Distance Driving, Camooweal, Angel of Goulburn Hill, Kelly’s Offsider by Slim Dusty
    Hillbilly Highway, Guitar Town, Down the Road, Nowhere Road, Sweet Little 66, The Week of Living Dangerously, Telephone Road, Leroy’s Dustbowl Blues, Home to Houston by Steve Earle

    and

    Willin by Little Feat
    State Trooper, Bruce

  42. Luke Reynolds says

    One of my favourite, and lesser known songs by The Living End is called “Love Won’t Wait”, which has a great recurring line- “And the Punt Road traffic crawls, but love won’t wait”.

    There’s also the TISM song “The Mordialloc Road Duplicator”. And anything by The Smith Street Band!

  43. Kevin Densley says

    Many thanks for the numerous additions, Rick, most of which are in the country music genre, broadly speaking. I’m certain they all pertain to roads and similar transport paths in some fashion, even if all don’t specifically have the word road, avenue, esplanade etc in the title.

  44. Kevin Densley says

    Thank you, Luke, for your comments. Yes, I agree, it’s a great line – ‘the Punt Road traffic crawls’ – and I think what’s so good about it is that is seems to arise so naturally out of the basic subject of the song, encapsulated by its title, ‘Love Won’t Wait’.

    And what a fabulous title, ‘The Mordialloc Rd Duplicator’! Gotta hand it to TISM to come up with something like that!

    Finally, Smith Street Band – yes, I get the joke. Cheers!

  45. The great John Fogerty and ‘The Old Man Down the Road’.

  46. Kevin Densley says

    Hi DB – Thank you. Another fine song for an impressive list!

  47. Kevin Densley says

    A couple more – how could we forget ‘Boulevard’ by Jackson Browne? And ‘Green Green Rocky Road’ by various, though I have the one on the McGarrigle sisters album, The McGarrigle Hour, in mind..

  48. Great call DB, love that song. And Fisho, tip of the hat for putting forward the great JC song, Wide Open Road.

    Good call on Boulevard KD, so may I throw in another JB song, Lawless Avenues. Or even a whole album, Running on Empty!

    Just about a couple of songs I threw in. Not sure how familiar you are with Merle Haggard but his song I’m a Lonesome Fugitive is a standout and starts with the lines, “down every road there’s always one more city”, which, is his signature and the first three words are the title of the best collection of his career of songs. Steve Earle’s Home to Houston is an anti-Iraq war song. And about the best song in the list is the Little Feat song. As I’m typing I’ve just remembered the Gram song, Streets of Baltimore. It’s a Harlan Howard /Tompall Glaser song and Bobby Bare had a hit with it. People will tell you it’s his song but don’t be fooled. Gram nails it. One of the saddest songs in country music. Bobby Bare did have a hit with another song which is pretty damn good and fits your theme, 500 Miles Away from Home which Rosanne Cash covered on her album, The List (another ripper album by her). Now, I’m waffling!

    Cheers

  49. Kevin Densley says

    Thanks, Rick, for the excellent detail in your most recent post. Interestingly, we’ve both specifically mentioned what a great song JC’s ‘Wide Open Road’ is; in fact, in replying to Fisho in this current discussion, I called it ‘just about the perfect country song’. In fact, Johnny Cash’s fifties songs, such as the early-in-his-career ‘Hey Porter’ and ‘Cry! Cry! Cry!’, deserve a separate Almanac article (which I’ll most likely write soon).

  50. Karl Dubravs says

    Hey KD
    Great choice for theme – I’ve just come back from doing a 3400km road trip (Blaxland – West Wyalong – Mildura – Adelaide – Melbourne – Canberra – Blaxland)!
    Love a couple of your selections – Girls on The Avenue & Dirty Blvd

    A couple of Cat Stevens classics first up:
    On The Road To Find Out (Tea For The Tillerman)
    18th Avenue (Catch Bull At Four) – if you haven’t heard it, I suggest you do – it a beauty

    Now, for my mandatory Dylan selection (btw a big tick for Positively 4th Street & Highway 61)
    Highway 51 (A Curtis Jones cover on the debut Bob Dylan album)
    Down The Highway (Freewheelin’)
    Man On The Street (outtake)
    Paths Of Victory – (outtake) – I think ‘Paths’ qualifies for this theme
    Standing On The Highway (outtake)
    On The Road Again (Bringing It All Back Home)
    Desolation Row (Highway 61 Revisited) – perhaps my favourite Dylan song of this theme
    ‘Street Legal’ – I know it is only an album title but maybe it qualifies?
    Ninety Miles An Hour (Down A Dead End Street) – a Hal Blair/Don Robertson cover off Down In The Groove)
    Dirt Road Blues (Time Out Of Mind)
    Narrow Way (Tempest)

    Anyway, it nice to be back!

  51. Kevin Densley says

    Hi Karl. Glad you’re enjoying this current theme. Great to have you back on board!

    You’ve certainly given us a great deal of fine material to contemplate. Nice to see some Cat Stephens/Yusuf stuff among it, too.

  52. Agree KD, his 50s catalogue is jaw-droppingly good. My fave JC song is I Still Miss Someone. Across his career he maintained an impressive level of excellence in his albums, singles and concerts. Not bad for a dirt-poor Arkansas farm boy. I look forward to your FA JC article.

  53. Kevin Densley says

    Thanks, Rick. I do have quite a bit of Cash’s Sun Records stuff on CD, so most of the ‘raw material’ for my piece is already there.

  54. Frank perich says

    I usually come in late for the challenge so apologies if I’ve doubled up.
    First, Swish nomination for Richmans Roadrunner is fully endorsed as I’ve been telling myself as long as I can remember as the supreme rock song. Bobby’s rolling stone not far away.
    For Road referencing nominate Hollies Look through any window referencing Highways and Byways.
    Can’t ignore Junior Browns rollicking Highway Patrol a kind of humorous perspective than Bruce’s Highway Patrolman and predates the Boss.
    My left field choice is Jackson’ Browns Load Out not specifying any infrastructure but the human element in the live format of musical enjoyment The Roadies.
    If we stretch the criteria out to Rail Roads then the minefield explodes.
    My singular contribution is City of New Orleans amongst who knows how many.
    Stretching again in the opposite direction a smallish road hence a one off nomination in Penny Lane. Other variations come to mind like Gasoline Alley.
    I’m not sure whether I spotted A long and Winding Road or Doors Roadhouse blues.
    Anyhow enjoyed scanning through my neck top computer with the occasional google fact check.
    Regards. Frank.

  55. Mention of Jackson Brown reminds me that there is an excellent song on the Running on Empty album called The Road. It was actually written by Danny O’keefe and appears on his album “O’Keefe” I used to play it a lot in the seventies.

  56. Kevin Densley says

    Thanks, Frank, for these interesting and enjoyable comments. You’ve obviously put quite a bit of thought and effort into them, and come up with a range of fine additions to the overall list. To single out just one of your song choices now: Junior Brown’s ‘Highway Patrol’ – what a wonderful, humorous, rollicking song, with a blinder of a lead guitar break!

  57. Kevin Densley says

    Thanks again, Dave. The Running on Empty album has received a mention in the preceding discussion, but ‘The Road’ hasn’t received a guernsey yet, so that’s another for the overall list – and it’s a beautiful song, too.

  58. Kevin Densley says

    ‘Freeway of Love’ by Aretha Franklin.

    ‘Life in the Fast Lane’ by The Eagles.

  59. Karl Dubravs says

    Hey KD
    Has anyone mentioned:
    On The Road To Gundagai?

    BTW – I am interested in contributing a poem or 2 to the Almanac, but can’t figure out how to do it.
    Cheers, Karl

  60. Kevin Densley says

    Hi again, Karl. No, surprisingly, ‘The Road to Gundagai’ hasn’t been mentioned yet.

    Regarding the poetry, I suggest using the ‘Contact Us’ facility at the top of the Footy Almanac page (next to ‘Our Editors’- and detailing what you wish to do, exactly.

  61. Kevin, I’m aware Fisho mentioned the Woody Guthrie tune, ‘Goin’ down the road feelin’ bad’, but has any body mentioned the following Woody Guthrie tune: ‘ Blowin’ down this road (I ain’t gonna be treated this way) ?

    Glen!

  62. I’m a bit of a late arrival this time, so there’s plenty of songs already mentioned which have crossed my mind.
    Here’s a few others (some not so well known):
    Carefree Highway (Gordon Lightfoot)
    Going down the road (Roy Wood)
    Red Light Avenue (James Reyne)
    On the street where you live (from the Sweet and Sour TV series featuring the fictional band The Takeaways)

    And also worth mentioning Australian Crawl’s Hoochie Gucci Fiorucci Mama, which contains reference to Toorak Road.

  63. Love is a long road (Tom Petty)
    Emotional Highway (Belinda Carlisle)

  64. Frank perich says

    Jumping in again for one last throw of the dice.
    Being a bit of a Roxy/Ferry devotee Street Life from Stranded LP.

  65. Kevin Densley says

    Thanks Glen – the Woody Guthrie tune, ‘ Blowin’ down this road (I ain’t gonna be treated this way)’, hasn’t been mentioned yet, so it certainly goes on the impressive list we’re developing.

  66. Kevin Densley says

    Thanks, Liam – welcome additions, indeed. (And I did enjoy the ABC TV series ‘Sweet and Sour’ back in the day, and know the song you’re talking about.)

    Also, I can’t quite believe this, but I’m about about to tell you of an ELO song that hasn’t been listed yet: ‘Long Black Road’ (2001)!

  67. Kevin Densley says

    Cheers, Frank. Thank you for ‘Street Life’ – I like it, and it reminds me of Bowie.

  68. Kevin Densley says

    Many thanks, Liam, for two more. I think this thread still has some way to go!

    Were you aware of the ELO song I mentioned?

  69. Hi Kevin,
    I’ve heard of Long Black Road, but I’m not familiar with it. It’s one of just a few ELO songs which I don’t know. It’s a bonus track on the 2001 album Zoom. My copy of this album doesn’t have the bonus tracks.
    Zoom was ELO’s first album since the group disbanded in the late 1980s. In my opinion, Zoom is realistically a Jeff Lynne solo album. In the song Easy Money, he very self-indulgently sang “Take it Jeff” at one stage.

  70. Sorry KD I was only gunna do the one Emmylou song and then I remembered another and another and you get the drift. So here they are. As you know she is an exquisite interpreter so many of these songs are covers from the likes of Guy Clark, Carl Perkins, Mark Knoefler, Lucinda Williams and Rodney Crowell. Whoever the songwriter, Emmylou makes the song her own. The last song is by local Melbourne band, The Lucksmiths.

    Boulder to Birmingham
    New Cut Road
    Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight
    Son of a Rotten Gambler
    Restless
    The Ballad of Sally Rose
    White Line
    Lonely Street
    Gulf Coast Highway
    Rollin’ and Ramblin’ (The Death of Hank Williams)
    Waltz Across Texas Tonight
    All the Roadrunning
    Highway of Heartache
    The Road (song to Gram)
    I Just Wanted to See You So Bad

    If You Lived Here, You’d Be Home Now – The Lucksmiths

  71. Kevin Densley says

    Hi Liam,

    Thanks for the additional material about ‘Long Black Road’. I listened to it this morning and thought, in general terms, that is was a reasonable Lynne effort though not up with his best work.

  72. Kevin Densley says

    Thanks for all this Emmylou material , Rick. I particularly enjoy your expansive responses – like this one – because I know they will always be quality stuff.

    I’m getting so many ideas for new Almanac music articles that I need to catch my breath!

  73. Across 110th Street. Bobby Womack. A pearler. (I think on the Jackie Brown soundtrack. That film also a pearler. Ahh… Pam Grier.)

  74. Kevin Densley says

    Thanks, Anson. Some good funk and soul in ‘Across 110th Street’ by Bobby Womack, which originally saw the light of day as part of 1973 film of the same name. Oh yes, I agree regarding Pam Grier… thinking about her makes me think of Raquel Welch, though Grier certainly had the more striking and better quality film career.

    You also caused me to remember a Billy Joel number, the jazzy ’52nd Street’, released in late 1978, as part of the album of that name.

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