Well the time for the two week holiday is almost here and one of my favourite parts is the drive down. I enjoy driving in general but the drive through France has a very special thing for me that is difficult to explain (unless you want to listen for an hour to my ramblings).
Iāve always enjoyed it and the drive seems to be a fundamental part of the transition from āwork-modeā to āholiday-modeā. The driving has elements of challenge and purpose. If itās in day time I can feel the holiday spirit coming into me as I pass the milestone familiar sights and the shape of my face visibly changes as the Ks tick by. Recent years have seen a move in our longer holiday to coincide with the āBlack Saturday weeksā and so a Friday afternoon tunnel and drive into the night / early hours has been a new pleasure (sitting on our terrace with āhot from the ovenā croissants from local bakery and a strong coffee at 3am on a pitch black night with an infinite number of stars is just too good to be true ā these will be āforeverā memories).
Anyway, to the matter in hand where I need some help. I make this drive alone and enjoy music played loudly. Iāve moved from The Stranglers, Singles (particularly their cover of Walk On By) but possibly only because itās in the loft. The last few years I have done the entire journey listening to the first disc from Bastille, All This Bad Blood, played on a loop but maybe this time I could do with a change.
Iām considering anything by Alabama Shakes and may even take the new Harry Stiles disc (canāt believe Iām considering an album from a 1D member but hey, I like it).
BUT, the question is, what are your favourites or suggestions for music to drive through France?
My staple diet for driving is either 50s rockānāroll or French pop (Polno, Sardou et al, or tune in to Nostalgie when the radio picks it up).
But at the moment Iām varying it by revisiting in particular Red Hot Chili Peppers / Californication and
Beautiful South / Blue is the Colour.
Nostalgie, so bad itās good: plus Wagner Bach Handel Pachelbel Buxtehude Schubert Mozart Beethoven Saint SaĆ«ns Mussorgsky Prokofiev Rameau and Grieg (so mainly but not only German composers ) and sometimes Scarlatti Allegri and Monteverdi (madrigals rather than masses) to even things up a bit.
Mmmā¦ we rarely have music on when we are drivingā¦ but if we get stuck somewhere, we have favourite discs at the readyā¦ The Three Tenors, Il Divo, Russell Watson or Lesley Garrettā¦for startersā¦
When I used to do the school runā¦ we sang along to āOh what a beautiful morningā ā¦ from Oklahomaā¦and the sun did seem to be always shining in those distant days.
Iām really getting into TwentyOne Pilots ā¦ very original. Thereās a little bit of rap (which I normally donāt like, but it fits in well) and always a strong melody. Try āHeavyDirtySoulā or āStressed Outā. Another favourite is Lynyrd Skynrd āFree Birdā where it is obligatory for the front seat passenger in our car to āair guitarā the solo ā¦
ā¦ but music has been supplanted by the audiobook. The hours on the autoroute just fly by with a good story. You can buy on CD or Download to iphone or iPod.
We have fake audio books in the car, ie one of my daughters will read a book out loud, replacing the names of characters with those of people we know, doing the voices and possibly on occasion altering the original text for comedy value. Worked brilliantly with Game of Thrones though Iām not sure George RRMartin would have appreciated itā¦
Your kids are better passengers than I have ever beenā¦ I get car-sick if I try to read while going alongā¦ so, if we are doing long trips I print out the directions/information in very large type and a quick glance is all I needā¦ phewā¦ and thatās enoughā¦
On the other handā¦ I think what your daughters are doing is really greatā¦so many parents fob their kids off with electric gadgetryā¦ or thumb-machines as they are called in our villageā¦
Please avoid the Farandole from Bizetās LāArlesienne Suite no 2.
Many moons ago it came on my radio when I was driving on the M6 on the hill past Lancaster University. It had such an an amazing effect upon my right foot that I suddenly found myself doing 100 mph!
Highway star, Deep Purple
Born to run, Bruce Springsteen
Kashmir, Led Zep
Sweet home Alabama, Lynyrd Skynyrd
Supersonic, Oasis
Radar Love, Golden earring
Here I go again, Whitesnake
Riders on the storm, Doors
Andā¦
Comfortably number, Pink floyd
And repeatā¦
Be there in no time!
Hi All,
Many thanks for all of your suggestions ā very much appreciated.
Iāve just got a gadget to broadcast radio from my old fashioned iPod into the old fashioned car radio so we now have over 10,500 tracks to choose from ļ
On the down side I donāt have all of your suggestions in my library.
On the plus side, many of them are there, so thanks again,
Ray
PS a new thread http://www.survivefrance.com/t/what-are-your-choices-for-best-ten-albums-of-all-time/17083
and one of my favourite parts is the drive down. I enjoy driving in general but the drive through France has a very special thing for me that is difficult to explain (unless you want to listen for an hour to my ramblings).
) and sometimes Scarlatti Allegri and Monteverdi (madrigals rather than masses) to even things up a bit.
