Ian Morgan Cron

Help Me With Playlist Suggestions for Our 950 Mile Trek to Franklin, TN

This weekend I am moving my family from Greenwich, CT to Franklin, TN. I want friends (you) to help me create a new, customized playlist for the 950-mile trip by suggesting songs, symphonies, choral pieces, soundtracks, or whatever, for us to listen to en route. If you recommend it, and I don’t already have it in my Ipod, I will buy and download it.

Let me frame it this way: Try to come up with a song you couldn’t live without on a two-day car trip. I will send a free copy of my book to the person who submits a song that ends up either 1) making me cry or 2) inspires me to get out of my car and dance on I-81 with my Portuguese Water Dog, Hobbes.

I went through my Ipod and came up with this list to get us started.

When My Morning Comes Around—Iris Dement

Thank you (falettin me be mice elf)—Sly and the Family Stone

Show the Way—David Wilcox

The Ballad of Mary Magdalen-Cry, Cry, Cry

Arvo Part-Te Deum

God Only Knows—The Beach Boys (Don’t laugh, this song is to pop music what The Odyssey is to western literature)

Pacing the Cage-Bruce Cockburn

Why I Am-Dave Matthews

Midnight Train to Georgia—Gladys Knight and the Pips

Gabriel and the Vagabond-Foy Vance

Child of the Wild Blue Yonder—John Hyatt

Soundtracks to Saving Private Ryan-John Williams

Some Kind of Wonderful-Joss Stone

Nine in the Afternoon-Panic at the Disco

Tony-Patty Griffin

Musicology-Prince

Sign O’ the Times-Prince

A Few Words in Defense of Our Country- Randy Newman

My Love Will Follow You-Richard Shindell

Although It Is The Night-Rob Mathes

Showdown at Big Sky-Robbie Robertson

Tumbling Dice—Rolling Stones

Staralfur—Sigur Ros

Glosoli-Sigur Ros

Valley of Tears—Solomon Burke

Voodoo Child (Live at Montreux)-Stevie Ray Vaughan

Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own-U2

Yahweh-U2

Agnus Dei—Rufus Wainwright

October-Eric Whitacre

Start Me up—The Stones (Predictable, but great at 6am)

An Ending-Brian Eno

The High Road—Broken Bells

Lying in the Hands of God-Dave Matthews

No More I Love You’s-Annie Lennox

Hurt-Johnny Cash

Charlie Darwin-The Low Anthem

39 Responses to “Help Me With Playlist Suggestions for Our 950 Mile Trek to Franklin, TN”

  1. garyyonek

    Love of the Common Man – Todd Rundgren

  2. Lauren

    Though there are a long list of songs I couldn’t live without on a two day road trip I’ll give you my current obsession:

    1901 – Phoenix

    Actually, I couldn’t live without the entire Wolfgang Amadeus album. Just sayin’.

    Look forward to meeting you and the rest of your family when you arrive! Welcome to campus!

  3. Six Days on the Road – Dave Dudley
    Running Down a Dream – Tom Petty
    Into the Great Wide Open – Tom Petty
    Time Has Come Today – Chambers Brothers
    Couldn’t Get It Right – Climax Blues Band
    East Bound and Down – Jerry Reed (every third song or so)
    Convoy – C.W. McCall
    I Want You Back – Jackson 5
    Are You Ready For the Country – Neil Young
    Get Rhythm – NRBQ (or go with the original by Johnny Cash)

    That should get you through lunch, I would think…

  4. oh, and some Sam Cooke. no road trip is complete w/o some Sam Cooke.

    Chris Rea – Auberge
    Brothers Johnson – Strawberry Letter 23
    Crowded House – Pour Le Monde
    Buddy and Julie Miller – Gasoline and Matches
    The Heavy – How You Like Me Now?

    (hey, this is my superpower. mixtapes/CD’s/playlists

  5. Melissa Greene

    Ian – Randy E and Patsy C have both told me so much about you. I look forward to being able to meet you now that you are moving to Franklin!

    3 songs you need – :)

    Jesus and John – Lisa Gungor
    Only a Man – Jonny Lang
    Turn Around – Jonny Lang

    I have your book on my night stand. It is next in line to read right after Sex, Lies, and Religion :)

  6. The Cello Suites by Yo Yo Ma
    Restelss by Audrey Assad
    Pontiac album by Lyle Lovett

  7. Tonda

    Didn’t know you were headed this way. Terrific! Love it here…

    God Forbid (point of grace)
    God of Justice (tim hughes)
    Chicken Fried (zac brown band) – welcome to the south!

  8. Gordon Weir

    Firstly, great idea!

    Secondly, I lovd the book. Read it 2/3 years ago and found it a really rewarding read.

    I was instinctively goingto put U2 ‘Running to Stand Still’ (my favourite song) but I see you already have some U2 so I thought I’d choose some standouts from my Ipod for you to peruse.

    Happy travelling (and listening).

    ‘Broken Things’ – Juliet Turner (I defy you not to cry)
    ‘I Will Worship You’ – Matthew Ward (what a voice)
    ‘I Could Be Happy’ – Altered Images (classic 80s pop)
    ‘I Only Have Eyes for You’ – Art Garfunkel
    ‘Country House’ – Blur
    ‘All My Trials’ – Cerys Matthews
    ‘Personal Jesus’ – Johnny Cash
    ‘Talking With My Father’ – Dougie MacLean
    ‘Allison’ – Elvis Costello
    ‘Pokarekare Ana’ – Hayley Westenra
    ‘Build’ – The Housemartins
    ‘No Rope As Long As Time’ – Latin Quarter
    ‘Soap, Soup and Salvation’ – Lone Justice
    ‘Don’t Turn Out Like Your Mother’ – The Proclaimers
    ‘The Blessing’ – Sammy Horner
    ‘That’s Not My Name’ – The Ting Tings

  9. Shawn Kuhn

    Freebird

    Third of the way through the book. Loving it. Great writing style. Laughed out several times on the plane. Giving Karen her copy today. Should be stocking it in our lancaster store by now, I’ll check with the manager this week.

  10. Stephen Burks

    “awake my soul” Mumford & Sons

  11. Stephen Burks

    If you’re in Cleveland at meal time, let me know!

  12. Janice Szarko

    Something in the Way She Moves – James Taylor

  13. ‘My Deliverer’ – Rich Mullins & the Ragamuffin Band, The Jesus Record (both song versions from discs 1 & 2). It has pulled tears more than once – especially the full band version of the track.

  14. Can’t wait for you to get here!!

    Off the Top of My Head:
    Here are some of my favorites:
    Tear inducing:
    Vista – by David Wilcox
    Everywhere – by David Wilcox
    Hold it Up to the Light – David Wilcox
    (I just love anything by David Wilcox)
    Albertine – by Brooke Fraser

    Classic Rock for the Road:
    Let it Ride – by Bachman-Turner Overdrive
    Free Ride – The Edgar Winter Group
    Don’t Fear the Reaper – Blue Öyster Cult
    Danger Zone – Kenny Loggins
    Ramblin’ Man – The Allman Brothers
    I Feel the Earth Move – Carole King
    I’m Your Captain/Closer to Home – Grand Funk Railroad
    Born to Be Wild – Steppenwolf

    Misc:
    Tennessee – Mindy Smith – A MUST ADD!
    For the Widows in Paradise – Sufjan Stevens
    Heart of Gold – Neil Young
    Old Man – Neil Young
    Stay – Alison Krauss
    Forget About It – Alison Krauss
    The Valley Road – Bruce Hornsby
    Who Wouldn’t Want to Be Me – Keith Urban
    Live to Love Another Day – Keith Urban
    What About Me – Keith Urban
    Great Adventure – Steven Curtis Chapman
    Only Natural – Steven Curtis Chapman
    Let’s Get Loud – Jennifer Lopez – plain fun
    Unforgettable – Natalie Cole (great sing along)

    Artsts/Albums:
    Carole King – Tapestry
    Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – So Far
    James Taylor – Live
    A Knight’s Tale – Soundtrack – love it!
    Nickel Creek

    Back-Porch-Chilin’-Type Music:
    Anything by the Wailin’ Jenny’s – my favorite (try One Voice & Glory Bound)
    Anything by the Weepies (try Hideaway & Happiness)

    Instrumental Soundtrack:
    Bobby Jones Stroke of Genius
    The Horse Whisperer
    Searching for Bobby Fischer

  15. Probably too late for this but maybe for your next seven hour drive, John and Stasi Eldredges new “Love and War” was riviting, funny, deep for 5 of the seven hours to the grandkids. Better the second time with therapist soninlaw on a 9-hoiur trip to a wedding for a client. The wedding vow openner makes for laughter and saddness tears.

  16. Ed

    Papa Dookie and the Mud People by the Sub Dudes.

  17. Gordon Weir

    Be great to see what makes the final playlist…

  18. You’ve already got a great playlist going there. I would echo a lot of the recommendations above as well but here is my go-to album right now:

    Poison & Wine by The Civil Wars.

    I dare you to listen to the title track of the EP “Poison & Wine’ and not be moved.

    Even better, these guys are your soon-to-be neighbors. They’re from Nashville.

    If you like live albums like I do, you can download Live At Eddie’s Attic from their MySpace Page. It’s one of my favorite live albums.

  19. Okay. No Dylan? The following are some unexpected cuts, that may bear you well on a zephyr of transformation (did I overdo the poetry on that?):

    “Blind Willie McTell”
    “Foot of Pride”
    “Dark Eyes”
    “Girl From The North Country”
    “Seven Curses”

    Also- and this is random- there are a couple cuts off of the Neville Bros.’ Yellow Moon album that, I think, are great road music. However, Aaron Neville’s voice is definitely love/hate, typically:

    “Yellow Moon”
    “Voodoo”
    or, to squeeze in some extra Sam Cooke, I love Aaron Neville’s performance of “A Change Is Gonna Come”

    Can’t wait to see you here in Nashville. Safe travels.

  20. garyyonek

    Pretending to care – Rundgren

  21. dear ian, I already have your book … but I would love you to hear Fyfe Dangerfield’s When you walk in the room – it’s my current favourite car music, bright, happy, hopeful and makes the future seem to open up. Who could resist a song that has the line, “I can’t help it if I’m happy, can’t help it if I’m happy not to be sad…”

    check it out: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0031G6WGQ/ref=dm_mu_dp_trk1

  22. Save You – Matthew Perryman Jones
    Beautiful Things – Gungor
    Here Comes The Sun – Yo Yo Ma & James Taylor

    PS – I loved your breakout session at the Willow Arts Conference a couple of years ago.

  23. Wendy Claire Barrie

    I’m pretty sure you need some Bob Marley, though I am delighted to see you have the Beach Boys (I am, after all, a California Girl). I suggest “One Love”.

  24. Sarah

    Travel’n Through – Dolly Paron
    Chasing Pavement – Adele
    Let’s Get it Started – Black Eyed Peas

  25. I have always been fond of Land of My Fathers” for some inspiration and perhaps a road trip!

  26. Sarah

    A few more suggestions…

    Where is the Love? BEPs
    (for when you are making each other crazy – about mile 800)
    People Get Ready – Eva Cassidy or Bob Marley
    Speed of Sound – Cold Play
    When the Stars Go Blue – The Corrs with Bono
    Beat It (Fall Out Boy with John Mayer
    Ring Them Bells – Bob Dylan
    Sweet Dreams – Eurythmics
    New Day – Griffin House
    Blessed to Be A Witness – Ben Harper
    Million Voices – Hotel Rwanda Soundtrack
    Are You Gonna go My Way – Lenny Kravitz
    Whatever Gets You through the Night – Los Lonely Boys
    Extreme Ways – Moby
    Rockstar – Nickelback
    Shine Your Light – Robby Robertson
    Gimme Some Loven’ – Spencer Davis Group
    Born in the USA – Bruce Springsteen
    Beautiful Day – U2
    Days Like This – Van Morrison
    Be Thou My Vision – Van Morrison
    Hand It Over – Keb Mo
    Vivaldi – Madolin Concerto in C RV 425 1. Allegro
    Vivaldi – Concerto in A for Guitar, Violin, Viola & Cello
    Dancing Queesn – Abba
    Knowing Me, Knowing You – Abba
    Hard Days Night – Beatles
    One – Mary J Blige
    Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitude – Jimmy Buffett
    I Feel Lucky – Mary Chapin Carpenter
    Viva La Vida – Coldplay
    Knock’n on Heavens Door – Warren Zevon

    Something from the Gypsy Kings or Buena Vista Social Club – you’ll need some Latin flare.

    Your favorite from The Mission soundtrack.

  27. Nickelback – If today was your last day
    Every Day Woman – Emerson Drive

  28. Terri

    Andrew Peterson’s Counting Stars–the entire album. You won’t be sorry! Have a safe trip!

  29. Anne Thatcher

    Albums:
    Traveling Wilbury’s
    All the Road Running (Emmy Lou Harris and Mark Knopfler)
    Etta James Greatest Hits
    Chill out in Paris- Disc 1

    Songs:
    RESPECT – Aretha Franklin
    South African National Anthem “Nikosi Sikelel’i Afrika”
    Dragonsti Din Tea- O-Zone
    Wind of my soul – Cat Stevens
    The Mountain Song – Vertical Horizon
    Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy- Andrews Sisters
    Daphne- Django Reinhart
    Upside Down- Diana Ross

    Acapella:
    In this Heart: Sinead O-Connor
    Non Nobis Domine – Henry V Soundtrack

    Humor:
    The Young Lutheran’s Guide to the Orchestra: Garrison Keillor
    Chocolate Cake for Breakfast – Bill Cosby
    The Same Thing Happens Every Night – Bill Cosby
    The Elements (Periodic table set to “I am a Modern Major General) – Tom Lehrer

  30. Rick Lyons

    Wow…this is a fun idea. Just a few to add – LA Woman – Doors may be the best highway driving song of all time. You’ll be going about 95 near the end! Need some Steve Earle – I Ain’t Ever Satisfied a good choice (no editorial comment here!), Ashley Cleveland seems to be missing from your list – maybe her live version of Gimme Shelter? B52′s Deadbeat Club another good driving tune (again….no editorial suggstion meant!) plus if you add Love Shack the whole fam will start singing!, The entire The Band Rock of Ages album….you may even take the long way with this one on! Mary Chapin Carpenter Stones in the Road and the new one The Age of MIracles good additions. The Beatles remastered Love album that was done for Cirque du Soleil. And lastly, the entire 2 CD set of Peter Gabriel’s Secret Garden live tour…Well….maybe The Byrds version of My Back Pages as you pull into the driveway…Friend, you’ll be missed…please keep in touch and let’s visit the next time you’re back for a visit. God Bless and Safe Travels, Your Friend in Christ, Rick

  31. Lynn Vander Elst

    Welcome to Franklin!

    Andrew Peterson’s Queen of Iowa and Michael Card’s album, The Hidden Face of God.

    Bonne route!

  32. David Kuo

    Road trip songs?

    Walking in Memphis – Marc Cohn
    Miles Away – Marc Cohn
    Walk on Water – Marc Cohn

    I Wanna Be Your Lover – Prince
    I Would Die 4 U – Prince

    Two Princes – Spin Doctors

    Sir Duke – Stevie Wonder

    Hello Hurricane – Switchfoot
    …maybe whole album

    I’m So Paid – Akon

    Thank U – Alanis

    Stayin Alive – Bee Gees

    Gotta get some Springsteen in there too…

    ok, enough.. have fun.

  33. Life is a Highway by Rascal Flatts

  34. Johnny Cash – The Man Comes Around
    Selah, Jason Crabb & Adam Crabb – Ain’t No Grave
    John Fogerty

  35. Dan Holland

    Jackson Browne – These Days

    God bless you my old friend. My how time flies. And while I haven’t seen you, or spoken with you in many years, your impact on my life (and my heart) is still felt to this day.

    I wish you much love. And grace. Lots of it.

  36. michael

    Henryk Górecki – The Symphony No. 3, Op. 36
    Kristin Vigard – Slave to my emotion
    Red Hot Chili Peppers – Higher Ground
    Mark Heard – Second Hand
    David Sylvian – Let the Happiness In, Ghosts
    Jane Siberry – Hockey

  37. Peter Z

    Surprized “Little T&A” by Keith Richards didn’t make the ride.

  38. U2 – Where the Streets Have No Name

    Welcome to Franklin! t’s a beautiful area to live and work.

  39. A quick glance through my library has mined these tunes out:

    American Hearts – A.A. Bondy
    Belle – Al Green
    Bear – The Antlers
    Ill With Want – The Avett Brothers
    Everlasting Light – The Black Keys
    Lenny Bruce – Bob Dylan
    Anything off of Born in the USA – Bruce Springsteen
    Hang You From The Heavens – The Dead Weather
    Anything off of Either/Or – Elliot Smith
    Oliver James – Fleet Foxes
    Hounds of Love – Kate Bush
    Closer – Kings of Leon
    Drunk Girls – LCD Soundsystem
    Search Me – Mike Crawford and his secret siblings
    Sigh No More – Mumford and Sons
    Cry on Demand – Ryan Adams
    Anywhere I lay my head – Tom Waits
    The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance – Vampire Weekend
    Tupelo Honey – Van Morrison
    I am trying to break your heart – Wilco

    …Too many songs, I need to stop the list here

Leave a Reply