This is a bit left field, but what in my blog isn’t? I need to develop a 55-60 song playlist for the trip. The goal is that every day’s song somehow perfectly captures the vibe for that day — it could be a play off of the location, the weather, the sentiment, I don’t know. What I need is your best ideas; my plan is to have a short vote with my bike group every night and then build the “perfect playlist” that we can use to remember each day of the ride.
For example, For Day -3 (the day I travel) I have two songs in mind. One is Led Zeppelin’s “Going to California” and the other is Joni Mitchell California (from Blue). I had one of those creepy “is Spotify reading my email?” moments when the first song that came up on a Spotify radio station I started listening to (Classic Acoustic) was the Led Zeppelin song, which I don’t think I have ever heard before. But when I read the lyrics, the Joni Mitchell song may be more appropriate. Or is there a better one? Hotel California seems like a good song for Day 2 or Day 3, but not Day -3.
For example, what is the perfect song for the first day we ride? What is the perfect song for a long day where it rains the full day?
The playlist will be on Spotify under X-America 2018 by CharlieO. Remember one of my goals is to become more digital — my first Spotify Playlist! Now I have to figure out Instagram.
Send me your best ideas (just use the comment or email). Truckin (Grateful Dead); Leaving Las Vegas (Sheryl Crow), Massachusetts (the Bee Gees); Hotel California (Eagles). I will post the previous day’s selection each day. I can imagine 10 years from now getting on my indoor cycle, putting on my headphones, and riding across America again.
California
by Joni Mitchell
Sitting in a park in Paris France
Reading the news and it sure looks bad
They won’t give peace a chance
That was just a dream some of us had
Still a lot of lands to see
But I wouldn’t want to stay here
It’s too old and cold and settled in its ways here
Oh but California
California I’m coming home
I’m going to see the folks I dig
I’ll even kiss a Sunset pig
California I’m coming home
I met a redneck on a Grecian isle
Who did the goat dance very well
He gave me back my smile
But he kept my camera to sell
Oh the rogue the red red rogue
He cooked good omelettes and stews
And I might have stayed on with him there
But my heart cried out for you California
Oh California I’m coming home
Oh make me feel good rock ‘n’ roll band
I’m your biggest fan
California I’m coming home
Oh it gets so lonely
When you’re walking
And the streets are full of strangers
All the news of home you read
Just gives you the blues
Just gives you the blues
So I bought me a ticket
I caught a plane to Spain
Went to a party down a red dirt road
There were lots of pretty people there
Reading Rolling Stone reading Vogue
They said “How long can you hang around?”
I said a week maybe two
Just until my skin turns brown
Then I’m going home to California
California I’m coming home
Oh will you take me as I am
Strung out on another man
California I’m coming home
Oh it gets so lonely
When you’re walking
And the streets are full of strangers
All the news of home you read
More about the war
And the bloody changes
Oh will you take me as I am?
Will you take me as I am?
Will you?
© 1970; Joni Mitchell
From <http://jonimitchell.com/music/song.cfm?id=86>
Charlie's X-America Tour 
Hi Charlie
Here’s a few ideas.
Bachman Turner Overdrive – Roll On Down The Highway
ACDC – Ride On!
Mike Oldfield – Tubular Bells
The Doors – Riders On The Storm
ACDC – Highway to Hell!
Regards
George
From: Charlie’s X-America Tour Reply-To: Charlie’s X-America Tour Date: Wednesday, 23 May 2018 at 9:47 AM To: George Laing Subject: [New post] Day -10: The X-America Playlist
charliesxamericatour posted: “This is a bit left field, but what in my blog isn’t? I need to develop a 55-60 song playlist for the trip. The goal is that every day’s song somehow perfectly captures the vibe for that day — it could be a play off of the location, the weather, the s”
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Perfect! Just what I was looking for. Some great ideas here.
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Hi Charlie,
A quick search, how about these.
“America” Simon and Garfunkel “The Star Spangled Banner” by Jimi Hendrix“Living in America” by James Brown“God Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood“Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver“The Ghost of Tom Joad” by Bruce Springsteen“Party in the U.S.A.” by Miley Cyrus
Madonna – ‘American Life’
Steve Miller Band – ‘Living in the U.S.A.’
‘Green Day – ‘American Idiot’
Lynyrd Skynyrd – ‘Red White and Blue’
Johnny Cash – ‘I’ve Been Everywhere’
Toby Keith – ‘American Soldier’
Neil Diamond – ‘America’
John Mellencamp – ‘Pink Houses’
Chuck Berry – ‘Back in the U.S.A.’
Neil Young – ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’
Alan Jackson – ‘Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)’
Woody Guthrie – ‘This Land is Your Land’
Ray Charles – ‘America the Beautiful’
*From:* Charlie’s X-America Tour [mailto:comment-reply@wordpress.com] *Sent:* Wednesday, 23 May 2018 9:47 AM *To:* dave.shepherd@uwcseafoundation.edu.sg *Subject:* [New post] Day -10: The X-America Playlist
charliesxamericatour posted: “This is a bit left field, but what in my blog isn’t? I need to develop a 55-60 song playlist for the trip. The goal is that every day’s song somehow perfectly captures the vibe for that day
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This is a great list. I can already hear John “Cougar” Mellencamp on my way to Indianapolis.
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Charlie, I’ve one more
Queen – Bicycle Race!
Regards
George
>
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George great suggestion — and now Day 0 song!
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Ohio by the Pretenders, Wichita Lineman Glen Campbell, Ohio by CSNY, something by the Osmonds for Utah
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Hi Charlie, Jenny pointed me to this blog of yours. All the best for your ride! And for music, maybe something from this? This was one of my favorite movie soundtracks in the last few months: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_Driver_(soundtrack)
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REALLY?!? Do you need a 55yr old from the Heartland to keep you hip? If your goal is to catch up to the present, become more digital, embrace Spotify & Instagram, then it seems you should pick some songs from the last decade. At least get some songs that have been written since Al Gore invented the internet!
You missed the most obvious of all! Tupac Shakur’s (RIP) Calfornia Love
Here’s the youtube video with 235 MILLION views: https://youtu.be/5wBTdfAkqGU
I can see I’ve got some work to do with your playlist
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