Lucky lane

Went for a walk on Friday down Lucky Lane (a trip into another world :) ) so I thought for this Sunday's post i'd write about some of my favourite "road songs"....

Sullivan Street - Counting Crows

Take the way home that leads back to sullivan street
Where Im just another rider burned to the ground

I have always loved this song, ever since I heard August and Everything After. I love the version on the Across a Wire CD. For me, it's a great "homesick" song.



Thunder Road - Bruce Springsteen

Its a town full of losers
And Im pulling out of here to win.

Nick Hornby wrote about Thunder Road in the opening chapter to his novel 31 Songs (the book I wish I had written, and in more than one way an inspiration for this blog). He decribed how it made him feel, especially the last line (italicised above), like there was something better out there for him, something to look forward to. It's a great song, with some killer lyrics, one I definitely try and listen to at least once a month for a little inspiration.



Long Road - Pearl Jam

And the wind keeps rollin
And the sky keeps turning grey
And the sun is set
The will rise another day

One of my favourite Pearl Jam songs, from the classic Merkinball disc of the late 90's. I read a great story about Long Road the other day, maybe on the Red Mosquito forum, i'm not sure. But it described how the song was written, and how Eddie came up with the music immediately after he had heard that a friends family member had passed away. Apparently Ed went into the sound booth and just started hammering away on the open D-chord that rings out at the start of the song. The other guys (including Neil Young) joined in soon after and that's how the song came about.

The original version (in the clip below from a Bridge School concert) was sung with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the brillaint Indian musician, but I prefer the live Pearl Jam versions - especially Perth 2003 and Wembley 2006, as I was there singing along. The clip below is Eddie at his best though, feeding off another artist, taking a song to a whole new level.



Street Spirit - Radiohead

Rows of houses all bearing down on me
I can feel their blue hands touching me
All these things in all positions
All these things will one day take control
And fade out again and fade out

It's Radiohead, it's from The Bends, what more do I need to say? Brilliant band, brilliant album, brilliant song. When I was living in London this song felt really right, with the endless rows of houses down every street, I really felt the song when I was there. Whenever I hear the first lyric it'll always take me back there - which is why I love it I think.