By Courtney L Woods
Spring Break Mixed Tape you gotta have
Courtney L. Woods
Staff Writer
Music makes for the soundtrack of our lives. Most of us can remember a particular time or place just by hearing a song that played in the background of the moment. So what better time to make memories than on a Spring Break road trip?
There are many ways to go about making the ultimate personalized mixed tape (or CD if you have the technology). You can mix according to what location you are travelling. For example-if going to a beach, there is any given Beach Boys song, reggae, or 80’s new wave like Duran Duran’s “Rio.” Basically any song or album that says “sun and fun” will work perfectly. Or if you’re going to Memphis, try “Burning Love” by Elvis Presley or music from other Sun Studio recording artists like Johnny Cash or Jerry Lee Lewis.
Clubs, dancing and staying out until the sun comes up accentuates spring break. Getting ready to hit the party scene should be easy with a healthy dose of old school hip-hop or techno. Or if you want upbeat and rowdy-try some classic punk like The Clash’s “Should I Stay or Should I Go,” “Sheena is a Punk Rocker” by the Ramones or “Search and Destroy” by Iggy Pop. All of these tunes have a great track record for getting the adrenaline going.
There are some songs, however, that make for the ultimate traveling music. They sum up the traveling experience and etch the moments into memory forever. Amongst these songs is Led Zeppelin’s “Ramble On;” John Bonham’s drums are reminiscent of padding footsteps travelling for miles on end. Also AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” seems very appropriate for road trips especially when Bon Scott sings “and all my friends are gonna be there too.”
If traveling from the mid to southwest Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire” seems to be an effective choice and Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)” is all one needs to become a road warrior-the intro alone is so incendiary it boils the blood just to think of it. For good time music try Billy Idol’s “Dancing With Myself,” “Bob Marley’s “Jammin'” or “Three Little Birds,” and David Bowie’s “Suffragette City”-which at it’s emotional apex screams “Wham, Bam, Thank You Mam!”
There is one song in particular that should not be missing from any road trip. In “Where the Streets Have No Name,” U2 defines what all adventure should be about, right down to the anticipation and sheer need for leaving. Bono, the single most charismatic lead singer in current times, sings “I want to run/I want to hide/I want to tear down the walls that hold me inside/ I want to reach out/ and touch the flame/Where the street shave no name.” All of this being said while the guitar soars and the bass and drums bring the listeners to the urge of running themselves.
Isn’t that what Spring Break is about? Sowing wild oats and getting away from the oftentimes-bland existence of being a college kid? With this music you are almost guaranteed to make lasting memories; and if you don’t care for any listed above-just pick your favorite music that can really help you relax and let go for an entire week. Happy listening!
