Music of an Artist That Makes You Think of Certain Places

[adventurernumber1]

Similar to the "Songs that make you think of certain places" thread, this one is about an artist's music in general.

All my life, when going on vacations and driving long (or moderate-length) distances, my parents have played music in the car from CDs of various artists (mostly older music from a few decades ago), and I listen to a lot of that music today still. Some of the artists' music has been stuck in my head as being related with a certain trip (or section of a trip) in the past. And not just that, but some artists' music just makes me think of a certain place or collection of roads regardless. Here's some examples of that:

(btw, of course, bands count too)

Blondie - in my head, Blondie's music is most strongly tied with the roads in southern South Carolina, and the entire stretch of Interstate 16 (since it was played many times in the past on beach trips to Hilton Head Island, SC)

Elton John - in my head, Elton John's music is most strongly tied with Interstate 75 in Florida from the GA/FL line to the FL Turnpike interchange, as well as the FL Turnpike from that interchange to the Orlando area (since it was played many times in the past on trips to Disney World in Orlando, FL) - also, in my head, Elton John's music is also strongly tied with US 76 from Chatsworth, GA to Blairsville, GA for no apparent reason

Glen Campbell - in my head, Glen Campbell's music is most strongly tied with GA 53 from Calhoun to Rome, and roads in the Rome area (since it was played many times in the past on trips visiting family in Rome, GA)

Jimmy Buffett - in my head, Jimmy Buffett's music is most strongly tied with Interstate 75 from Atlanta to the FL line, and it is also tied with (as well as Blondie's music) Interstate 16 (since it was played many times in the past on trips both to Hilton Head and Orlando)

John Denver - in my head, John Denver's music is most strongly tied with Interstate 81 in Tennessee, Interstate 81 & Interstate 77 in Virginia, and I-77, I-64, & US 219 in West Virginia, as well as Interstate 70 in Colorado from Denver to the ski resorts west of it in the mountains (since it was played many times in the past on trips on skiing vacations in the winter, and some of John Denver's music talks about those areas)

James Taylor - in my head, James Taylor's music is most strongly tied with Interstate 75 in TN, & a lot of the roads in southeastern Tennessee (including roads in the Chattanooga and Cleveland areas), and a lot of the roads in southwestern North Carolina (including roads in the Asheville area), and it is tied with it for no apparent reason except for the possible reason that it is tied with some roads in NC because of James Taylor's famous song "Carolina in my Mind"

U2 - in my head, U2's music is most strongly tied with Interstate 95 from the Savannah, GA area to Jacksonville, FL (for no apparent reason), and it is tied with most of the interstates in the Atlanta Metro Area, especially the northern part of the Interstate 285 beltway (also for no apparent reason)

Eric Clapton - in my head, Eric Clapton's music is most strongly tied with Interstate 75 from Calhoun, GA to Kennesaw, GA (in the northwestern part of Metro Atlanta) - this is also for no apparent reason

Sheryl Crow - in my head, Sheryl Crow's music is most strongly tied with Interstate 40 in the Knoxville, Tennessee area, and most of US 441 in Tennessee (especially in Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, & Gatlinburg) - this is most likely because the music has been played many times in the past on trips to Gatlinburg, Tennessee

George Strait - in my head, George Strait's music is most strongly tied with most of Interstate 24 in Kentucky, and most of Interstate 24 in Tennessee - this is for no apparent reason

Alan Jackson - in my head, Alan Jackson's music is most strongly tied with Interstate 59 in GA, & I-59 in AL from the GA line to Birmingham - this is for no apparent reason

KC & The Sunshine Band - in my head, the 70s band's music is most strongly tied with all of US 11/US 64 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, as well as TN 153 in Chattanooga - this is for no apparent reason (except for maybe the fact that in the past the music was played a lot on days when hanging in Chattanooga for the day)

- those are the main ones for me.

[Takumi]

Mefjus (an Austrian drum & bass artist whose music is not for the uninitiated) makes me think of the Virginia Beach oceanfront and US 60 corridor, because I was listening to his album for the first time while driving through it.

I never did finish my blog post from that trip...

[Thing 342]

I-95 between I-40 and I-20 makes me think of Jimmy Buffett, due to the fact that it was part of the route to many beach trips.

I-64 between I-81 and I-77 makes me think of Elliot Smith for some reason. Not really sure why.

[1995hoo]

I don't normally listen to his music, but when I hear Dave Matthews I'm transported to Charlottesville. He's from Charlottesville, of course, and the University of Virginia is located there. The first time I heard him play (solo, without the band) was in college at my first-year class welcome picnic. There was some skinny guy playing an acoustic guitar and singing in a whiny voice. We all asked who this turkey was and they said he was a local musician named Dave Matthews who was hoping to make it big in the next few years. We all sort of smiled tolerantly because we figured with his voice, he'd never make it! Guess we know how that turned out..... He was a fixture in the local music scene through my years of college and he made it big right before I graduated. I did see the band kick off their first major tour at the UVA Amphitheatre. Can't say I thought the music was that much better then, either, but it wasn't yet monotonous from being overplayed on "Lite Rock" or "Mix" radio stations.

[jeffandnicole]

Springsteen, Billy Joel & Bon Jovi all reference places in the NJ/PA/NY area.

[geocachingpirate]

Sorry for resurrecting the thread, but I think it is a fine place to post this. Well if you got rid of "Music of an" in the title.  Members of a 70's experimental Canterbury scene group were inspired by a road sign outside of London, that said "A1 Hatfield & the North', and called the band Hatfield and the North.  Because of course, nobody lives north of Hatfield, so lets just called it "The North"!   An example of such a sign as been replaced with The NORTH, Hatfield.

[Scott5114]

The first time I heard "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" I was on a school bus going through a really strong thunderstorm on OK-51. Ever since then it's always reminded me of that experience.

[spooky]

"Life Is A Highway" by Tom Cochran makes me think of driving over the Bourne Bridge with the windows down and the music up, from a trip many years ago, probably when the song was current.

[mrsman]

It is only fitting to play Springsteen, Billy Joel, or Sinatra while driving in NY.

And if you're in So Cal, you have to play a Beach Boys song.

And in Chicago, well play Chicago.

Generally, it helps to really appreciate the rhythm of a place, particularly as a tourist, if you tune in to the right type of music that fits the locale.

[roadman]

Carole King's "It's Too Late" always reminds me of an afternoon in late 1983 when I was taking the train back to Boston after visiting my sister, who was living in DC at the time.  Specifically, the line "But I'm glad for what we had  And how I once loved you" was playing at the exact moment we were passing by the long-shuttered (even at that time) signal tower at Burr Road in preparation for our stop in Bridgeport.

For the record (no pun intended),  I've been both a huge Carole King fan and a student of the New Haven Railroad (as the profile piece that was once written about me in the employee newsletter described it) for most of my life.

[jp the roadgeek]

Anywhere in Jersey brings out the Springsteen.  Long Island brings out Billy Joel or even Harry Chapin.  The monotony of I-684 evokes a long Grateful Dead jam from the early 70's.  Driving I-95 out through Mystic toward RI, I get the song Cars by Gary Numan stuck in my head.  Must be a memory of hearing it a bunch of times as a young kid going to Misquamicut. Another one is We Are the World while driving the stretch of the Mass Pike eastbound through Newton.  Guess the repetitive nature of the refrain blends in with the long ride paralleling the T tracks. Couple from South FL: Material Girl by Madonna coming off FL 826 onto US 1 south, and Kyrie by Mr. Mister for the long stretch of US 1 South between Florida City and Key Largo.   

[Desert Man]

"Get your kicks...on route 66" is one listing places along the fabled main street of America. I always think of Tulsa where my maternal family lives, right on US 66. I don't believe the song mentions Tulsa, but "don't forget Winona", a small town in Arizona between Flagstaff and the Colorado River. Also in my mind is San Bernardino, a So CA city on the 66 and also where the 99 goes through, then it heads to my hometown Indio CA, all the way down to Mexico.

[hm insulators]

In the 1970s and '80s, there was a Deep Purple spinoff group called Rainbow, which originally had Ronnie James Dio as vocalist, although by the time the following event happened, Rainbow had a new singer:

In 1982, I was living on the south shore of Kauai, and that year, played drums in a band called Ariel. One night after either rehearsal or a performance, I was driving east past the hotels and resorts in Poipu and perhaps five minutes from home. The car radio was playing a Rainbow song called "Stone Cold" (which many have mistaken for a Foreigner tune). In the sky, the planet Jupiter and some stars shone through the windshield. Suddenly, a brilliant meteor ("shooting star") shot down the eastern sky. It actually passed right in front of Jupiter and was a lot brighter than the planet! Even now, ever since I hear that song, it takes me back to that moment.

[english si]

Sorry for resurrecting the thread, but I think it is a fine place to post this. Well if you got rid of "Music of an" in the title.  Members of a 70's experimental Canterbury scene group were inspired by a road sign outside of London, that said "A1 Hatfield & the North', and called the band Hatfield and the North.  Because of course, nobody lives north of Hatfield, so lets just called it "The North"!   An example of such a sign as been replaced with The NORTH, Hatfield.

A new sign (post-2012) will say "The NORTH, Stevenage", because apparently there's nothing for 20 miles between Mill Hill and Stevenage.

The NORTH is a shorthand for all the places. Should it say Peterborough, Doncaster, York, Newcastle, Edinburgh - and those are just the larger cities pretty much on the direct route, let alone most of the east coast that is reached via the A1!

[TravelingBethelite]

Blondie (specifically Heart of Glass) reminds me of driving down I-70 in Indiana (at night). Sea shanties gives me vibes of old trips to Rhode Island, when we usually stopped at Mystic Seaport, where we got the CD. I-44 west in Missouri (especially near Springfield) brings back memories of my Dad playing Moody Blues at dawn...aah. 

[bulldog1979]

When I was in college, it seemed oddly coincidental that WYBR-FM always seemed to play the Wallflowers "One Headlight" whenever I was on the same section of US 131 south of Reed City. After I was living in the Grand Rapids area, I even took to playing that song in the car on trips to and from the northern part of the state in homage to that college-era phenomenon.

I've had the reverse phenomenon, where a certain place makes me think of a certain song. "Candle In The Wind (1997)" comes to mind once in a while on a certain section of I-75 near Indian River and Wolverine because I was listening to that song there on the way back to campus from a weekend trip to my grandma's the weekend of Diana's funeral.

[DandyDan]

When I was in college, it seemed oddly coincidental that WYBR-FM always seemed to play the Wallflowers "One Headlight" whenever I was on the same section of US 131 south of Reed City. After I was living in the Grand Rapids area, I even took to playing that song in the car on trips to and from the northern part of the state in homage to that college-era phenomenon.

That song reminds me of one of my life imitating art moment.  I was driving south on 48th Street in Bellevue, Nebraska on the way home from my first Omaha area job.  "One Headlight", which was a current song then, was playing on my car radio, and right when it started playing, the one headlight went out in my car.  It was bizarre.  Not nearly as bizarre as "Alive" by Pearl Jam being the next song on the radio after I rolled my old Chevy Cavalier, which is weird enough.

[Henry]

It is only fitting to play Springsteen, Billy Joel, or Sinatra while driving in NY.

And if you're in So Cal, you have to play a Beach Boys song.

And in Chicago, well play Chicago.

Generally, it helps to really appreciate the rhythm of a place, particularly as a tourist, if you tune in to the right type of music that fits the locale.

Yes, and while we're on locations...

Seattle has Jimi Hendrix, Kenny G and the famous grunge bands (Rage Against the Machine, Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, etc.)

In Orlando, you have the teen-pop acts from the late 90s (Backstreet Boys, 'N Sync, Britney Spears)

If you go to Atlanta, you'll most likely have all the R&B/hip-hop acts on your playlist (ranging from Gladys Knight & the Pips to OutKast)

And in Nashville, be sure to have the endless supply of country artists on hand (Hank Williams, Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Trisha Yearwood, Shania Twain, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, old Taylor Swift, and the like)

The list goes on and on

[Takumi]

Seattle has...the famous grunge bands (Rage Against the Machine...Red Hot Chili Peppers)

Neither of which are grunge, nor from Seattle. They're both from Los Angeles.

[Pete from Boston]

I used to drive further more willingly on shorter notice.  I had a string of low-mileage cars simultaneously with a string of low-commitment jobs, and was able to do things like drive to Raleigh to see a couple of bands I'd missed the preceding week closer to home.

So when I hear Sonic Youth's album Sister, I think of a sweltering day stuck in traffic on 95 somewhere outside Richmond, trying to ask the rest area guide (in a cold-and-cigarettes laryngitic half-silent voice) how hard it is to detour to see the grave of Stonewall Jackson's arm.

[D-Dey65]

During my June 2016 NYC Vacation, I spent one of my days there driving upstate. While in the Bronx, I drove up the Hutchinson River Parkway,  ran my camera on video mode, and played "Animals and Insects," and the "Still in Love Song," by The Stills on my iPod, right up to the New England Thruway. I've been associating those songs with the Hutch ever since.

[ET21]

The Alan Parsons Project is always a must for me going on long drives, particularly on either I-88 or US-30 west of Aurora Illinois.

I also comprised a list of mellow songs for late night or early morning drives around the area

[sparker]

Whenever I was crossing the Great Plains -- particularly Kansas or Nebraska -- I always put a series of Pat Metheny tapes/discs into the player; his stuff, more than anyone else's, IMHO, evokes both the endless nature and the intrinsic grandeur of that region.  Traveling along one of my favorite routes, NE 2 across Nebraska (please ignore the obvious forum inside joke re that route!) alongside the BNSF main line, has always been particularly poignant when accompanied by Metheny. 

Not surprising, that Kansas City native had a composition (with his cohort Lyle Mays) titled "Across The Heartland" that always found a place in my Midwest-travel playlist.