I was thinking about songs that have highway numbers in them (not just songs that contain the word highway in the lyrics). I was wondering how many we could note.
Rule 1: Stated above, not just "highway" so "Life is a Highway" is out.
Rule 2: A named road, highway or route number counts, fictitious or real.
That's about it. I looked to see if there was a thread on this before and couldn't find.
B-52's: "Heading down the Atlanta Highway, looking for a love getaway."
Bob Dylan - Highway 61
Chris
Ramblin' Man - Rollin' down Highway 41 [US 41 in Georgia]
Is Anybody Goin' to San Antone - Here I am walkin' down sixty-six...wish she hadn't done me that way
Most references must be the song Convoy
Born to Run - Sprung from cages on Hwy 9
America (Simon and Garfunkel) - New Jersey Tpk mentioned
various recordings, such as Chuck Berry - "Get Your Kicks On Route 66"
Off the top of my head:
Springsteen, "Working on the Highway"–"Now I work for the county out on 95 ...."
Springsteen, "Reason to Believe"–"Got his car door flung open, he's standing out on Highway 31 ...."
Springsteen, "State Trooper"–"New Jersey Turnpike, ridin' on a wet night ...."
Traveling Wilburys, "Tweeter and the Monkey Man"–"They knew that they'd find freedom just across the Jersey line/So they hopped into a stolen car, took Highway 99."
Little Feat, "Let It Roll"–"Rolling down Highway 95 ...."
Max Stalling: I-35
A lot of small town names dropped in the lyrics, as well.
Zac Brown Band, "[Interstate] Highway 20 Ride".
QuoteSo I drive
And I think about my life
And wonder why
That I slowly die inside
Every time I turn that truck around right at the Georgia line
And I count the days and the miles back home to you on that Highway 20 ride
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZMCkufE0X0
Georgia Satellites - Railroad Steel
Quote
...
On this moonlit night out on U.S. 82...
...
Do songs from fictional cartoon characters count? If so, this is "Highway 40 Revisited"...
US Federal Route 31 Dub, southbound traffic near a little green shrub...
Many country songs mention highways, but I can't think of an example right now.
Songs with highways in the title:
Gordon Lightfoot: Carefree Highway
America: Ventura Highway
Aliotta, Haynes, and Jeremiah: Lake Shore Drive
Jimmy Buffett: The I-95 Song (which actually has little to do with the Interstate. :) )
Nat King Cole: Route 66 (also done by the Rolling Stones a decade later)
Kingdom Come had a song called "Highway 6."
Gerry Rafferty's "Baker Street" had a guitar solo riff that could have been lifted from Rush's "I Think I'm Going Bald."
There have been plenty of memes showing actual street signs for "Electric Avenue." My last stint in the newspaper field, my publisher owned a newspaper in Flemingsburg and the office was on Electric Avenue. I had to go over there once a week for a lengthy period and I got that song stuck in my head as an earworm every time I visited that office.
Not sure if there is a "Sentimental Street" anywhere in the world, but Night Ranger sang about it.
There is an actual community named Oldtown in Greenup County, Ky., the home of Billy Ray Cyrus, but I can't find an Oldtown (Old Town) Road on the map in that location.
I'm not so sure "Street" or "Avenue" really fits the gist of the OP.
The late Tom Petty, in his song "American Girl", references "441", presumably US 441 which is the main N/S highway through his home town of Gainesville FL.
Jimmy Buffett has an album called "A1A", although I don't recall any of the songs mentioning FL A1A nor any other highway. May have to give it a listen.
Billy Joel's "You're My Home" has a line "home could be the Pennsylvania Turnpike."
Hershey Highway?
Roadrunner by Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers mentions Route 128.
Howlin' Wolf did a song about Highway 49.
I can think of multiple songs where US 101 gets mentioned: Jackson Browne's Running on Empty, Tori Amos's A Sorta Fairytale, and NCT 127's Highway to Heaven.
John Henry Split My Heart by Songs:Ohia starts off with an ode to the Mother Road: "I stood on the 66 highway"
IIRC one of Walter Becker's demos posted on his official website after his death mentions the Bay Area I-280 though the title escapes me at the moment
Skee-Lo's I Wish brings up 110 and 105 (the latter had just opened up a year or two before the song was released)
Quote from: dlsterner on August 05, 2021, 11:38:38 PM
....
Jimmy Buffett has an album called "A1A", although I don't recall any of the songs mentioning FL A1A nor any other highway. May have to give it a listen.
"Trying to Reason with Hurricane Season" from that album does–"Strolling down the avenue that's known as A1A."
Quote from: jp the roadgeek on August 05, 2021, 11:58:33 PM
Roadrunner by Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers mentions Route 128.
Our current Secretary of Labor, who was until recently mayor of Boston (and briefly a state rep before that), lobbied like hell to make that the state rock song of Massachusetts. He held re-popularize the song because no one from my generation seemingly knew about it and a lot of older people forgot it existed.
Quote from: ethanhopkin14 on August 05, 2021, 03:56:23 PM
Rule 1: Stated above, not just "highway" so "Life is a Highway" is out.
Sorry Tom Cochrane, but I've got an earworm right now and it sounds like Rascal Flatts.
Quote from: dlsterner on August 05, 2021, 11:38:38 PM
The late Tom Petty, in his song "American Girl", references "441", presumably US 441 which is the main N/S highway through his home town of Gainesville FL.
Jimmy Buffett has an album called "A1A", although I don't recall any of the songs mentioning FL A1A nor any other highway. May have to give it a listen.
I always thought the "441 sounded like waves crashing on the beach" was a reverence to a V8 441.
Vanilla Ice "Ice, Ice Baby" ...continued to A1A, Beachfront Avenue." actually is a reference to A1A in Miami, even with the popular name, and not the correct name.
"Moon over Parma, shine on I-271..."
(in the original version, Cleveland is never mentioned, but many of its suburbs are)
Quote from: 1995hoo on August 06, 2021, 07:43:53 AM
Quote from: dlsterner on August 05, 2021, 11:38:38 PM
....
Jimmy Buffett has an album called "A1A", although I don't recall any of the songs mentioning FL A1A nor any other highway. May have to give it a listen.
"Trying to Reason with Hurricane Season" from that album does–"Strolling down the avenue that's known as A1A."
A1A is also mentioned in a song co-written by Vanilla Ice, David Bowie and Queen.
Randy Newman "I love LA"
"Imperial Highway"
"Century Blvd."
"Victory Blvd."
"Santa Monica Blvd."
"6th St."
James Taylor "It's Enough to be on Your Way" "It had me counting headlights out on Highway 591"
Bruce Springsteen "Highway 29"
Bruce Springsteen "Thunder Road"
Son Volt "Ten Second News" "Driving down sunny forty-four highway"
Jackson Browne "I'm Alive "Yeah, and now I'm drivin down California 5" (although of course its Interstate 5)
Honorable mention but don't qualify:
Interestingly "Crossroads" by Robert Johnson and "Graceland" by Paul Simon both take place (or some of the song does) on US-61, but the road isn't mentioned.
Same with "Take it Easy" by Jackson Browne being "Standing on the corner in Winslow, AZ" makes me think it takes place on US-66.
Steve Earl "Guitar Town" the first verse describes a trip that is no other road but I-35 between Austin and San Antonio.
Guns N' Roses - Dust N' Bones from the Use Your Illusion I album.
The highway mentioned is I-65, which passes through LaFayette, Indiana, which Axl Rose (vocals) and Izzy Stradlin (rhythm guitar) 's hometown.
I have linked the part of the song where it mentions I-65 (apparently setting the timestamp doesn't work when it's embedded into this post, so the part is at 0:10):
https://youtu.be/kPtCILgte10?t=10
"He lost his mind today
He left it out back on the highway
I-65"
Quote from: cabiness42 on August 06, 2021, 12:32:48 PM
A1A is also mentioned in a song co-written by Vanilla Ice, David Bowie and Queen.
Assuming you mean the song "Ice Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice and initially
not credited to Bowie nor Queen in any way, blatantly ripping them off with stealing their music and depriving them of credit and royalties, at least until being threatened with a copyright infringement suit.
Quote from: dlsterner on August 06, 2021, 11:37:12 PM
Quote from: cabiness42 on August 06, 2021, 12:32:48 PM
A1A is also mentioned in a song co-written by Vanilla Ice, David Bowie and Queen.
Assuming you mean the song "Ice Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice and initially not credited to Bowie nor Queen in any way, blatantly ripping them off with stealing their music and depriving them of credit and royalties, at least until being threatened with a copyright infringement suit.
...then coming up with a lame excuse that the bass rift is actually (microscopically) different.
Quote from: ethanhopkin14 on August 07, 2021, 12:35:58 PM
Quote from: dlsterner on August 06, 2021, 11:37:12 PM
Quote from: cabiness42 on August 06, 2021, 12:32:48 PM
A1A is also mentioned in a song co-written by Vanilla Ice, David Bowie and Queen.
Assuming you mean the song "Ice Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice and initially not credited to Bowie nor Queen in any way, blatantly ripping them off with stealing their music and depriving them of credit and royalties, at least until being threatened with a copyright infringement suit.
...then coming up with a lame excuse that the bass rift is actually (microscopically) different.
If I recall, when he said that, he had a smirk on his face that seemed to say "Yeah, I ripped them off. What are you going to do about it?" He is on my short list of "comes-on-the-radio-automatically-change-station".
Quote from: andrepoiy on August 06, 2021, 04:49:39 PM
Guns N' Roses - Dust N' Bones from the Use Your Illusion I album.
The highway mentioned is I-65, which passes through LaFayette, Indiana, which Axl Rose (vocals) and Izzy Stradlin (rhythm guitar) 's hometown.
I have linked the part of the song where it mentions I-65 (apparently setting the timestamp doesn't work when it's embedded into this post, so the part is at 0:10):
https://youtu.be/kPtCILgte10?t=10
"He lost his mind today
He left it out back on the highway
I-65"
Tiny correction, it's "on 65". Lyrics in the CD booklet confirm.
"Sprung from cages on Highway 9"
Quote from: ethanhopkin14 on August 05, 2021, 03:56:23 PM
I was thinking about songs that have highway numbers in them (not just songs that contain the word highway in the lyrics). I was wondering how many we could note.
Rule 1: Stated above, not just "highway" so "Life is a Highway" is out.
Rule 2: A named road, highway or route number counts, fictitious or real.
That's about it. I looked to see if there was a thread on this before and couldn't find.
I'm a little late, but:
"Little Old Lady from Pasadena" - MPB Jan&Dean - Mentions Colorado Blvd, CASR-710
"Ventura Highway" -- America -- is a reference to US-101
"Convoy" -- CW McCall -- Has references to several roads, among them I-10 and I-44 and the New Jersey Turnpike
Many have mentioned the obvious "Route 66", "Highway 61", and "Born to Run"
"Hot Rod Lincoln" -- MPB Commander Cody -- mentions "Grapevine Hill". Then US-99 now I-5
"James Dean" -- Eagles -- mentions "The Road to Eternity" then CASR-33, now CASR-41/46
"Roll on down the Highway" -- BTO -- mentions the long highway of Rock and Roll. Presumably either the TCH or I-80.
"Like a Bat out of Hell" -- MPB Meat Loaf -- mentions hitting the highway like a battering ram
"I Need a Lover" and "Running on Empty" -- Jackson Brown -- both use the term "highway" metaphorically
... Are there more? Think about it ... And make a wish...
Quote from: michravera on August 08, 2021, 02:35:19 PM
Quote from: ethanhopkin14 on August 05, 2021, 03:56:23 PM
I was thinking about songs that have highway numbers in them (not just songs that contain the word highway in the lyrics). I was wondering how many we could note.
Rule 1: Stated above, not just "highway" so "Life is a Highway" is out.
Rule 2: A named road, highway or route number counts, fictitious or real.
That's about it. I looked to see if there was a thread on this before and couldn't find.
I'm a little late, but:
"Little Old Lady from Pasadena" - MPB Jan&Dean - Mentions Colorado Blvd, CASR-710
"Ventura Highway" -- America -- is a reference to US-101
"Convoy" -- CW McCall -- Has references to several roads, among them I-10 and I-44 and the New Jersey Turnpike
Many have mentioned the obvious "Route 66", "Highway 61", and "Born to Run"
"Hot Rod Lincoln" -- MPB Commander Cody -- mentions "Grapevine Hill". Then US-99 now I-5
"James Dean" -- Eagles -- mentions "The Road to Eternity" then CASR-33, now CASR-41/46
"Roll on down the Highway" -- BTO -- mentions the long highway of Rock and Roll. Presumably either the TCH or I-80.
"Like a Bat out of Hell" -- MPB Meat Loaf -- mentions hitting the highway like a battering ram
"I Need a Lover" and "Running on Empty" -- Jackson Brown -- both use the term "highway" metaphorically
... Are there more? Think about it ... And make a wish...
Running on Empty specifically references 101.
"Wolf Creek Pass" by C.W. McCall is about driving a truck full of chickens from Wolf Creek Pass to Pagosa Springs, CO. It's never mentioned by name, but the only road between those two spots in US-160.
Quote from: ethanhopkin14 on August 08, 2021, 03:02:54 PM
"Wolf Creek Pass" by C.W. McCall is about driving a truck full of chickens from Wolf Creek Pass to Pagosa Springs, CO. It's never mentioned by name, but the only road between those two spots in US-160.
I remember in the late 1970s or early 1980s a "TV Special" vinyl album that was all trucker songs ("Convoy", "Phantom 409", etc). Doubtless, it would contain numerous highway references.
It does occur to me that "I've been Everywhere" MBP Johnny Cash, does mention the "Winnemucca Road" which is I-80.
Dire Straits' Telegraph Rd (which evidently is about Detroit's Telegraph Rd)
There are 3 flavors of Telephone Rd (which exists in Houston) by Steve Earle, Rodney Crowell, & Mark May
Springsteen, "Darlington County"–"And we'll leave this Darlington City for a ride down that Dixie Highway."
"Desperados Under the Eves" by Warren Zevon, the coda repeats "look away down Gower Avenue." Although incorrect, its actually Gower Street. I must say, avenue in the song sounds so much better.
Springsteen, "Stolen Car"–I'm driving a stolen car/Down on Eldridge Avenue./Each night I wait to get caught,/But I never do."
I don't know whether Eldridge Avenue is meant to be a real street and, if so, where it's meant to be. There is an Eldridge Street on the Lower East Side, but I doubt that's the reference.
Quote from: 1995hoo on August 09, 2021, 10:57:06 AM
Springsteen, "Stolen Car"–I'm driving a stolen car/Down on Eldridge Avenue./Each night I wait to get caught,/But I never do."
I don't know whether Eldridge Avenue is meant to be a real street and, if so, where it's meant to be. There is an Eldridge Street on the Lower East Side, but I doubt that's the reference.
This topic was made for Springsteen:
"Incident on 57th Street" It's never mentioned outside the title.
"Jungleland" "...together they take a stab at romance and disappear down Flamingo Lane."
"Tenth Avenue Freezeout"
Not Springsteen: "59th Street Bridge Song (Feeling Groovy)" by Simon and Garfunkel. Again, not mentioned outside the title.
Quote from: 1995hoo on August 09, 2021, 10:57:06 AM
Springsteen, "Stolen Car"–I'm driving a stolen car/Down on Eldridge Avenue./Each night I wait to get caught,/But I never do."
I don't know whether Eldridge Avenue is meant to be a real street and, if so, where it's meant to be. There is an Eldridge Street on the Lower East Side, but I doubt that's the reference.
As soon as I posted the last, I forgot "The Wild, the Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle"
Quote from: michravera on August 08, 2021, 07:47:58 PM
I remember in the late 1970s or early 1980s a "TV Special" vinyl album that was all trucker songs ("Convoy", "Phantom 409", etc). Doubtless, it would contain numerous highway references.
Actually, that's Phantom 309
"Sweet Baby James" by James Taylor has the line " The first of December was covered with snow, and so was the Turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston." Although not explicitly by name, everyone knows that's Mass Pike.
If we are also including streets and not just highways:
"Posse on Broadway" by Sir Mix-a-lot mentions Broadway and several other Seattle streets.
"Free-fallin'" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers mention "Ventura Blvd" (former US 101) and "Mullholland" as well as an unspecified freeway running through the yard in Reseda. it's probably the 101 freeway, but technically runs about a mile south of Reseda's southern border (Victory Blvd)
Your comment reminds me that the Gaslight Anthem have a song called "Mulholland Drive" on their fourth album, Handwritten.
Old Home Filler-Up An' Keep On A-Truckin' Café by C.W. McCall. The opening line is
"Well, Interstate 80, we was cuttin' the fog..."
This song actually received a lot of airplay in about 1974. It was originally based on a series of (local?) commercials for Old Home Bread.
That reminds me of one that doesn't quite meet the OP requirements: The Interstate is Coming through my Outhouse, made popular in 1969 by Billy Edd Wheeler. I also remember when Dr. Demento got on this bandwagon sometime in the mid-1970s, as my neighbor was "Hooked on Demento" and would tape the shows and bring them over for us to listen to on a miniature tape deck. The Interstate is Coming through my Outhouse; Better make my last trip there today!
1) Talladega by Eric Church mentions I-65:
QuoteWing and a prayer down 65
Five best friends on four bald tires
2) Bud the Spud by Stompin' Tom Connors is about a trucker shipping potatoes from PEI to Toronto.
It mentions the ferry to Cape Tormentine, NB (before the Confederation Bridge was built):
QuoteHe's gotta catch the boat to make Tormentine
And he heads up that old New Brunswick line
Through Montreal he comes just a flyin
With another big load of potatoes
There's also a verse about speeding on the 401 in Ontario:
QuoteNow the Ontario Provincial Police
Don't think mucha bud
Yeah the Cops have been lookin' for the son of a gun
That's been rippin' the tar off the 401
EDIT: I thought of another one.
3) Out of Tune by Real Estate. I assume they're referring to I-95 based on them being from the NYC area:
QuoteSee the cars on the 95
Cut through them like a sharpened knife
"Diner" by Martin Sexton mentions I-20, the New York State Thruway and I-690.
"You may find a diner out in Georgia or Carolina of the twenty by the Piggly Wiggly in the country out of Waynesboro.
Or when it's late and rainy out in New York State, you hang a louie off the thru-way and go and grab yourself a cheese-burger.
At a little gem diner.
Off the six niner.
Diner my shiny shiny love."
The Traveling Wilburys –
Tweeter and the Monkey ManQuote
Tweeter was a Boy Scout 'fore she went to Vietnam
And found out the hard way, nobody gives a damn
They knew that they found freedom just across the Jersey line
So they hopped into a stolen car, took Highway 99
I don't believe this refers to an actual route, though. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Quote from: kphoger on August 26, 2021, 02:39:50 PM
The Traveling Wilburys – Tweeter and the Monkey Man
Quote
Tweeter was a Boy Scout 'fore she went to Vietnam
And found out the hard way, nobody gives a damn
They knew that they found freedom just across the Jersey line
So they hopped into a stolen car, took Highway 99
I don't believe this refers to an actual route, though. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Sounds like a bunch of Springsteen references.
Yes, the song is full of Springsteen references. But, even though, Springsteen grew up in New Jersey, there doesn't appear to be any obvious "Highway 99" that makes sense as a nod to Springsteen, nor one that crosses "the Jersey line" at all.
Quote from: kphoger on August 26, 2021, 03:47:09 PM
Yes, the song is full of Springsteen references. But, even though, Springsteen grew up in New Jersey, there doesn't appear to be any obvious "Highway 99" that makes sense as a nod to Springsteen, nor one that crosses "the Jersey line" at all.
Johnny 99 was one of the songs off the Nebraska album.
I think that "the Jersey line" is a mashup of sorts...I'm getting a "Promised Land" vibe but it doesn't check all of the boxes (even that song is a mashup of sorts).
The song is intended to be a Springsteen parody. I'd get a kick out of it if he were to play it live someday, thing I doubt that'll ever happen.
"America" by Simon and Garfunkel mentions the New Jersey Turnpike.
"Page Avenue" by Story of the Year refers to Missouri Secondary Route D in St. Louis County.
Quote from: kevinb1994 on August 26, 2021, 05:00:30 PM
Quote from: kphoger on August 26, 2021, 03:47:09 PM
Yes, the song is full of Springsteen references. But, even though, Springsteen grew up in New Jersey, there doesn't appear to be any obvious "Highway 99" that makes sense as a nod to Springsteen, nor one that crosses "the Jersey line" at all.
Johnny 99 was one of the songs off the Nebraska album.
I think that "the Jersey line" is a mashup of sorts...I'm getting a "Promised Land" vibe but it doesn't check all of the boxes (even that song is a mashup of sorts).
The most likely explanation, in my opinion, is that "Highway 99" was just a great rhyme for "the Jersey line".
Not specifically applicable to the theme of this thread, but Jethro Tull's "Farm on the Freeway" is about eminent domain.
Quote from: kphoger on August 27, 2021, 11:41:02 AM
Quote from: kevinb1994 on August 26, 2021, 05:00:30 PM
Quote from: kphoger on August 26, 2021, 03:47:09 PM
Yes, the song is full of Springsteen references. But, even though, Springsteen grew up in New Jersey, there doesn't appear to be any obvious "Highway 99" that makes sense as a nod to Springsteen, nor one that crosses "the Jersey line" at all.
Johnny 99 was one of the songs off the Nebraska album.
I think that "the Jersey line" is a mashup of sorts...I'm getting a "Promised Land" vibe but it doesn't check all of the boxes (even that song is a mashup of sorts).
The most likely explanation, in my opinion, is that "Highway 99" was just a great rhyme for "the Jersey line".
Yeah sure sounds like it.
When I saw this post, I thought of "Rollin' with My Homies" by Coolio: "West 105, hit the exit on Crenshaw."
Quote from: KCRoadFan on August 28, 2021, 01:02:29 AM
When I saw this post, I thought of "Rollin' with My Homies" by Coolio: "West 105, hit the exit on Crenshaw."
Wonder if he crossed paths with Skee-lo ("take the 110 down to the 105") tellin his homies look alive
One of my favorite bands to see locally.
Chris
Why Georgia by John Mayer has this verse about I-85 in Atlanta:
QuoteI am driving up 85 in the
Kind of morning that lasts all afternoon
Just stuck inside the gloom
4 more exits to my apartment but
I am tempted to keep the car in drive
And leave it all behind
Hopefully it's alright to revive this thread...
Just found out from Googling that the song "Grapevine" by Lane 8 refers to a section of I-5 north of LA. Now the lyric "91 miles to the Grapevine" makes sense. :)
The Talking Heads had a reference to "Sleeping on the Interstate" in 'Wild Wild Life'.
Mike
How did we get this far without mentioning Bottoms Up by Brantley Gilbert?
"Going 95 burning down 129, yeah"
This lyric is even on US 129's Wikipedia page!
Quote from: Hunty2022 on November 04, 2022, 04:38:41 PM
How did we get this far without mentioning Bottoms Up by Brantley Gilbert?
"Going 95 rollin' down 129, yeah"
This lyric is even on US 129's Wikipedia page!
One of only two Wikipedia edits made by that IP.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Contributions/72.81.227.65
Interstate Love Song - Stone Temple Pilots
The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy) - Simon & Garfunkel
Cross Road Blues aka Crossroads - Robert Johnson, Cream, and others - doesn't mention it specifically but is believed to be the junction of US 49 and 61.
Highway to Hell - AC/DC (not a real place but I think I've been on a few)
Quote from: skluth on November 04, 2022, 06:39:11 PM
Highway to Hell - AC/DC (not a real place but I think I've been on a few)
https://goo.gl/maps/wMzNqjzsVZNonJCF7
If these have been mentioned before or not, I'm not going through 71 posts, but there is Highway 61 in the title of a Dylan tune. Then Rollin on the Highway by BTO is another.
Don't know how I forgot this. There's no specific highway mentioned, but the lyrics to "Born to be Wild" start, "Get your motor runnin', Head out on the highway."
Quote from: roadman65 on November 04, 2022, 06:53:54 PM
I'm not going through 71 posts, but there is Highway 61 in the title of a Dylan tune. Then Rollin on the Highway by BTO is another.
Just search the thread for "Highway 61".
Do you mean "Roll On Down the Highway"? |michravera| mentioned that one.
Not mentioned in the song, but the video for John Mellencamp's "Small Town" features a US 31 shield.
This mentions the western distributor in Sydney.