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Go Man, Go: 5 Songs for the Open Road

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From chrissy coleman, Featured Contributor
Posted on August 22, 2008

Sit back and enjoy the ride!

While weekday bumper-to-bumper to and from work can take the joy right out of driving, extracurricular weekends and the occasional "sick" day (cough, cough) spent driving on the open road can feel timeless. With the sun shining, the wind against your face, and only open pavement in front of you, there's nothing better than a few suitable tunes cranked to help you celebrate your joie de vive behind the wheel:

1. "Baby, You Can Drive My Car" - The Beatles

The sing-able song from legendary album "Rubber Soul" is capable of getting stuck in heads for days ("Beep Beep, Beep Beep—Yeah!"). Even though the lyrics are more about looking to land love and fame, what comes closer to a person's heart than a very cool car and dreams of fame and fortune?

2. "I Can't Drive 55" - Sammy Hagar

Encouraging speeding tickets everywhere, "I Can't Drive 55" (along with Golden Earring's "Radar Love") is a car-song classic, even if the speed limit is now just a little too slow these days. But with a little imagination, you can sing over the "65" with a resounding "85" to recapture the spirit. Wearing tight red leather pants like Hagar does when he performs is optional.

3. "Here in My Car" - Gary Numan

Car culture changed when more people began to drive in their own cars instead of driving together with other people. Gary Numan focused on this sense of awkward independence new during the 1980s and belted out this smash hit that still gets lots of play today, most notably in the Playstation II game Grand Theft Auto II.

4. "No Particular Place to Go" - Chuck Berry

No one rocks like Chuck Berry, of the founding fathers of rock and roll. Berry's rockabilly and blues-infused beats and guitar will have you dancing in the driver's seat. Best listened to when, as the song lyrics go, you're driving with no particular place to go.

5. "Mint Car" - The Cure

Definite convertible music, this song will make any ride feel like you're right in a VW happy commercial seated next to your soul mate. Even if you don't have one of those yet (the soul mate, that is), sing the song and imagine that it's all about you and your car: "It will always be like this; the two of us together…"

Read More:

• 10 Most Repugnant Automotive Monstrosities of the Decade
• Cars in the News: Saudi Arabia's Ban on Women Driving May End Sometime
• Accident Reinforces Bridge Fears

chrissy coleman is a featured contributor for vLane.