Travellers never had a better company than music. What bliss to plug and play some handpicked songs for travellers. Download these, put the playlist on shuffle, you are good to go now.
1) Dance of Shakti – Prem Joshua – For the solitary wanderers.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Mk8bHCPF_g
I recommend this for the ones who are travelling alone, on a solitary path. Essentially Indian in its essence, this track celebrates freedom. Somewhat on trance lines.
2) Gone in the Morning – Newton Faulkner – For the free spirited travellers.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tF9ESdfwV5o
This one is for the free birds, the happy go lucky travellers. Essentially for the ones, who don’t care where they are headed off to. Read nomads.
3) Mai ne Meriye – Mohit Chauhan – For those who swear by the Himalayas.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQNeFYgMjg0
For the lovers of hills. This one is a slow number in Hindi, one of the best pahari songs, with impressive vocals and some slow strumming of guitar.
4) Fireflies – By Owl City – For the eternal dreamers.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psuRGfAaju4
This one is for the stargazing travellers, the ones prone to losing nights of sleep, gazing at the low hanging moon over the pines, meadows.
5) Hey There Delilah – By Plain White T’s – For the ones travelling to meet their long lost lovers.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbJtYqBYCV8
For the ones rushing to meet their long lost lovers. This is for those who travel across cities and countries to meet the apple of their eyes! Too cheesy, yeah I know.
6) Dhol Yara Dhol – Shilpa Rao – For the ones on the road to Indian villages.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7PPLBZpa20
Perfect for those hitting the rural India, especially Rajasthan and Gujarat. There’s a fleeting element to this number, something that’ll take you off, wandering in the villages.
7) Another Brick in the Wall – Pink Floyd – For the backbenchers on the move.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpxd3pZAVHI
Perfect for the backbenchers, who have hit the roads on nothing more than just a whim. What better way to recite your freedom than reciting this Pink Floyd number in your head.
8) Slow Dancing in a Burning Room – John Mayer – For the ones travelling away from a break up.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfFi4Q7ueA8
For the ones celebrating heartbreak with a vacation. A better way to stop yourself from using all those curse words. Do it, but the John Mayer way.
9) Pyar Humein Kis – Chorus – For the ones wishing to fall in love with strangers in a strange town.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oedP9gXCEo
For a group of hopeless romantics. Essential if the travelling group is all boys. Good, harmless fun. Nothing’s better than keeping hopes alive.
10) Down Under – Men at Work – For the hippies on loose.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfR9iY5y94s
This is for the junkies out there, who prefer travelling in the back of a truck. Sloshed and high, happy with their hair matching the wild wild wind in fluttering.
11) Hotel California – The Eagles – For the travellers who hope of running into love.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJ9-aD7NdHQ
Ahh.. this is for all the singletons who like travelling. It makes the idea of falling for the service boy/girl quite realistic.
12) Mere Sapno ki Rani – Kishore Kumar – For the ones who will hit on every girl they travel with.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo1MykK4u8U
Okay, if that’s your intention, this song will make it easier. You don’t even need to look up at the girl; just sing this one and she’ll (I sincerely hope) will fall for you.
13) Don’t You Wish Your Girlfriend – The Pussycat Dolls – For the girls planning to get hitched with a fellow traveller.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNSxNsr4wmA
Now this one is the other way round, for I’m certainly in favour of not being a chauvinist. So, this one is to my fellow nomad girls. Happy hitting 🙂
14) Mere Paas Aao – Amitabh Bachchan – To keep the kids busy.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwOXJHxoVwI
All right. So you want the kids to be busy while you drive down the hills and enjoy it in silence. Play this one for them. Enjoy the drive.
15) Route 66 – The Rolling Stones – For the travelling bikers.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jc8_Qs_y-xs
It can’t get better than Rolling Stones when you talk of road trips. Thus, here’s one for the lovers of Harleys and Enfields. Keep crossing the milestones.
16) Yuhin Chala Chal – Udit Narayan – For the inspired travellers.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VB2dHVNyds
This is for the ones, who’ll travel. Regardless of what time of the year it is, or how much money they are left with in their bank account.
17) Boondan Boondan – Maatibaani – For the travellers in love with the rains.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3HtzIgYVc4
This is for the ones, who travel, even when it rains pours. They do not mind folding up their jeans and wearing flip flops or have a cutting chai in the rain. You’re going to love it.
18) Jaane Kya Dhundta – Lucky Ali – For the ones solving life’s riddles on the road.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M63DRkugeEY
I wonder what Lucky Ali was looking for when he wrote this one, for it has a yearning. A very strong one at that. This is more for the travellers who travel for the love of it.
19) Bombay Flute – AR Rehman – For the travellers who like keeping mum.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt57ntBAVEo
For some travellers, silence becomes the Siamese twins when they hit the road. This flute and chime instrumental runs for almost an hour. Courtesy – AR Rahman.
20) Phoolon ke Rang Se – Kishore Kumar – For the ones who travel down the same road.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHxZz4PX5X0
Nostalgia often hits some of the travellers. This Kishore number is a perfect composition to help them hit the rewind button. Hopelessly nostalgic.
If you think I’ve missed a number or two, pitch in with a comment below. I’ll be too happy to take your choice for the list.
Till then, happy travelling.
About the author
Shikha Gautam loves to play with steering wheels, roads, words, flute and guitar among other things. Not necessarily in that order! You can contact her on twitter @ShikhaGautam
