The amazing qualities of music allow it to transport you to places far beyond your imagination, just by putting on your headphones and listening to a lovely tune. That’s probably why songs about traveling can create so many feelings of wanderlust.
Listening to traveling songs is a great way to forget about your worries, and they’re also fantastic to add to a road trip playlist to amp up the mood – pun intended!
Blast them from your radio while driving down the highway or listen to them as you hop on a bus, train, or plane to your next destination. Without further ado, here are 50 songs about traveling.
50 Epic Songs About Traveling
1. Traveling Alone – Passenger
I never heard silence ring out like a bell.
I never heard silence like last night in my expensive hotel.
Well, I’m loving a shadow, I’m trying to catch the rain.
But I never heard silence ’til I heard it today.
2. The Passenger – Iggy Pop
I am a passenger
And I ride and I ride
I ride through the city’s backsides
I see the stars come out of the sky
Yeah, they’re bright in a hollow sky
You know it looks so good tonight
3. Leaving on a Jet Plane – Peter, Paul and Mary
So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you’ll wait for me
Hold me like you’ll never let me go
4. BUDAPEST – George Ezra
Give me one good reason
Why I should never make a change
And baby, if you hold me
Then all of this will go away
5. I Drove All Night – Roy Orbison
I drove all night to get to you
Is that all right?
I drove all night, crept in your room
Woke you from your sleep to make love to you
Is that all right?
I drove all night
6. Ghost Rider – Rush
Keep on riding North and West
Then circle South and East
Show me beauty but there is no peace
For the ghost rider
For the ghost rider
Shadows on the road behind
Shadows on the road ahead (Nothing can stop you now)
Nothing can stop you now
There’s a shadow on the road behind
There’s a shadow on the road ahead (Nothing can stop you now)
Nothing can stop you now
7. Travelling – Paper Lions
Travelling the road, last known is where I want to be
My compass directing, electing, an open road with golden trees
But there’s an old man in need on the ground, I try not to make a sound
He holds out his hand as I walk away, I hear him say
8. Gypsy – Shakira
‘Cause I’m a gypsy, are you coming with me?
I might steal your clothes and wear them if they fit me
Never made agreements just like a gypsy
And I won’t back down ‘cause life’s already bit me
And I won’t cry, I’m too young to die if you’re gonna quit me
‘Cause I’m a gypsy
9. BORN TO BE WILD – STEPPENWOLF
Yea darlin’, gonna make it happen
Take the world in a love embrace
Fire all of your guns at once
And explode into space
10. I’ve Been Everywhere – Johnny Cash
I’ve been everywhere, man
I’ve been everywhere, man
Crossed the desert’s bare, man
I’ve breathed the mountain air, man
Of travel I’ve a’had my share, man
I’ve been everywhere
11. Road Trippin – Red Hot Chili Peppers
Road trippin’ with my two favorite allies
Fully loaded we got snacks and supplies
It’s time to leave this town, it’s time to steal away
Let’s go get lost anywhere in the U.S.A
Let’s go get lost, let’s go get lost
Blue you sit so pretty west of the one
Sparkles light with yellow icing just a mirror for the sun
Just a mirror for the sun
Just a mirror for the sun
These smiling eyes are just a mirror for
12. Born To Run – Bruce Springsteen
The highways jammed with broken heroes
On a last chance power drive
Everybody’s out on the run tonight
But there’s no place left to hide
Together, Wendy, we can live with the sadness
I’ll love you with all the madness in my soul
Oh, someday girl, I don’t know when
We’re gonna get to that place
Where we really want to go, and we’ll walk in the sun
But till then, tramps like us
Baby, we were born to run
13. Good Life – OneRepublic
Oh, this has gotta be the good life
This has gotta be the good life
This could really be a good life, good life
Say oh, got this feeling that you can’t fight
Like this city is on fire tonight
This could really be a good life
A good, good life
14. Do Re Mi – Woody Guthrie
Oh, if you ain’t got the do re mi, folks, you ain’t got the do re mi
Why, you better go back to beautiful Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Georgia, Tennessee
California is a garden of Eden, a paradise to live in or see
But believe it or not, you won’t find it so hot
If you ain’t got the do re mi
15. Kokomo – The Beach Boys
Aruba, Jamaica, ooh I wanna take you to
Bermuda, Bahama, come on pretty mama
Key Largo, Montego
Baby why don’t we go
Ooh I wanna take you down to Kokomo
We’ll get there fast
And then we’ll take it slow
That’s where we wanna go
Way down in Kokomo
16. Take Me Home, Country Roads – John Denver
Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mamma
Take me home, country roads
17. Paris, Tokyo – Lupe Fiasco
Let’s go to sleep in Paris
Wake up in Tokyo
Have a dream in New Orleans
Fall in love in Chicago, man
Then we can land in the motherland
Camel-back across the desert sand
And take a train, to Rome, or home
Brazil, for real
Wherever I go she goes
Wherever I go she goes
18. Around The World – Kings of Leon
Been around the world, been around the world
I stormed the gates inlaid in pearl
(Been around the world, been around the world
Been around the world, been around the world)
All around the world all around the world
I lost myself and found a girl
(Been around the world, been around the world)
19. On the Road Again – Willie Nelson
And I can’t wait to get on the road again
On the road again –
Like a band of gypsies we go down the highway
We’re the best of friends
Insisting that the world keep turning our way
And our way
Is on the road again
Just can’t wait to get on the road again
The life I love is makin’ music with my friends
20. Roam – The B-52s
Roam if you want to, roam around the world
Roam if you want to, without wings without wheels
Roam if you want to, roam around the world
Roam if you want to, without anything but the love we feel
21. From Finner – Of Monsters And Men
And we are far from home
But we’re so happy
Far from home, all alone
But we’re so happy
22. Coming Home – Avenged Sevenfold
Live again, all roads end
I’ll be coming home
Tend your light, ’cause on this night
I’ll be coming home
23. Wanted Dead Or Alive – Bon Jovi
I’m a cowboy
On a steel horse I ride
I’m wanted dead or alive
Wanted dead or alive
24. Take It Easy – Eagles
Take It easy, take it easy
Don’t let the sound of your own wheels
Drive you crazy
Lighten up while you still can
Don’t even try to understand
Just find a place to make your stand
And take it easy
25. Highway to Hell
I’m on the highway to hell
On the highway to hell
Highway to hell
I’m on the highway to hell
26. Come Fly With Me – Frank Sinatra
Once I get you up there, where the air is rarefied
We’ll just glide, starry-eyed
Once I get you up there I’ll be holding you so near
You may hear angels cheer ’cause we’re together
27. AMERICAN BOY – ESTELLE FEAT. KANYE WEST
Take me on a trip I’d like to go some day
Take me to New York, I’d love to see LA
I really want to come kick it with you
You’ll be my American boy
28. Running Away – Ed Sheeran ft. Kygo
How long you leaving?
Well, dad just don’t expect me back this evening
Oh it could take a bit of time to heal this
It’s been a long day, thumb on side of the roadway, but
29. Wanderlust – Paul McCartney
Light out wanderlust
Help us to be free
Light out wanderlust
Do it just for me
Wanderlust
30. Traveling On – Kongos
Cause when the road takes it’s toll
And these cities come and go
Filled with people I don’t know
You’ll be in my heart
And I’ll dream of where you are tonight
And when the years pass us by
I wonder if we’ll cry
For losing so much time
For moments we may miss
For the love that still exists tonight
Maybe I’ll go it all alone
See the world and make my way back home
Or maybe I’ll keep traveling on
31. Travelin’ Man – Rick Nelson
Pretty Polynesian baby over the sea
I remember the night
When we walked in the sands of the Waikiki
And I held you oh so tight
32. The Last Mile – Cinderella
And walk the last mile
Before I sleep
It’ll be a while
Before I get my peace
With the same style
I walked for years
On the last mile
I can rest my fears
33. Fly By Night – Rush
Fly by night, away from here
Change my life again
Fly by night goodbye my dear
My ship isn’t coming and I just can’t pretend
34. Gypsy Road – Cinderella
My gypsy road can’t take me home
I drive all night just to see the light
My gypsy road can’t take me home
I keep on pushin’ cause it feels alright
35. Midnight Memories – One Direction
Midnight memories, oh, oh, oh
Baby, you and me
Stumbling in the street
Singing, singing, singing, singing
Midnight memories, oh, oh, oh
Anywhere we go
Never say no
Just do it, do it, do it, do it
36. The Killing Road – Megadeth
I lost my mind, I lost all my money
I lost my life to the killing road
I lost my mind, I lost all my money
I lost my life to the killing road
37. 1000 Nights – Ed Sheeran
Oh, I been on for a thousand nights
New York to London, different city every day, yeah
Playin’ on, playin’ on, puttin’ up 50 thousand lights
Oh, I’ve been gone so long, gettin’ up and gettin’ faded
So I’m on, keepin’ on, stayin’ up for a thousand nights
38. Anywhere – Rita Ora
Over the hills and far away
A million miles from L.A.
Just anywhere away with you
I know we’ve got to get away
Someplace where no one knows our name
We’ll find the start of something new
Just take me anywhere, take me anywhere
Anywhere away with you
Just take me anywhere (Anywhere), take me anywhere
Anywhere away with you
39. Going Up The Country – Canned Heat
I’m gonna leave this city, got to get away
I’m gonna leave this city, got to get away
All this fussing and fighting, man, you know I sure can’t stay
Now, baby, pack your leaving trunk, you know we’ve got to leave today
Just exactly where we’re going I cannot say, but
We might even leave the USA
‘Cause there’s a brand new game that I wanna play
40. These Old Shoes – Deer Tick
Well, they said it was the cheapest fare at this time of year
And they said, it’s nice and safe, you got nothing to fear
So I will take this old plane to get to you
Yes, I will take this old plane to get to you
41. City Lights – The White Stripes
I want to grab a stranger’s hand and
Hold it as tightly as I can and
I will tell by their reaction if
They’re like me or if I am crazy
When the lights of the city hit my
Eyes on the plane looking out the window
I am consumed by a comforting notion
That you are there and
I am welcome
If our miles have added up to
A giant pile of distance that we
Cannot reach past, climb, or conquer
Will you dig a
Tunnel to me?
42. Call Me The Breeze – Lynyrd Skynyrd
Call me the breeze
I keep blowin’ down the road
Well now they call me the breeze
I keep blowin’ down the road
I ain’t got me nobody
I don’t carry me no load
43. What We Live For – American Authors
This is what I live for
Baby, you’re my open road
You can take me anywhere the wind blows
Right into the great unknown
We can throw our hands up out the window
This is what we live for
44. Ventura Highway – America
Ventura Highway in the sunshine
Where the days are longer
The nights are stronger than moonshine
You’re gonna go I know
‘Cause the free wind is blowing through your hair
And the days surround your daylight there
Seasons crying no despair
Alligator lizards in the air, in the air
45. So Far Away – Carole King
But you’re so far away
Doesn’t anybody stay in one place anymore
It would be so fine to see your face at my door
Doesn’t help to know you’re so far away
46. Going Mobile – The Who
Out in the woods
Or in the city
It’s all the same to me
When I’m drivin’ free, the world’s my home
When I’m mobile
47. No Particular Place To Go – Chuck Berry
Ridin’ along in my automobile
I’s anxious to tell her the way I feel
So I told her softly and sincere
And she leaned and whispered in my ear
Cuddlin’ more and drivin’ slow
With no particular place to go
48. Bad Day – Asher Roth
So I’m in the airport getting ready to leave
Heading to a friend’s wedding in the N.Y.C
But my head has been spinning, I’m forgetting to eat
All this jet setting has been really getting to me
It’s already 11:20, I’m ready to sleep
But instead I end up sitting in a 27-C
An aisle seat, fine by me
But the guy that’s inside’s always tryin to pee
With a wild child behind me, he’s cryin and keeps
Flippin out and kickin at me while he violently screams
So I silently plea, oh God, please
Let there be a honey sitting 27-B
But of course some morbidly obese
Beast is in the seat that wheezes when he breathes
Dude sitting D is at least three deep
And he keeps telling me what is wrong with his knees: (I got bad knees)
‘Osgood Schlatters,’ just need water
But for a bottle they charge two dollars” (what?)
And when I thought that it couldn’t get worse
I forgot my iPod
49. TWO TICKETS TO PARADISE -EDDIE MONEY
I got to hurry, my bag is packed
I’m leavin’ and I ain’t comin’ back
’cause I got two tickets to paradise
Oh, now don’t you want to go with me?
The first stop, we’ll take a walk
Second stop, we’ll have a talk
The third stop
Ooh-ee, you better go with me
50. Travelin’ Band – Creedence Clearwater Revival
I want to move
Playing in a travelin’ band
Yeah!
Well I’m flying across the land trying to get a hand
Playing in a travelin’ band
Conclusion
Songs are fantastic ways to make, keep, and reminisce about old memories. They can be a beautiful form of escapism that transports you to far-away lands without you needing to move a muscle from home.
These songs are perfect for creating that incredible feeling of wanderlust and for supplementing your current travels with excitement and joy.