ROUTE 66 (SONG)

"'(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66'" is an American popular song, composed in 1946 by Bobby Troup and first recorded that same year by Nat King Cole. The title was suggested by his first wife, Cynthia.

Contents

History

Cover versions

Re-Worked versions

External links

References

History

Troup conceived the idea for the song while driving west from Pennsylvania to Los Angeles, California, and the lyrics — which include references to the U.S. highway of the title and many of the cities it passes through — celebrate the romance and freedom of automobile travel. In an interview he once said the tune for the song, as well as the lyric "Get your kicks on Route 66" came to him easily, but the remainder of the lyrics eluded him. More in frustration than anything else he simply filled up the song with the names of towns and cities on the highway.
The lyrics read as a mini-travelogue about the major stops along the route, listing several cities and towns that Route 66 passes through. Specifically mentioned, in order, are St. Louis, Missouri; Joplin, Missouri; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Amarillo, Texas; Gallup, New Mexico; Flagstaff, Arizona; Winona, Arizona; Kingman, Arizona; Barstow, California; and San Bernardino, California. Winona is the only town out of sequence in the list. It was a very small settlement east of Flagstaff, and might indeed have been forgotten if not for the song's lyric, "Don't forget Winona", written to rhyme with "Flagstaff, Arizona."
Cole's rendition of "Route 66" became a hit on both the U.S. R&B and pop record charts. The version recorded by Perry Como in 1959 is more complete, including the seldom-heard second verse and also the introductory verse.
The producers of television show ''Route 66'' commissioned a new theme song because they wanted to avoid making royalty payments for Troup's song.
The 2006 Disney/Pixar film ''Cars'' portrays the legendary road, Route 66 as a spectacle of the United States. In doing so, the Film's Soundtrack includes the popular Chuck Berry version and the Grammy nominated "update version" by modern blues rock artist John Mayer.

Cover versions

The song is a pop standard and has since been covered by numerous other vocal and instrumental artists, including:

★ Acoustix ★ Asleep at the Wheel ★ Chuck Berry ★ Brian Setzer Orchestra [1] ★ Buckwheat Zydeco ★ The Cheetah Girls ★ Natalie Cole ★ Perry Como, only version with the complete lyrics ★ The Cramps ★ Depeche Mode ★ Dr. Feelgood ★ Guitar Wolf ★ Hard Times ★ Hot Zex ★ Jason & the Scorchers[2]

★ The Jolt ★ Legendary Tiger Man ★ The Manhattan Transfer ★ John Mayer [3] ★ Van Morrison ★ Brad Paisley ★ Pappo ★ John Pizzarelli ★ Rick and The Goose ★ Nelson Riddle ★ The Rolling Stones ★ Skrewdriver ★ Mel Tormé ★ Rockfour

Re-Worked versions

Essex-born English singer-songwriter Billy Bragg also recorded an "anglicised" version of the song called "A13 (Trunk Road to the Sea)" for a John Peel session. In the song — strummed and sung to the same tune as the original — the landmark cities are replaced with English ones along the route of the A13, with Bragg inviting listeners to "Go motoring, on the A-thirteen".

External links

★ Lyrics

References

1. (includes part of Nelson Riddle's theme song from Route 66 (TV series))
2. (as a bonus track on the 2002 CD release of the 1986 album "Still Standing")
3. (nominated for Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance for the 49th Annual Grammys, also used in the soundtrack for the 2006 Pixar film ''Cars'')