Songs that you associate with public transport.

[Martin2012]

Thought this would be an interesting idea for a thread. Quite simply are there any songs that you associate with public transport.

For me there are some songs which always make me feel good and which I always want to listen to whilst on a long journey and others which I associate with a particular route or a particular journey I've ridden on- either because I've listened to them regularly whilst riding a particular service or heard them for the first time on board a particular service.

 

[AM9]

For a while in the '60s I dated a girl who lived in Earlsfield. For many Saturdays I did the journey from Essex to Earlsfield (via Liverpool St and Waterloo). That was when Waterloo Sunset was in the charts. Also, the journey involved 4SUBs plus seeing Bournemouth trains hauled by Bullied pacifics and Portsmouth Direct trains comprising 'Nelsons' (class 404s).
And no, her name wasn't Julie nor is mine Terry, (or Ray).

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

For a while in the '60s I dated a girl who lived in Earlsfield. For many Saturdays I did the journey from Essex to Earlsfield (via Liverpool St and Waterloo). That was when Waterloo Sunset was in the charts. Also, the journey involved 4SUBs plus seeing Bournemouth trains hauled by Bullied pacifics and Portsmouth Direct trains comprising 'Nelsons' (class 404s).
And no, her name wasn't Julie nor is mine Terry, (or Ray).

Wasn’t Lola?

 

[Wirewiper]

"Ticket to Ryde", maybe?

OK OK, I was leaving anyway .....

 

[Statto]

Down In The Tube Station At Midnight, The Jam.

 

[robk23oxf]

Magic Bus, The Who.

 

[83G/84D]

The wheels on the bus...

Last train to trancentral.

The runaway train.

 

[83G/84D]

Magic Bus, The Who.

Sponsored by Stagecoach Manchester?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Ocean Colour Scene's finest of course!

Though I associate a lot of rock type music from late 1997-early 1998 with train travel, as I commuted to uni for my first semester and usually listened to the radio (no MP3 back then! ) for most of it.

 

[johnw]

"National Express" by Divine Comedy.

 

[Bletchleyite]

"National Express" by Divine Comedy.

That one was quite clever, being about two British institutions - the song being about coaches but the video being about the NHS.

 

[yorksrob]

Oxygene by Jean Michelle Jarre always makes me think of train travel as it seems to have a train like rythem.

 

[Dai Corner]

Anything by the late Elvis Presley




I'll get my sequinned jump suit.

 

[delt1c]

Indian Pacific by Slim Dusty

 

[ARN556B]

'Transport of Delights' and 'The Slow Train' by Flanders & Swann

 

[Sybic26]

From the 1953 BTF short film The Elephant will never forget, about the closure of the London Team system. The ditty Riding on top of the car by George Lashwood.
Also oh Mr Porter!
Last train to Clarksville The Monkees
Last train to London Electric Light Orchestra.

 

[Spamcan81]

The Slow Train - Flanders and Swan
Trains and Boats and Planes - various
Ferry Cross The Mersey - Gerry and The Pacemakers
The Runaway Train - Michael Holliday

 

[yorksrob]

Under Your Thumb by 10CC (or possibly Godley and Creme) is a good one.

 

[83G/84D]

Trans Europe Express by Kraftwerk.

 

[mlambeuk]

Shake rattle and roll.

 

[Dai Corner]

Leaving On A Jet Plane by, er, (Googles) Peter Paul & Mary

 

[yorksrob]

Leaving On A Jet Plane by, er, (Googles) Peter Paul & Mary

One of the late, great John Denver's originally I believe.

 

[DunsBus]

Bus Stop, by the Hollies.

 

[AlexNL]

Whenever I hear the song "I would walk 500 miles" by "The Proclaimers", I'm reminded of this level crossing safety campaign by French railways, SNCF:

 

[Deerfold]

Going Underground (The Jam)
Last Train to Transcentral (KLF)

 

[6Gman]

There are, of course, plenty of American railroad songs. For me the best is "City of New Orleans" which describes very atmospherically a long overnight journey.

Passin' trains that have no names,
Railyards full of old black men
And the graveyards of the rusted automobiles

Night time on the City of New Orleans
Changing cars in Memphis, Tennessee

etc

Surprisingly it was written as recently as 1971.

 

[Merthyr Imp]

The Railroad Runs Through the Middle of the House by Alma Cogan and others
The Trolley Song, usually sung by Judy Garland

 

[quarella]

The Big Red Bus. B side The Thirsty Mini. I still have my copy.

 

[carlberry]

Heaving on a Jet Plane - The Barron Knights
Another Town, Another Train - ABBA
I've been waiting for You - ABBA

I've got my coat already....

 

[Jonny]

How about this one about 21st Century buses
Official version:

Unofficial anime-style video: