I am starting my AT thru-hike in several weeks, and am trying to fill up my MP3 player with as many good hiking/nature/motivational songs as I can. Does anyone know any real good songs that are ideal for a thru-hike? Thanks and Happy Trails!!
N-O-N
Now Or Never
Are you open to classical music? Richard Strauss wrote a fantastic symphonic work called “Alpensinfonie,” that depicts climbing a mountain very well. Even without anyone telling you what parts are supposed to depict what, you’ll hear it: the dark, the sunrise, the mountain, the waterfalls, the summit, the storm, etc…it’s pretty obvious and great music.
markv
“Wagon Wheel” by old crow medican show. It names a bunch of places the trail goes thru or by! Have fun on your hike!
bearwalker
Solsbury Hill - Peter Gabriel
Its got a good tune for inmprov as your walking. My friends and I used to sing it when we went hiking.
Super Scout
Check out Cat Steven’s Album Tea for the Tillerman there are at least three good thru hiking songs there., Koyanosquatsi by Philip Glass, Bali by Jalan jalan, Throw is some Bob Dylan and Grateful Dead, etc… Its a long hike and your tastes and moods will change so go for lots of variety. I would even throw in some heavy metal for those days you need the extra energy and motivation (Black Sabbath, Metallica).
jalan jalan
we attempted to put together a bunch of songs,(that WE sing) pertaining to all the states the AT passes thru. So far we have “Georgia on My Mind” (Ray Charles), Rainy Nite in Georgia (Brook Benton),Carolina Moon, Carolina in the Morning, Tennessee Waltz, Tennessee Stud, Country Roads (John Denver), Pennsylvania Polka, and best of all the Maine Stein Song. Missing VA, MD, NJ, NY,CT,MA,VT, NH. Can anybody fill them in?
rocky & swamp fox
As a trail angel in 05 driving hikers all over town, I found it shocking how many loved Paul Simon’s - Graceland album; and at one point after listening to that CD for 10 days straight I had to “loose” it just to get a break… so you can bet this season as I hike it will be on my iPod! Happy Hiking!
Phoenix Rising
with songs of nature and self by Greg Brown, Eddie from Ohio, And check out “Long Shadow”, by Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros. Now that’s a song about thruhiking, and the life of Johnny Cash…but I still remember singing Rain by the Beatles alot. rock on dude…
fishngame
Walkin Jim Stoltz is an avid long distance hiker, musician and performer. While not a big commercial artist like many others listed, his songs resonate with life on the Trail. Beatiful lyrics and music. The sounds of nature also make a great soundtrack to the trip.
Moonshadow 03
How 'bout some toons from chicago folk legends-Steve Goodman & John Prine… You can always cram your MP3 with the Monkeys… Can’t go wrong with the Monkeys…
Bubble Boy
Rocky and Swamp Fox
For Virginia… “Sweet Virginia Breeze” by the Robin Thompson Band.
For New York… “New York State of Mind” by Billy Joel.
For New Jersey… just sing anything by Bruuuuuce!
:cheers
southpaw
