The News Wheel Editors: Fall-Themed Songs for Autumn Drives
Photo: Arek Socha via Pixabay
With social distancing still in effect, you might not be wandering too far from home this fall. You can still enjoy some scenic drives and seasonal music on errands and day trips, though. Here are just some of our favorite autumnal tunes.
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Daniel
“Halloween Main Theme” – John Carpenter
When I think of autumn, my mind — perhaps inevitably — makes a beeline straight for Halloween. I can’t help it; the cool breeze, the sound of fallen leaves tumbling across roads and lawns, the army of glowing porch pumpkins staring at you as you drive home through silent neighborhoods in the growing darkness…it all just comes together to create the perfect foreboding atmosphere.
And when it comes to Halloween-themed tunes, it’s hard to beat the theme to the classic horror flick that literally bears the holiday’s name. Composed by the film’s director, the legendary John Carpenter, this ominous piece of music is sure to have you checking your rear-view mirrors for the approaching form of the Shape himself…
(Fun fact: did you know that the iconic Michael Myers mask was actually a commercially available William Shatner mask from the late 70s? True story!)
Caleb
“Teenage Wasteland” – Wussy
“Attica” by Cincinnati band Wussy is my favorite fall album of all time. It absolutely nails the oddly delicious mix of melancholy, haunting nostalgia, and unsettled in-betweenness that I associate with the season. I love driving rural Ohio roads and taking in harvested fields while listening to the opening track, “Teenage Wasteland.”
Those opening lines get me every time, filtering Midwestern autumn memories through the instant when it really does seem like a song could change your life: “Do you remember the moment/You finally did something about it?/When the kick of the drum lined up with the beat of your heart/Stuck in a corn maze/With only a transistor radio.”
Amanda
“Sweater Weather” – The Neighborhood
I love listening to this song year-round, though I always associate it with fall. It has a great beat and catchy lyrics that have stuck with me since it was released in 20
13. During the fall season, it perfectly matches my mood as I drive around town and view the changing leaves.
Whitney
“Leaves That Are Green” – Simon & Garfunkel
This song will always be synonymous with fall, in my opinion. The upbeat rhythm and overall peppy vibe of the music pairs with the melancholy lyrics.( In other words…it’s the perfect backdrop for autumnal drives.)
The speaker commemorates a lost love, comparing it to the natural shift of seasons, as well as human mortality in general (“and the leaves that are green turn to brown…I held her close but she faded in the night…I’m twenty-two now but I won’t be for long…Time hurries on”).
There’s an overall positive tone to this song, as the speaker accepts this loss as just a normal part of life, as indicated by the last stanza. Both loss and mortality are as ordinary a part of life as saying hello and goodbye to the people we encounter every day.
Speaking of fall drives… Arm yourself with these smart hacks to make your seasonal trips less stressful. And refresh yourself on how to ace these autumnal driving challenges.
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Whitney Russell resides in Dayton, though her spirit can be found beach-bumming in Puerto Rico (the land of her half-Puerto Rican heritage). When not crafting car-related content, she can be found chasing after the most amazing toddler in the world, watching her “beaver” of a husband build amazing woodworking projects, hanging out with two crazy dogs, and visiting family and friends. She also enjoys traveling, crafting, and binge-watching period dramas when time allows. See more articles by Whitney.