“Energy rightly applied and directed will accomplish anything.” – Nellie Bly
In 1889, Bly raced around the world in a record-breaking, fiction-making, 72 days. Nearly 125 years after her inspirational journey, Bly’s sojourn continues to inspire generations of adventurous women. This travel playlist, comprised of powerful female artists and empowering lyrics, should be just what you need to direct your energy toward the next big move.
Indigo Girls – Get Out The Map – The best way to begin any trip! Take the advice of these two American women, both artists and rights activists, and “lay your finger anywhere down” on a random destination.
Terri Clark – I Wanna Do It All – “Visit Paris in the fall, watch the Yankees play ball…” What else is on your bucket list? Clark’s lyrics assure the female traveler that everything is worth looking forward to.
Vitamin C – Volare – Remaking this Dean Martin hit for The Lizzie McGuire Movie, Vitamin C’s translation is a poem for growing wings. “Let’s fly way up to the clouds, Away from the maddening crowds.”
Ellie Goulding – Anything Could Happen – I chose this song as my theme for 2014. It’s a promise to take the months ahead with an open mind and heart; to explore and observe the world with joyful eyes.
Dixie Chicks – The Long Way Around – Is everyone around you following the same routine? Are you ready to break out, to take a different route? “I hit the highway in a pink RV with stars on the ceiling, Lived like a gypsy…” Sometimes the long way around is the best way around.
Sarah Hudson – Gandhi – Finding peace, like Gandhi did, is just one of Hudson’s reasons to “buy a backpack, let’s leave the country.” Facing challenges with the right travel companion is another motive to start moving.
Po’Girl – Movin’ On – Speaking of moving… Sometimes we travel not to find the right match, but to escape from the wrong one. In their unique style, which the Canadian band calls ‘urban roots’, Po’Girl describes the temptation of an open road and the pressure to flee a relationship that’s reached its end.
Alanis Morissette – Hand In My Pocket – From the same album that brought us “Jagged Little Pill” comes this anthem for the modern independent woman. Morissette captures the anomalies of travel: “I’m broke but I’m happy, I’m poor but I’m kind… and what it all comes down to, is that everything’s gonna be fine fine fine.”
Marilyn Monroe – Runnin’ Wild – Sung on the old black and white film, Some Like It Hot, Monroe’s catchy tune captures the female spirit, set lose upon the world. “Feeling brave, reckless too, Carefree mind all the time, never blue.”
KT Tunstall – Suddenly I See – This one is about self-reflection, the sort you find after staring out an airplane window or the back of a train car. “Her face is a map of the world, You can see she’s a beautiful girl.” It’s a pep talk for finding inner confidence.
Deana Carter – Danced Anyway – Travel is often a love story. It may be a person, a place or a special moment that touches us in an unexpected way. “In a happy little foreign town, Where the stars hung upside down, A half a world away.” And when you feel that tug on your heartstrings, what else can you do but dance anyway?
Shakira – Waka Waka (This Time For Africa) – The South American diva released this song for the 2010 World Cup. Whether you’re traveling through Africa, where the Cup was held, or just love it’s earthy, upbeat melody, Shakira is sure to get you “back in the saddle… this is your moment, no hesitations.”
Dolly Parton – Traveling Thru – The Country Queen sings a hymn to the journey of life. First heard on the Transamerica soundtrack, Dolly’s characteristic voice gives tribute to the unknown, surprising route we all must walk. “Questions I have many, answers but a few…I’ll keep travelin’ thru…”
Natasha Bedingfield – Unwritten – And finally, the perfect ending to the female adventurer’s travel playlist. “Staring at the blank page before you, Open up the dirty window, Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find.” In other words, the world is waiting to be discovered. And your progress across it is, of course, still unwritten.
What songs are on your playlist for the traveling woman?
~ Until the next adventure! ~ Kelli