how our family spent 60 hours together in a minivan and lived to tell about it: 6 road trip playlists

To celebrate the end of summer I'm emptying out my draft folder of all the wonderful ideas for blog posts I intended to share with you this summer.  Maybe they'll still be interesting to you at any time.  Or maybe you want to tuck it away for next summer.  

Either way, I hope you enjoy!

How our family of six spent 60 hours together in a minivan and lived to tell about it

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#1 - Everyone makes and shares a playlist

In the days before our travel music fit in digital space, Brian prided himself on spinning road trip playlists, barreling down the highway with one hand on the wheel and one hand shuffling through the giant CD binder on his lap.  Our kids fondly recall this experience as "Big Daddy Spinning the Hits", priding their young selves on identifying each new song within the first couple of notes.

So, a couple of things have changed since then, not least of which is added safety of plugging in a digital music source with pre-programmed playlists.  

We've learned a few things about listening to each other's ideal roadtrip music:

1.  A good playlist lasts for about 10 songs 

2.  No one talks through the music 

3.  No critiquing each other's selections 

4.  Sing-a-longs and random dance moves are encouraged

Murphy family road trip playlists 

(in order of youngest to oldest)

Natalie: 

1.  Drive All Night by NEEDTOBREATHE

2.  Trenches by Logan Daniel Garza

3.  Downtown by Lady Antebellum

4.  Riff off by Pitch Perfect Cast

5.  It Is Well With My Soul by Daniel Martin Moore

6.  Live Forever by Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors

7.  Dog Days Are Over by Florence and the Machine

8.  Gold Digger by Kanye West

9.  Next To Me by Emeli Sande

10. Alive by All Sons and Daughters

Kendra:

("courtesy of Bekah's supposedly-9th-grade iPod, because my iPod broke"): 

1. Lets Get it Started by the Black Eyed Peas

2. A-Team by Ed Sheeran

3. God's Gonna Cut You Down by Johnny Cash

4. Helena Beat by Foster the People

5. Mr. Brightside by The Killers

6. Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield (probably spelled that wrong, just so you know)

7. Ammunition by Switchfoot

8. Club Can't Handle Me by Flo Rida 

9. Boom by P.O.D.

10. The Underdog by Spoon

from Kendra: Obviously this is a throwback playlist, MAKE SURE you mention that to all your followers. I'd like to be known for having a themed playlist. Not that it's a competition or anything (except it totally is).

Bekah:

1. Build Me Up Buttercup- The Foundations 

2. Comeback Kid (That's My Dog)- Brett Dennen 

3. Down There- Bronze Radio Return

4. I Love the Nightlife- Alicia Bridges 

5. Lost in My Mind- The Head and the Heart 

6. Once in a Lifetime- Talking Heads 

7. Spirit in the Sky- Norman Greenbaum 

8. All We Are- Matt Nathanson 

9. The Way We Get By- Spoon 

10. Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight- James Taylor 

Alex:

1.  Entertainment--Phoenix

2.  We Don't Care--Kanye West

3.  I Love the Nightlife (Disco 'Round)--Alicia Bridges

4.  Peace Train--Cat Stevens

5.  Unbelievers--Vampire Weekend

6.  Say It to Me Now--Glen Hansard

7.  Colombia--Local Natives

8.  One Way Trigger--The Strokes

9.  Demon Dance--Surfer Blood

10. Lorelai--Fleet Foxes

Andrew:

1.  Towers Down Under - B.I.M.A. (Bon Iver mashup album, online)

2.  Doo Wop Chop - Where's Ulysses (listen to this song here)

3.  Elephant - Tame Impala

4.  100 Dollars - Manchester Orchestra

5.  Sowing Season - Brand New

6.  Wavin' Flag - K'naan

7.  With a little Help from my Friends - The Beatles

8.  Getting Better - The Beatles

9.  Steve McQueen - m83

10. Please Ask For Help - Telekinises

11. Everyman needs a companion - Father John Misty

Tamara: 

The original soundtrack from Elizabethtown (only listen while we drive through Kentucky!)

Brian:

1.  Back in Time - Huey Lewis and the News
2.  Mess Around - Ray Charles
3.  What I Like About You - The Romantics
4.  I'm On A Roll (Live) - Over the Rhine
5.  Margaritaville - Jimmy Buffet
6.  Something Like That - Tim McGraw
7.  American Girl - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
8.  Bad Reputation - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
9.  You Can Call Me Al - Paul Simon
10. Wagon Wheel - Old Crow Medicine Show