3 Hit Songs From the 1970s That Were Written on the Road

Some songs are written at home, others are written on the spot in the studio. And some, on rare occasions, are written while the artist is touring across the country, letting the wide open road inspire their creativity. Let’s take a look at a few such road songs from the 1970s, shall we?

“Coyote” by Joni Mitchell (1977)

“Coyote” by Joni Mitchell can be found on the 1977 album Hejira. According to lore, the song was inspired by actor and musician Sam Shepard. He briefly connected with Mitchell during Bob Dylan’s 1975-1976 tour. Martin Scorsese’s documentary about the tour showcases footage of Mitchell singing “Coyote”. That has led many to think the song was written during that very tour. It’s an incredibly flirtatious song that doesn’t quite border on vulgar. And it’s a gorgeous example of what Mitchell could do with words.

“Turn The Page” by Bob Seger (1973)

This classic rock jam from Bob Seger was written in 1972. It was penned when he was on the road with Teegarden & Van Winkle.

“We had been playing somewhere in the Midwest, or the northern reaches, on our way to North or South Dakota,” said Teegarden & Van Winkle drummer David Teegarden of the song’s origins. “[…] When I walked in [to a truck stop], there was this gauntlet of truckers making comments – ‘Is that a girl or man?’ I was seething; those guys were laughing their asses off, a big funny joke. That next night, after we played our gig – I think it was Mitchell, S.D. – Seger says, ‘Hey, I’ve been working on this song for a bit, I’ve got this new line for it.’ He played it on acoustic guitar, and there was that line: ‘Oh, the same old cliches / ‘Is that a woman or a man?’’ It was ‘Turn The Page’.”

“The Ties That Bind” by Bruce Springsteen (1979)

How about a little bit of jangle pop with a rock edge? Bruce Springsteen, the Boss himself, penned this tune while on the Darkness Tour between September and October 1978. This stunning example of 1970s road songs was intended to be the title track of a late 1979 album that never came to be. But after returning to the song, he decided to record it and include it on the double album The River. A stunning song that touches on the tensions between the desire for community and the impulsion to be alone, just about anyone could relate to “The Ties That Bind”.

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