The Beatles spent quite some time on the road. Their touring schedule was robust. So much so, that the end of their career saw them all but announce their retirement from the road. Nevertheless, they logged many hours on the tour bus prior to calling it quits. Because of this, life on the open road became a familiar facet of their music. Find our four favorite road songs from the fab four, below.
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1. “Magical Mystery Tour“
The Magical Mystery Tour
Is waiting to take you away
Waiting to take you away
Perhaps The Beatles’ most distinctive road song is “Magical Mystery Tour.” The song acted as the title track for both a record and an accompanying film. The made-for-TV project saw the foursome get into all kinds of wacky shenanigans while out on the road. The equally mystifying song pairs perfectly with the off-kilter movie. No other band could pull “Magical Mystery Tour” off.
2. “Two of Us“
Two of us riding nowhere
Spending someone’s hard-earned pay
You and me, Sunday driving
Not arriving, on our way back home
This two-hander between Paul McCartney and John Lennon sees them dreaming of making their way back home after many days on the road—something we’re sure The Beatles did a great deal of. Though this song was written with Linda McCartney in mind, it could ostensibly be a commentary on the trials of touring.
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3. “Ticket to Ride“
She’s got a ticket to ride
But she don’t care
In “Ticket to Ride,” The Beatles are left heartbroken after a lover they invited along on tour turns the offer down. She’s got a ticket to ride, but she don’t care, the refrain laments. One can almost imagine John Lennon wistfully staring out the bus window after having to board alone. Life on the road isn’t as sweet without somewhere to share it with.
4. “Drive My Car“
Baby, you can drive my car
Yes, I’m gonna be a star
In “Drive My Car,” The Beatles get downgraded from rockstars to chauffeurs. Despite their career-change, they still end up spending a significant amount of time out on the road, only this time they’re behind the wheel. Of course, Baby, you can drive my car, is more of a euphemism than it is an explicit request, but we can still count this among The Beatles songs that would pair well with a long drive.
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