Baby, you can drive my car.

Recently I've started driving to work again. That last sentence makes it sound like I have a choice in the matter, when sadly, I don't. It's either driving or the Kingston bus system, which, I'm told, is somewhat lacking in the functionality department. I guess I could take a taxi, but that's excessive even by my standards. I'm not a huge fan of driving, although I do love being driven around. I once wrote that very thing in an online dating profile, back when car ownership was one of the qualities I was looking for in a potential partner, mostly because I hoped to eventually have a boyfriend to pick me up from work. Sadly all the automotive owners were either crazy or drove Saturns, and I bit the bullet, closed down my Nerve account, and bought my own car. These days I make a lot of badass mix CDs to quell the cranky panic that often overcomes me every morning. Here's a sample of the world's best drive to work playlist.

The North Pole--The Walkmen



Arguably the best Fuck You song of all time.

Weakened State--Sarah Harmer



I've posted this one before but it bears reposting.

The Cheapest Key--Kathleen Edwards

Embedding disabled my ass. This is a truly terrible video.

Heavy Metal Drummer--Wilco



This clip is from I Am Trying To Break Your Heart, which I pretty much know by heart. This is one of the best moments in the whole movie, second only to all the other moments of the whole thing.

Gronlandic Edit--Of Montreal



Best played when you have other people to do the harmonies on the chorus.

Cut Your Hair--Pavement



I don't care how played into the ground this song was in 1994, it still gets me jacked every damn time. Every hell damn ass time.

Panic--The Smiths



Or, you know, most Smiths songs.

Baby Don't Do It--The Band



Listening to this song should be mandatory for all people on all days. Hell yes, Levon. Hell yes.

And finally, anything and everything by Joel Plaskett, but mostly A Million Dollars.

Driving to work in the summer makes me feel like I'm seventeen again. There was one summer when my parents went away and left the car with me, and I could drive myself home from work after the late shift at the library. I'd cruise the streets of Hamilton with the windows down, listening to, like, lounge music or Van Morrison or whatever cultivatedly eccentric thing I was into. I felt freer than I'd ever felt in my life. It was pretty amazing.

So maybe, on second thought, I don't hate driving so much.