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Talk about an appropriate theme! After trips to both Vermont and Chattanooga, my wild summer vacation is coming to a close. It has brought me Cracker Barrel visits, a brief illness, and a movie called Troll 2 that I’ll be writing about very soon.

And finally, my vacation has brought me here: The last night before everything goes back to normal. Before work creeps in and all of the food comes out of my own refrigerator. Obviously, I need songs to help me wind this thing down. Obviously, I need to Crank. That. Hit.

(crank it up… after the jump)

(1) “The Resolution” by Jack’s Mannequin –

 

This song is just now catching on, so I didn’t even hear it until this vacation began. But it only takes a second to recognize a sweeping alt-rock anthem with an enormous chorus that sounds great with the windows rolled down as you drive down barely-lit country roads. And since that’s what I do at the end of any trip to Chattanooga–I love being able to drive through quiet places filled with trees-this song is a perfect fit.

For me, the end of a vacation needs this blend of melancholy and energy. I’m sad to be leaving, but I’m happy to be returning to a life I enjoy.

(2) “Vacation” by The Go-Gos — Because you want to party as long as you possibly can. And because the irony of punk rock chicks singing sugary pop tunes slyly addresses the fact that you’re singing a vacation song just as your vacation is ending.

(3) “Gone Till November” by Wyclef — What I like about this selection is that Wyclef acknowledges he’s leaving… but he also says he’ll be back in November. Your vacation may be over, but you will have another one, so chin up, bucko! (And okay… this song is about leaving to do some illegal hustling. But don’t feel like you have to hustle in order to enjoy it.)

(4) “Work It” by Missy Elliott —

 

Look… I’ll make any excuse to listen to this bomb-ass song (or watch its mind-blowing video.) But it also fits this week’s theme. And why? Because you are about to go back to work, so you may as well listen to a song that tells you to work it. Use Missy and Timbaland’s crazy genius to get you psyched about returning to the grind.

(5) “Good To Be On the Road Back Home” by Cornershop – Remember Cornershop? They had that one song? “Brimful of Asha?” With that line, “Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow?”

Well that song is on a pretty great album, When I Was Born for the 7th Time, that includes this stellar track. It’s a midtempo, alt-country ode to… well… getting on the road back home. Listening to it invites a sense of peace. The current journey has ended, and now it’s time to revisit your home base.

Two more awesome things: (1) Paula Frazer does a guest vocal on the song, and she has a great voice. (2) The lyrics include the lines, “Leave Chattanooga/Go back to New York City.” Which is what I’m actually doing!!

The guys in Cornershop are British, so I’d imagine they sang about “Chattanooga” because they realized it’s a fun word to say, not because they’ve ever visited. But I’m still choosing to see it as a sign. A sign!

(Sadly, that YouTube clip cuts off before Paula Frazer sings the line I quoted, but you can still hear Cornershop leader Tjinder Singh mention my fair city at 3:02.)