ROUTE 66 Theme Song, by Nelson Riddle, a Jazzy Classic, Inspired by an American Car.

Jan. 29 2014 | Lee Martell

[Joe Boucher]

we took 6 weeks and could have taken much more time.

[greene66]

Passing through Hernando, MS, on several occasions, I’ve asked a few people if they remember the filming of the episode there. It was a fascinating episode, guest-starring Barry Sullivan.

I had a good friend (now deceased) who was a background extra in an episode that took place in Austin/Kerrville. He was a UT college student at the time. Mentioned how Martin Milner came out, met with people, and was extremely friendly to everyone.

I’ve traveled most of Route 66, at least the parts that still exist, and weren’t eradicated, from St. Louis to California.

[dennisw]

I always liked The Stones version of the Bobby Troup tune. It got me driving a lot of Rt 66 in 1983 through Flagstaff Arizona, don’t forget Winona and so on

As I drove a car from California to the East Coast

[dfwgator]

As I alluded to above, I’m not a Depeche Mode fan, but they did a pretty cool version of it, as well.

[Nachum]

The Peter Gunn theme is one of my all time favorites!

[Nachum]

Ah, never heard Telstar. It does remind me of Knights of Cydonia lyrics -Muse

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHpTQB-bH9M

Thought this is more today than yesterday’s sound

[okie01]

Thanks for the clue.

[okie01]

Nelson Riddle was commissioned to write the instrumental theme when CBS decided to have a new song, rather than pay royalties for the Bobby Troup song “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66.” Riddle’s theme, however, offers an unmistakable homage to the latter’s piano solo (as originally recorded by Nat King Cole) throughout the number.

Damn! I remember the music now...and the piano break. And it was a fresh piece of music...which included a deep bow to the original.

I imagine if you had asked Riddle (now deceased) who wrote the theme for Route 66, he might've replied "Well, actually, it was Bobby Troup...and I just fiddled with it in the arrangement."

[VerySadAmerican]

green 66...thus your screen name?

I’ve driven RT 66 from Amarillo through most of Arizona. It’s a great look back in history. As a kid I always wanted to “motor west” on that famous highway.

I also remember the signs painted on barn roofs in the Southeastern states saying “SEE ROCK CITY - SEE SEVEN STATES FROM ONE LOCATION!”. I found one a few years ago that was in pretty good shape and got a great pic. If you drive US 64 from Memphis and go east always look at the old barns sitting along the side of the road. Especially ones that are falling down and being overtaken by plant life. lots of them will have the faded sign on them.

I’ve always wanted to travel the Lincoln Highway from NY to the San Francisco.

[greene66]

Nope, screen name has nothing to do with Route 66.

But I’ve always been keen on roadside americana. Used to travel endlessly on state highways in the 80s/90s, and would shoot photos of old buildings and signage along the highways. Semi-collected old postcards of such things as well.

Whenever I travel back to places I shot photos of back then, I notice that 95% of what I took is now gone. All the old individualistic country stores, gas stations, restaurants, etc. Very little left.

[VerySadAmerican]

I’ve done the same thing over the years. I see these old “gas stations” and think about how it used to be. I remember walking 4 miles to a store to get a “coke”. We appreciated “treats” a lot more back then.

As I get older I realize that Walmarts, good cars and good highways weren’t necessarily good for the country. All the little towns started dying when a thirty mile trip to go shopping got to be a nice, comfortable drive. And the savings paid for the gas.

[Lovely-Day-For-A-Guinness]

As I alluded to above, I’m not a Depeche Mode fan, but they did a pretty cool version of it, as well.

And the best Depeche Mode version is the beat master remix, where the game show, Name That Tune, is sampled.

It's by far the best version of Rt.66 done by any band.

I have a relation that had a service station on Rt.66, in Odell, Illinois. We have a great photo of him in front of the station. I'd love to have the pumps, signs, etc. that were there.

[driftless2]

"Rock City"

Seven states? Really?

[VerySadAmerican]

Yep. Seven states from the top of the mountain. (One of them is Tennessee.) As a kid I pictured it looking like a map with each state a different color.

[VerySadAmerican]

I hope this works. If it doesn’t just do a yahoo search https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=A0LEV2F2.OpSFDUAMRhXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTB0OWZnM2hxBHNlYwNzYwRjb2xvA2JmMQR2dGlkA1NNRTM5OF8x?_adv_prop=image&fr=yfp-t-901-s&va=see+rock+city+chattanooga

[VerySadAmerican]

I just discovered a picture I took of a barn is on the internet. It’s grouped with a bunch of “See Rock City” images I found through a yahoo search. Can anyone tell me how it got on there? I sure didn’t post it.

[deks]

If you never put it on FR or anywhere else where someone could copy it, then maybe someone took a picture of the barn and they were standing in the very same spot as you :)

[VerySadAmerican]

After closer inspection I realize someone else did take almost the exact picture. He’s a little more to one side than I was and the leaves on the tree are different. With the internet there are probably a lot of pictures out there that people think they took.