(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66

By Bobby Troup
1946

A popular hit for Nat King Cole soon after its publication, the song was inspired by a trip the composer Troup made along the fabled roadway from Pennsylvania to California. Troup claimed that the catalog of town names that makes up so much of the song was put there mainly because of writer's block on his part when it came to lyrics. A very fun song.

Lyrics (complete lyrics recorded only in the Perry Como version):

Mister, you may have travelled near or far,
But you haven't seen the country,
'Till you've seen the country by car!
Mister, may I recommend a royal route?
It starts in Illinois, let me tell you boy!

If you ever plan to motor west,
Travel my way, take the highway, that's the best!
Get your kicks on Route 66!

It winds from Chicago to L.A.,
More than two thousand miles all the way!
Get your kicks on Route 66!

You go through St. Louis, Joplin, Missouri,
And Oklahoma City is a mighty purdy!
You'll see Amarillo, Gallup, New Mexico,
Flagstaff, Arizona, don't forget Winona,
Kingman, Barstow, San Bernardino!

Won't you get hip to this timely tip,
When you make that California trip?
Get your kicks on Route 66!

Springfield, Illinois, Springfield, Missouri too!
Seven states--count 'em, seven,
Spread out in front of you!

You'll like the aroma of Tulsa, Oklahoma,
Albuquerque and Tucumcari, make New Mexico extraordinary!
You'll wanna own a piece of Arizona,
Needles, Essex, Amboy, Azusa,
No one in sunny Cal is a loser.

So get hip to this timely tip,
When you make that California trip!
If any Joe tells you to go some other way,
Say nix!
Get your kicks on Route 66!

Recorded By:

Tierney Sutton
Chuck Berry
Perry Como
Bob Dylan
The Rolling Stones