Route 66

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Route 66
Single-Behind.JPG
Song Route 66
By Depeche Mode
Songwriter Bobby Troup
Produced by Depeche Mode
Dave Bascombe
Daniel Miller
Recorded at Guillaume Tell (Paris)
Konk (London)
Length (mm:ss) 4:11
Tempo 124.923 BPM
Time signature 4
4
Key A Minor
Recorded March 10, 1987
Originally released 28 December 1987
Live performances as Depeche Mode 88 times *
Total live performances 88 times *

"Route 66" is a cover of the Bobby Troup song "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66" recorded by Depeche Mode during the production of the 1987 album Music For The Masses. It was released as a B-side on the "Behind The Wheel" single on 28 December 1987.

Notes

Martin Gore and Andy Fletcher said in the commentary track on the DVD of '101' in 2003:

Martin Gore: "I thought it would be a good idea to record a driving song on the B-side of 'Behind The Wheel', and it was a nice idea to try and incorporate the elements that made up the song 'Behind The Wheel' into that version."

Andy Fletcher: "This is a version of 'Route 66' that was remixed by The Beatmasters. So we did our original version, and then we gave it to these very talented people called The Beatmasters, and they came up with this. It was mixed with a track of ours, called 'Behind The Wheel'. We wanted a driving track to go with it, so we chose 'Route 66'. It was very apt, obviously, for this film, regarding the travelling throughout America. And also ending up in LA as well, so it was perfect. [...] Martin actually got a call from the guy [songwriter Bobby Troup] when we did it, to say that it was one of his favourite versions."

Martin Gore told Best magazine in 1990 (translated from French):

"'Route 66' was a complete DIY. We did this song in less than a day in the studio and it was mixed immediately the next day. For us, there was nothing very serious about it, it was just a good B-side for 'Behind The Wheel', a song for the road. But everyone was crazy about it and we used it a lot for the movie '101'. The Americans even wanted to put it on the A-side of the single. In fact, I think this song was publicised too much, it was not made for that."

Alan Wilder also wrote in his 86-98 editorial in 1998:

"The entire concept for the single release of 'Behind The Wheel' is centred around the theme of motor travel, from the opening sample of a spinning saucepan lid designed to sound like a hub-cap, through to the B-side - a strange hybrid cover of the classic 'Route 66' which included the middle 8 from the A-side. Apart from its obvious vehicular connotations, Alan reveals that this cover was also chosen because Martin didn't have any original songs to use at the time."

Newspaper The Springfield News-Leader quotes Dave Gahan from an unspecified issue of magazine Alternative Press as saying:

"[The highway] held something mysterious for us, and we're known for pursuing that kind of feeling. It is something of an enigma, isn't it? There's something wildly unnerving about that highway."

Lyrics


Route 66

Well if you ever plan to motor west

Travel my way

Take the highway that's the best

Get your kicks on Route 66


Well it winds from Chicago

To LA

More than two thousand miles

All the way

Get your kicks on Route 66


Well it goes to St. Louis

Down to Missouri

Oklahoma City looks oh so pretty

You'll see Amarillo

Gallup, New Mexico

Flagstaff, Arizona

Don't forget Winona

Kingman, Barstow, San Bernardino


If you get hip to this kind of tip

And go take that California trip

Get your kicks on Route 66


Well it goes to St. Louis

Down to Missouri

Oklahoma City looks oh so pretty

You'll see Amarillo

Gallup, New Mexico

Flagstaff, Arizona

Don't forget Winona

Kingman, Barstow, San Bernardino


If you get hip to this kind of tip

And go take that California trip

Get your kicks on Route 66


Songwriter: Robert William Troup Jr.
Publishing Information: ©1946 Chappel / Morris Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Live performances

Main article: Available recordings of "Route 66"
Main article: List of dates where "Route 66" was played


1981-1985: Dreaming Of MeNew LifeJust Can't Get EnoughSee YouThe Meaning Of Love
Leave In SilenceGet The Balance RightEverything CountsLove In ItselfPeople Are PeopleMaster And ServantBlasphemous Rumours / SomebodyShake The DiseaseIt's Called A Heart
1986-1989: StrippedBut Not TonightA Question Of LustA Question Of TimeStrangelove
Never Let Me Down AgainBehind The WheelLittle 15Personal Jesus
1990-1998: Enjoy The SilencePolicy Of TruthWorld In My EyesI Feel YouWalking In My ShoesCondemnationIn Your RoomBarrel Of A GunIt's No GoodHomeUseless
Only When I Lose Myself
2001-2009: Dream OnI Feel LovedFreeloveGoodnight LoversPreciousA Pain That I'm Used To
Suffer WellJohn The Revelator / LilianMartyrWrongPeaceFragile Tension / Hole To Feed
2013-2017: HeavenSoothe My SoulShould Be HigherWhere's The RevolutionGoing Backwards
Cover Me
2023: Ghosts Again
1992-1998: Faith HealerDriftingStalker / Missing Piece
2000-2008: Strange HoursJezebelPreyAllelujah
2003-2008: Dirty Sticky FloorsI Need YouBottle Living / Hold OnA Little PieceKingdomSaw Something / Deeper And Deeper
2012-2015: Longest DayTake Me Back HomeAll Of This And NothingShine
1989-2003: CompulsionStardustLoverman
2012-2015: SpockSingle BlipAftermathsEuropa Hymn • "Pinking" (Christoffer Berg Remix)
Official releases