"Route 66" was first recorded in 1946 by Nat King Cole, whose rendition became a hit on both the U.S. R&B and pop record charts. The version recorded by Perry Como in 1959 is more complete, including the seldom-heard second verse and also the introductory verse.The song has become a pop standard and has since been covered by numerous other vocal and instrumental artists, including:
| Route 66 | Way Out West...& East |
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On the journey from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon and Sedona we used the old road Route 66, which passed into history because of one song (Story is at the foot of the page). I always thought of the song as a Rock classic....depressing to think Perry Como was one of the first to record it. Flagstaff as well as being on Route 66 also celebrates the importance of that other vital early mode of transport, the railway. |
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Bobby Troup conceived the idea for
the song while driving west from
Pennsylvania
to
Los Angeles, California,
and the lyrics — which include references to the
U.S. highway
of the title and many of the cities it passes through —
celebrate the romance and freedom of
automobile
travel. In an interview he once said the tune for the
song, as well as the lyric "Get your kicks on Route 66"
came to him easily, but the remainder of the lyrics
eluded him. More in frustration than anything else he
simply filled up the song with the names of towns and
cities on the highway. |
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Specifically mentioned, in order, are St. Louis, Missouri; Joplin, Missouri; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Amarillo, Texas; Gallup, New Mexico; Flagstaff, Arizona; Winona, Arizona; Kingman, Arizona; Barstow, California; and San Bernardino, California. Winona is the only town out of sequence in the list. It was a very small settlement east of Flagstaff, and might indeed have been forgotten if not for the song's lyric, "Don't forget Winona", written to rhyme with "Flagstaff, Arizona." |
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