The beginning is a bit of mess as those Metropole guys try to create some order in an old Raymond Scott taxi epic, but at least it sounds like they’re having fun.
Next comes a pissed off sounding Ian Dury who’s been waiting for ages for a ride. Luckily he’s accompanied by his Blockheads under Chaz Jankel’s supervision.
We take a detour to Jamaica and observe Ini Kamoze calling for a taxi. Note that his band for this particular ride consist of the Taxi Gang, a.k.a. Sly & Robbie or the one and only Rhythm Twins!
French is a wonderful sounding language and especially when used by women, such as Vanessa Paradis who sings about her taxi driver who knows a lot of musical places in Paris.
Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass chartered an instrumental Mexican taxi ride, which was a huge hit in the 60s.
No lack of taxis in Africa where Amadou & Mariam (with some assistance from Manu Chao) go for a ride in Bamako.
Back in England Mickey Jupp is not a driver to mess with as he likes to do U-turns in a one-way street…
Although also British, 3 Mustaphas 3 takes their ride (musically at least) all over the world.
Harry Chapin serves us a sad tale of a cab driver meeting a former lover as a client in ‘Frisco…
Another latin taxi has arrived, this time driven by Osmani Garcia feat. Sensato & Pitbull, very different from that 60s Tijuana ride but just as much fun!
Back in the 1980s Jonah Moyo and Devera Ngwena were singing their praises of another African ride.
The Rhythm Twins offer us another instrumental ride which originally appeared on Taxi Records!
J. Blackfoot is in hurry to meet his lady and needs a ‘pedal to the metal’ ride… Colleen Green sings about wanting to be a taxi driver and being able to drive around all night!
Africa is a massive continent and consequently we have another tale of the taxi men there courtesy of Amadou Balaké.
That old Joni Mitchell song is more of a protest song about ‘paving up paradise’ than anything else, but once that taxi shows up (towards the end of her song) taking away her old man, ouch… For this compilation a 2003 version sung by Counting Crows feat. Vanessa Carlton is featured.
Even in 1980 taxies could give you the blues and this is illustrated by Fuse One, a jazz fusion super group featuring Stanley Clarke & others.
Much earlier though the real taxi blues was performed by both John Lee Hooker and The Treniers (a cover of that Little Richard track!)
Our final ride is short but sweet (& funny), delivered by none other than Stephen Lynch!