The Top 5 Ski Songs of All Time
By, Barclay Idsal
You know that song, the one you’ve always wanted to include while directing the modern day “Blizzard of Aaaahs?” Yeah we’ve got a few of those too. Here are the Unofficial top 5 ski songs of all time.
1) Riders on the Storm: The Doors
This Doors classic that put the finishing touches on Jim Morrison’s final album LA Woman is the most fitting tune for private powder days. Mind altering, calming, and Zen-like “Riders” as Morrison called it, captures the ski-bum like a deer in the headlights. When a couple friends drive up a mountain pass to their home ski area or a lone solo-artist rides a double chair alone, they’re thinking of Riders. The song itself captures the escapism that Skiing in its purest form seeks to emulate. Riders is not just a song that resembles skiing, Riders on the Storm is skiing.
2) Jah Houphouët: Alpha Blondy
Before Henrik Harlaut was throwing nose butter, triple cork 1620’s, Greg Stump was filming Scott Kennet with his world famous dog Zudnik shredding the perfect mix of steep Telluride moguls and perfectly spaced glades that provided some of the best shots in ski history (see 3:49 in the clip below). Cheers to one of the best backbeats in reggae history. Jah is pleased with this pick.
The song has since been featured in other ski movies/edits over the years like Nimbus Independent’s Compass (Jump to 10:02). http://nimbusindependent.com/videos/indie-films/
3) Young Men Dead: The Black Angels
You finally made it to Alaska or AK as your bro’s call it. You find yourself perched on a knife-edge summit, that funnels into a couloir the size or your penis (skinny) and you want to hear music (never mind backcountry etiquette). The helicopter flies in front of your face. What are you going to play? That was an easy one.
4) La Femme de Argent: AIR
The metal heads are going to get all Metallica on me here in a second (get old and suck). This song wins gold as a solo mission beater that takes you into moonscape pow fields that you wish never ended. These Frenchman get weird for seven minutes and it’s as melodic as it is structured like skiing deep pow through aspen groves.
5) Sam and Dave: I’m a Soul Man
This one goes out to the Jackson Hole Tram. If you live in Jackson, you’ve probably heard of the Soul Tram. As a visitor it may make your trip. The Soul Tram rides once each day and the tram operator and soul spiritualist let’s the soul tram ride to a favorite jam. The best song you can get on a soul tram: I’m a Soul Man by Sam and Dave or the Blues Brothers… whatever floats your tram.