Yup, another thread about song topics.

I'll start it off with Cars-Gary Newman.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Im3JzxlatUs


Cat

"Driving in My Car" is a song by Madness. It was released as a stand-alone single on 24 July 1982 and spent eight weeks on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number four. It reached number 20 on the Australian Singles Chart. The B-side to the single was "Animal Farm", a mostly instrumental reworking of the song "Tomorrow's Dream" from the album 7. The 12" release of the single included the song "Riding on My Bike", which is basically a rewording of the main track, sung by Lee Thompson. "Driving in My Car" was the 13th in a run of 20 consecutive UK top 20 hits for Madness, and is the only one of those 20 never to have been officially released on a Madness album in the USA. It was later included on the 2010 re-release of the band's 1982 album The Rise and Fall, as well as its two B-sides.

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Beep, Beep (Little Nash Rambler)-the Playmates


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enqNl7tdLR4


Cat

"Little Deuce Coupe" is a song written by Brian Wilson and Roger Christian. The song first appeared as the B-side to The Beach Boys' 1963 single "Surfer Girl". The car referred to is the 1932 Ford Model 18 (deuce being for the year). "Little Deuce Coupe" became The Beach Boys' highest charting B-side, peaking on September 28, 1963, at No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The car referred to is the Ford Model 18; the 1932 coupe model was referred to as a "deuce coupe".

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"Tell Laura I Love Her" is a teenage tragedy song written by Jeff Barry and Ben Raleigh. It was a US top ten popular music hit for singer Ray Peterson in 1960 on RCA Victor Records, reaching No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Later that same year, it was recorded and released by Ricky Valance in the United Kingdom, where it went to the No. 1 spot on the UK Singles Chart. The song has been a hit in 14 countries, and has sold over seven million copies. Valance's version was initially banned by the BBC; it was considered to be in "bad taste" and expressed concern for copycat activity.

Tommy who is in love with Laura and wants to marry her, so he enters a stock car race...

Ray Peterson
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Ricky Valance
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"Autobahn" is a 1974 song by German electronic band Kraftwerk, released as the lead single from their studio album of the same name. The song was composed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider of the band, with Emil Schult collaborating on the lyrics. It was co-produced by Conny Plank, and is the band's first track to use sung lyrics. Recorded in 1974, the song is designed to capture the feel of driving on a motorway. "Autobahn" is Kraftwerk's biggest hit in the US, reaching number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100.

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Fun, Fun, Fun-The Beach Boys


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VF_o-N0fhZ0&list=RDVF_o-N0fhZ0&start_radio=1



Cat

Paradise by the Dashboard Light-Meatloaf


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C11MzbEcHlw


Cat

I think this qualifies -

William DeVaughn - Be Thankful For What You Got (1974)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXQxdj0N-es

David Crosby
"Drive My Car"
1988

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9nvNTsx7gw

Here's an album cut from his excellent 33 1/3 album -

George Harrison - It's What You Value (1976)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKzOepIYqLg

T. Rex
"Bang A Gong (Get It On)"
1971

(Released in the UK as "Get It On")

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVEhDrJzM8E

Here's an album cut from his excellent 33 1/3 album -

George Harrison - It's What You Value (1976)



And another...

George Harrison
"Faster"
1979

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZfzNQO4iiI

Paul & Linda McCartney
"Back Seat of My Car"
1971

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKsgckliB84

The Normal
"Warm Leatherette"
1978

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5QErPDNcj4

"The Little Old Lady (from Pasadena)" - Jan and Dean

She's the terror of Colorado Boulevard.

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"Ridin' In My Car" - NRBQ

I saw N.R.B.Q. when I was in college back in 1985.

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"Fire" - The Pointer Sisters

Originally a Bruce Springsteen song, this cover by the Pointer Sisters was a big hit when I was in high school.

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"Fire Lake" - Bob Seger

Here's another song that really takes me back to high school.  This one is about riding motorcycles instead of cars ("Who's gonna ride that chrome three-wheeler?"  "Who wants to wear gypsy leathers all the way to Fire Lake?").

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"Running On Empty" - Jackson Browne

Driving down a highway as a metaphor for life itself.

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Jefferson Airplane
"East Starch Mom"
1972

"Put a little starch in the old Corvette..."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMb7iunzAss

"Drive My Car" - The Beatles

Beep beep, beep beep, yeah!

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Papa John Creach (featuring Grace Slick)
"The Janitor Drives A Cadillac"
1971

An underground classic from jefferson Airplane/Hot Tuna violinist Papa John Creach.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDcAdcxTTYE

"I'm Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band)" - The Moody Blues

A thousand miles can lead so to many ways
Just to know who's driving what a help it would be

From their 1972 album Seventh Sojourn.

Supposedly the backstory is that John Lodge was asked by a fan to write some sort of protest song, just as many artists back then did.  He supposedly said to himself, "I don't know anything about politics, I'm just a singer in a rock-n-roll band...", then ... lightbulb moment!

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"Mercedes Benz" - Janis Joplin

One of Janis Joplin's last songs; she died a few days after recording it.  She probably intended it as a rejection of materialism, but, IIRC, back in the 1990s, this song was used unironically in an actual Mercedes commercial.

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Donovan
"Car Car (Riding In My Car)"
1965

Donovan's version of the Woody Guthrie song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmBQ_-qTXQI

B.T.O. - Roll On Down The Highway (1975)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBZqmJjIDPw

"Mercedes Benz" - Janis Joplin

One of Janis Joplin's last songs; she died a few days after recording it.  She probably intended it as a rejection of materialism, but, IIRC, back in the 1990s, this song was used unironically in an actual Mercedes commercial.

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I remember when this song came out. This is one of my go-to songs that I sing a lot.


Cat

I remember when this song came out. This is one of my go-to songs that I sing a lot.


Cat


When I saw Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Review in 1975, the song's co-author and Joplin close friend Bobby Neuwirth sang the song using Janis's own guitar. (He did it with musical accompaniment rather than a capella).

"Little Red Corvette" - Prince

So from a Mercedes we downgrade (or is it upgrade? I don't know much about cars, especially as status symbols) to a Corvette.

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"Hot Rod Hearts" - Robbie Dupree

Another song from high school.

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"Fast Car" - Tracy Chapman

This one came out when I was in college.

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So from a Mercedes to a Corvette, now we downgrade (?) even further to a ...

"Pink Cadillac" - Bruce Springsteen

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In the early 80s, Gino Vannelli, known for power ballads such as I Just Wanna Stop (1978) and Living Inside Myself (1981), took a time out to re-brand his sound and in 1984, released a new wave song called Black Cars, which by 1985 had peaked at #4 in Canada and #42 in the US.  It went on to become his signature song in Canada and is one that I rank high in the songs that I cannot live without.  I grew up with this one and I still listen to it often!

Gino Vannelli - Black Cars (1985)
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Hopefully not to soon? http://www.inthe00s.com/Smileys/santa/grin.gif

"Driving Home for Christmas" is a Christmas song written and composed by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea. The first version was originally released as the B-side to his single "Hello Friend" in 1986. In October 1988, a re-recorded version served as one of two new songs on Rea's first compilation album New Light Through Old Windows. It was issued as the fourth single from the album in November 1988, where it peaked at number 53 on the UK Singles Chart as the lead track of The Christmas EP. Despite its original modest chart placement, the song has made a reappearance on the UK Singles Chart every year since 2007 when it peaked at No. 33, and is featured among the Top 10 Christmas singles. It reached a new peak of number 10 on the UK Singles Chart in 2021. In a UK-wide poll in December 2012, it was voted twelfth on the ITV television special The Nation's Favourite Christmas Song.

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In the golden days of the 50s and 60s, there were lots of songs about teenagers in love and living happily ever after, but not this one!  Guy borrows his dad's car to take his girl out on a date, and as they are driving, up ahead is a stalled car and as they swerve to avoid it, a violent crash ensues and she is knocked unconscious.  He then vows to be a good person to ensure he will one day reunite with her in heaven as he gives her a last kiss before she dies.

Last Kiss was written and first recorded in 1961 by Wayne Cochrane.  In 1964, a cover by J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers went to #2 in the US and #2 in Canada.  In 1973, a version by the group Wednesday went to #34 in the US and #2 in the Canada and in 1999, Pearl Jam took it to #2 in both The US and Canada

Wednesday - Last Kiss (1973)
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Pearl Jam - Last Kiss (1999)
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Hopefully not to soon? http://www.inthe00s.com/Smileys/santa/grin.gif

"Driving Home for Christmas" is a Christmas song written and composed by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea. The first version was originally released as the B-side to his single "Hello Friend" in 1986. In October 1988, a re-recorded version served as one of two new songs on Rea's first compilation album New Light Through Old Windows. It was issued as the fourth single from the album in November 1988, where it peaked at number 53 on the UK Singles Chart as the lead track of The Christmas EP. Despite its original modest chart placement, the song has made a reappearance on the UK Singles Chart every year since 2007 when it peaked at No. 33, and is featured among the Top 10 Christmas singles. It reached a new peak of number 10 on the UK Singles Chart in 2021. In a UK-wide poll in December 2012, it was voted twelfth on the ITV television special The Nation's Favourite Christmas Song.


It's never too early for that one.  I love that song!

This one peaked at #51 in Canada and I still hear it from time to time on the radio.  Colin James is not a big star outside of Canada but he should have been.  His blend of Rock, Blues and Swing is superb!

Colin James - Chicks 'N Cars (and The Third World War) (1989)
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"I'm in Love with My Car" is a song by the British rock band Queen, released on their fourth album A Night at the Opera in 1975. It is the album's only song written entirely by drummer Roger Taylor. This song was on the B-side of the UK vinyl pressing of the "Bohemian Rhapsody" single.

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Here is early hip-hip at it's finest from a female American hip-hop duo called L'Trimm.  This one peaked at #54 in the US and is a fun little song!

L'Trimm - Cars With the Boom (1988)
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In the golden days of the 50s and 60s, there were lots of songs about teenagers in love and living happily ever after, but not this one!  Guy borrows his dad's car to take his girl out on a date, and as they are driving, up ahead is a stalled car and as they swerve to avoid it, a violent crash ensues and she is knocked unconscious.  He then vows to be a good person to ensure he will one day reunite with her in heaven as he gives her a last kiss before she dies.



This belongs to the so-called "teenage tragedy" genre of songs, popular in the late 50s and early 60s. Wikipedia describes it like this:

A teenage tragedy song is a style of sentimental ballad in popular music that peaked in popularity in the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Lamenting teenage death scenarios in melodramatic fashion, these songs were variously sung from the viewpoint of the dead person's romantic interest, another witness to the tragedy, or the dead or dying person. Examples of the style are also known as "tear jerkers", "death discs" or "splatter platters", among other names coined by DJs that passed into the vernacular.

Notable examples of teenage tragedy songs include "Teen Angel" by Mark Dinning (1959), "Tell Laura I Love Her" by Ray Peterson (1960), "Ebony Eyes" by the Everly Brothers (1961), "Last Kiss" by Wayne Cochran (1961), "Dead Man's Curve" by Jan and Dean (1964), and "Leader of the Pack" by the Shangri-Las (1964).  The genre's popularity faded around 1965 amid the British Invasion, but the form has inspired many similar songs and parodies since.

This belongs to the so-called "teenage tragedy" genre of songs, popular in the late 50s and early 60s. Wikipedia describes it like this:

A teenage tragedy song is a style of sentimental ballad in popular music that peaked in popularity in the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Lamenting teenage death scenarios in melodramatic fashion, these songs were variously sung from the viewpoint of the dead person's romantic interest, another witness to the tragedy, or the dead or dying person. Examples of the style are also known as "tear jerkers", "death discs" or "splatter platters", among other names coined by DJs that passed into the vernacular.

Notable examples of teenage tragedy songs include "Teen Angel" by Mark Dinning (1959), "Tell Laura I Love Her" by Ray Peterson (1960), "Ebony Eyes" by the Everly Brothers (1961), "Last Kiss" by Wayne Cochran (1961), "Dead Man's Curve" by Jan and Dean (1964), and "Leader of the Pack" by the Shangri-Las (1964).  The genre's popularity faded around 1965 amid the British Invasion, but the form has inspired many similar songs and parodies since.



That was before safety features like seat belts & air bags. You are more apt to survive a car accident today than you did in the '50s.


Cat

"Convoy" is a 1975 novelty song performed by C. W. McCall (a character co-created and voiced by Bill Fries, along with Chip Davis) that became a number-one song on both the country and pop charts in the US and is listed 98th among Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Country Songs of All Time. Written by McCall and Chip Davis, the song spent six weeks at number one on the country charts and one week at number one on the pop charts. The song went to number one in Canada as well, hitting the top of the RPM Top Singles Chart on January 24, 1976. "Convoy" also peaked at number two in the UK. The song capitalized on the fad for citizens band (CB) radio. The song was the inspiration for the 1978 Sam Peckinpah film Convoy, for which McCall rerecorded the song to fit the film's storyline.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4i_z6JOKkVk
In Your Car The Cool-Notes

Making Love in a Subaru-Damaskas (1979)  ;D ;D ;D


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IKoGt-Pk8A


Cat

Deep Purple - Highway Star (1972)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2BO3UTOhZ8

This one hails from my Junior High School days -

Doobie Brothers - Rockin' Down The Highway (1972)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqtrE-iZsz0

Everything But the Girl - Driving (1990)

This peaked at #54 in the UK and #90 in Canada.  Despite it's low chart peak, I remember hearing this one on the radio a lot.  It has a sax solo, so that's a 100% yes please for me!

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Bachman-Turner Overdrive - Roll on Down the Highway (1975)

This peaked at #4 in Canada, #14 in the US and #22 in the UK


I think we already got that one here:

http://www.inthe00s.com/index.php?topic=65691.msg4245549#msg4245549

"Driver's Seat" - Sniff 'n' the Tears

An early New Wave hit from 1978.

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I think we already got that one here:

http://www.inthe00s.com/index.php?topic=65691.msg4245549#msg4245549



Dang, not sure how I missed that

Shut Up And Drive by Rihanna (2007) also qualifies.

"Low Rider" - War

Another song from my childhood

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The Fixx - Driven Out (1989)

This peaked at #41 in Canada and #55 in the US. 

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"Vehicle" - The Ides of March

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"On The Road Again" - Canned Heat

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Another one with the same name:

"On The Road Again" - Willie Nelson

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This song reminds me of a longhaired guy I knew in college who managed to hitchhike his way across the Midwest.

"Hitchin' A Ride" - Vanity Fare

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"Snowed In" - Albert Collins

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A friend in college who was a DJ introduced me to Albert Collins and this song.  This blues song tells the story a guy stuck in a Chicago snowstorm during a horrifically snowy winter.  He tries and tries to start his truck so he can escape to warmer climes.  All the sound effects you hear are produced with his guitar.  Later that year I got to see him perform on campus.  Everyone was transfixed when he played this song.

Johnny Bond-Hot Rod Lincoln. (1960)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZu5TwRbYiA


Cat

Haven't seen this one yet

Eddie Rabbitt - Drivin' My Life Away (1980)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85FjvRefXAY

Huey Lewis and the News - Give Me the Keys (And I'll Drive You Crazy) (1989)

This peaked at #47 in the US and #61 in Canada

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Lindsey Buckingham - Holiday Road (1983)

While this song only peaked at #82 in the US, it is well known for it's use in the film National Lampoon's Vacation, for which it was written for, and also appeared in the sequels National Lampoon's European Vacation in 1985, Vegas Vacation in 1997 and Vacation in 2015

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Chris Rea - The Road to Hell (Part 2) (1989)

This peaked at #10 in the UK and in 1990 peaked at #32 in Canada

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The Cars
"Drive"
1984

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAxA-okbK_Q

Lindsey Buckingham - Holiday Road (1983)

While this song only peaked at #82 in the US, it is well known for it's use in the film National Lampoon's Vacation, for which it was written for, and also appeared in the sequels National Lampoon's European Vacation in 1985, Vegas Vacation in 1997 and Vacation in 2015


I like creating slideshows especially on our trips. When we went across country, I try to take a pic of the "Welcome to.." or "Entering..." signs. On our 2013 cross country trip, I used this song for the slideshow of just the pics of those signs.


Cat

"2-4-6-8 Motorway" is a song by Tom Robinson. It was released as a single in 1977 by British punk rock/new wave group the Tom Robinson Band, and reached No. 5 in the UK Singles Chart. The song is about the joys of driving a lorry through a rainy night, until dawn.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeVt6Z2jw2I
Randy Andy-Motor Song

"Take It Easy" is the debut single by the American rock band Eagles, written by Jackson Browne and Eagles band member Glenn Frey, who also provides lead vocals. It was released on May 1, 1972, and peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on July 22, 1972. It was also the opening track of the band's eponymous debut album and has become one of their signature songs, included on all of their live and compilation albums.

"don't let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy"

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Egmekfr53nk

Pink Cadillac - Natalie Cole

I just remembered this smash -

Aretha Franklin - Freeway Of Love (1985)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auRu9d__4Ws