Cruising and playing the radio

Posted on by brucehhackett

Ever since 1955, when rock ‘n roll pioneer Chuck Berry wrote and sang about how “Maybellene” rode off in her Cadillac Coupe De Ville and he chased her in his V8 Ford, cars and driving have been fertile topics for rock music lyrics.

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In the Sixties, as we listened on tinny AM car radios, Berry, The Beach Boys, Jan & Dean and many others sang hits about cruising around in cars, making out in cars, racing in cars: “I’m gettin’ bored drivin’ up and down the same old strip…“, “We both popped the clutch when the light turned green, /You should’ve heard the whine from my screamin’ machine…“, “Ridin’ along in my automobile, my baby beside me at the wheel…“, “She’ll have fun, fun, fun ’til her Daddy takes the T-Bird away…”

In the Seventies, listening to tunes in the car became an even bigger thing. We had so many more choices with FM radio stations, and then 8-tracks and cassettes, and it seemed like every other song Bruce Springsteen released was about hitting the highway in search of new adventures — “Born to Run,” “Drive All Night,” “Pink Cadillac,” “Thunder Road,” “Racing in the Street”…

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There are anthems for just about every mood that strikes when you’re behind the wheel, whether it’s a restless need to break away (Steppenwolf’s “Born to Be Wild”), an urgent desire for lustful romance (Meat Loaf’s “Paradise By the Dashboard Light”), driving all night to reach somebody (Golden Earring’s “Radar Love”) or a strong compulsion to chase your dreams (Cat Stevens’ “On the Road to Find Out”).

In the ’80s, ’90s and beyond, lyricists have continued to focus on being behind the wheel: has continued to be Certainly, there are plenty of songs from 1990 to present that focus on being behind the wheel — Tom Cochrane’s “Life is a Highway” (1991), Marc Cohn’s “Silver Thunderbird” (1991), The Offspring’s “Bad Habit” (1994), Wilco’s “Passenger Side” (1995).

With summer just about here, the time seemed right for me to compile a setlist of 25 great songs about cars and driving for your road trip.  There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, to choose from, but I’ve whittled the list down to two dozen (plus one) of my favorites, trying to strike a balance among the artists, genres and periods.  No doubt I missed a few, but I hope you enjoy these tracks that, um, drive me wild.

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“G.T.O.,” Ronny and the Daytonas, 1964

“Listen to her tachin’ up now, listen to her whine, come on and turn it on, wind it up, blow it out…”

This song could’ve been a commercial for the high-powered “muscle car” introduced by Pontiac in 1964.  The group, originally from Nashville, had relocated to California and introduced country elements into the surf music scene.  The single peaked at #4 nationally.

“Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car,” Billy Ocean, 1988

“Lady driver, let me take your wheel, smooth operator, touch my bumper, hey let’s make a deal…”

Ocean had multiple Top Five hits between 1983 and 1990, none bigger than this #1 smash in 1988, inspired by a line from Ringo’s 1974 hit, “You’re Sixteen” (“You walked out of my dreams and into my car, now you’re my angel divine…”)

“Drive My Car,” The Beatles, 1965

“I got no car and it’s breaking my heart, but I found a driver and that’s a start…”

McCartney’s original lyric for this leadoff track from their 1965 LP “Rubber Soul” was “Baby you can wear my ring,” but Lennon nixed that, changing it to bring more sexual innuendo into the words.

“I’m in Love With My Car,” Queen, 1975

“When I’m holding your wheel, all I hear is your gear, when I’m cruisin’ in overdrive…”

It wasn’t Freddie Mercury but drummer Roger Taylor who wrote and sang this rocker from Queen’s 1975 LP “A Night at the Opera,” which is another great example of equating a passion for cars with a desire for sex.

“Dead Man’s Curve,” Jan & Dean, 1964

“We both popped the clutch when the light turned green, you shoulda heard the whine from my screamin’ machine…”

Sunset Boulevard, Vine Street, Crescent Heights and Doheny Drive are all real streets in West Hollywood mentioned in this tragic soap opera, which was a big #8 hit single for this duo in 1964.  Ironically, Jan Berry had a near-fatal car crash in that vicinity two years later.

“Low Rider,” War, 1975

“Low rider don’t use no gas now, low rider don’t drive too fast, take a little trip and see…”

All of War’s members got co-writing credit on this popular track about the Chicano culture practice of hydraulically hot-rodding classic cars. The #1 hit has appeared in 18 movies, including “Cheech and Chong’s Up in Smoke,” “21 Grams” and “Dazed and Confused.”

“Moonlight Drive,” The Doors, 1967

“Come on baby, gonna take a little ride, down, down by the ocean side…”

When keyboardist Ray Manzarek read Jim Morrison’s poetry about moonlight drives and swimming to the moon, he readily agreed to form The Doors, who earned legendary status as one of LA’s finest groups.  The song appeared on their second LP, “Strange Days.”

“Drivin’,” Pearl Harbour & the Explosions, 1979

“I’m drivin’, I’m only drivin’, I know I got no place to go…”

This San Francisco-based punk/New Wave band had a loyal following in the Bay Area and flirted with national stardom in 1979 with this great single that barely climbed into the Top 40, with its perky beat and strong vocals by Pearl E. Gates.

“Fire,” Bruce Springsteen, 1978

“I’m drivin’ in my car, I turn on the radio, I’m pulling you close, you just say no…”

The Boss felt this smoldering classic just didn’t fit with the rest of the songs on his “Darkness on the Edge of Town” LP that year, so he left it off, but often played it in concert.  The Pointer Sisters took their version to #2 in early 1979.

“Freeway of Love,” Aretha Franklin, 1984

“We got some places to see, I brought all the maps with me, so jump in, it ain’t no sin, take a ride in my machine…”

One of 1985’s biggest songs was this #3 hit from Aretha’s comeback LP,”Who’s Zoomin’ Who?”  It won a Grammy and featured a Clarence Clemons sax solo, and its popular music video showed cars being manufactured and driven all over The Motor City.

“Radar Love,” Golden Earring, 1974

“I’ve been drivin’ all night, my hand’s wet on the wheel…and it’s half past four and I’m shiftin’ gear…”

The Dutch band Golden Earring had a lengthy career in Holland and elsewhere in Europe, but their US success was limited to a couple hits, most notably the classic rock staple “Radar Love,” which focused on the driver’s need to drive fast to reach his girl.

“Roll On Down the Highway,” Bachman-Turner Overdrive, 1975

“Cop’s on the corner, look, he’s starting to write, well, I don’t need no ticket so I screamed out of sight…”

Fred Turner had been commissioned to write music for Ford Motor commercials, but they never used any of it.  Robbie (not Randy) Bachman took one piece, made a few tweaks and added lyrics, and BTO had their fourth Top 20 single in 1975.

“Cruisin’,” Jefferson Starship, 1976

“Hey, pretty baby, let’s go for a ride, cruisin’ the freeway sittin’ side by side…”

Jefferson Airplane leader Marty Balin left the band in 1970 but ultimately rejoined once they became the more pop-sounding Jefferson Starship, and came up with several hits (“Miracles,” “With Your Love”), and this ode to hitting the road with the love of your life.

“No Particular Place to Go,” Chuck Berry, 1964

“Ridin’ along in my automobile, my baby beside me at the wheel, I stole a kiss at the turn of a mile…”

Berry had the cojones to steal his own song when he lifted the music from his 1957 hit “School Days,” wrote new lyrics about driving with his lady, and enjoyed a #10 hit in 1964 in the midst of the Beatles’ British Invasion.  Seat belts were never so prominently mentioned as in this tune.

“Highway Star,” Deep Purple, 1972

“Nobody gonna beat my car, it’s gonna break the speed of sound…”

This rock warhorse was written on a tour bus in 1971 when guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and vocalist Ian Gillan were asked by a reporter how their songwriting process worked.  They eventually turned it into a highlight of their live shows.

“Running on Empty,” Jackson Browne, 1977

“Looking out at the road rushing under my wheels, I don’t know how to tell you all just how crazy this life feels…”

For his fifth album, Browne decided to record his new songs live on stage, in hotel rooms, even on a tour bus, describing what life is like for a touring musician in the 1970s.  This title track was one of his biggest hits, peaking at #11.

“Baby Driver,” Simon and Garfunkel, 1969

“Once upon a pair of wheels, hit the road and I’m gone, what’s my number, I wonder how your engine feels…”

This slyly hilarious tune, first released as the B-side to “The Boxer,” was a real departure for this usually reserved duo.  The sound of revving motors and a race track announcer punctuate this whimsical song, which is really about teen sex when the parents are away.

“Brand New Cadillac,” The Clash, 1979

“My baby drove up in a brand new Cadillac, she said, ‘Hey come here, Daddy, I ain’t never comin’ back’…”

Written in 1959 by British rock and roller Vince Taylor, it was covered by several other European groups in subsequent years, culminating in its most well-known version, a terse, frenetic track on The Clash’s classic “London Calling” double LP.

“Let It Roll,” Little Feat, 1989

“Move on over, stand astride, my cruise control’s in overdrive, need to take my baby for a ride…”

Easily one of the most underrated bands of the 1970s, Little Feat regrouped in 1988 and came up with the delightful “Let It Roll” LP, featuring Paul Barrere’s and Bill Payne’s fantastic title track, which is pretty much the perfect road song.

“Take It Easy, The Eagles, 1972

“Well, I’m runnin’ down the road, tryin’ to loosen my load, got a world of trouble on my mind…”

Jackson Browne had written 90 percent of this song before Glenn Frey added the line about the girl in the flatbed Ford slowing down to have a look.  Browne recorded it on his “For Everyman” LP, but The Eagles made it their successful debut single.

“Chevy Van,” Sammy Johns, 1975

“Better keep your eyes on the road, son, better slow this vehicle down…”

Country singer-songwriter Johns wrote this sex-in-the-car classic in 1973 and recorded it in LA with members of The Wrecking Crew, and the result was a #5 charting and a million records sold. Many other country artists have covered the song in the years since.

“Vehicle,” The Ides of March, 1970

“Hey, well, I’m a friendly stranger in a black sedan, won’t you hop inside my car…”

In high school, Ron Peterik of Chicago-based Ides of March had a crush on a girl he often gave rides to, and he was frustrated when nothing ever came of it.  “All I am is her vehicle,” he sighed, then realized it was great inspiration for a song, which hit #2 in 1970.

“Ragtop Day,” Jimmy Buffett, 1984

“I put on my weekend clothes, turn on the rock and roll, throw all our cares away, it’s a ragtop day…”

Ragtops are, of course, convertibles, which are crucial components of the automobile culture in Florida, Southern California and other warm-weather locales.  Buffett knows all about that, and wrote this catchy tune for his “Riddles in the Sand” LP in 1984.

“Rockin’ Down the Highway, The Doobie Brothers, 1972

“Got those highway blues, can’t you hear my motor runnin’, flying down the road with my foot on the floor…”

Doobies chief songwriter Tom Johnston lived in San Jose and spent a lot of time driving back and forth through the mountains to Santa Cruz, and he came up with this carefree song about that experience.  One of the band’s most popular in-concert tunes.

“Little Deuce Coupe,” The Beach Boys, 1963

“She’s got a competition clutch with the four on the floor…”

This one, the B-side of the group’s “Surfer Girl” single, was Brian Wilson’s favorite “car song” from their catalog. “It had a great little ‘shuffle’ rhythm,” he said. It’s about a 1932 Ford Model 15, which was known at the time as”deuce coupé,” but they pronounced it as “coop.” It reached #15 on US charts.

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Honorable Mention:

“Pink Cadillac,” Bruce Springsteen, 1984; “Hot Rod Lincoln,” Commander Cody, 1972;  “Life in the Fast Lane,” The Eagles, 1977;  “Black Limousine,” The Rolling Stones, 1981;  “Mercedes Benz,” Janis Joplin, 1971;  “Drag City,” Jan and Dean, 1963;  “I Can’t Drive 55,” Sammy Hagar, 1984;  “Fast Car,” Tracy Chapman 1988;  “A Gallon of Gas,” The Kinks, 1979;  “Little Red Corvette,” Prince, 1983;  “Truckin’,”  The Grateful Dead, 1970;  “On the Road Again,” Canned Heat, 1969;  “On the Road Again,” Willie Nelson, 1980; “Ramblin’ Man,” The Allman Brothers Band, 1973.

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Nations of the world, we can all get along

Posted on by brucehhackett

I do not consider myself much of a world traveler. Indeed, when given the choice these days, I’d rather just stay close to home, which happens to be in Nashville.

But my wife enjoys traveling, so I go along with her plan if I can. This week, we’re booked on a Mediterranean cruise that began in Rome and moves on to Livorno, Italy; Monte Carlo, Monaco; Marseille, France; Sete, France; and Barcelona, Spain. Except for Rome, these are all places I’ve never seen. In fact, I’ve never been anywhere in France or Spain before, so I’m kind of excited to broaden my horizons.

And that’s the point of travel, isn’t it? Get out of our comfort zones of familiarity and try something different, and someplace new. I have friends who have been to 40-50 countries or more, and I have friends who’ve barely left the United States. I guess I fall somewhere in between.

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In past posts on this blog, I have assembled playlists of songs that refer to specific U.S. states, American cities, world cities, and countries. This week, since I’m supposed to be on vacation, I am re-running the piece on songs with various countries in the title. I have switched out a few of the 15 selected nations just to give it a new, different twist than the one I published six years ago. These 15 songs by popular artists offer music and/or lyrics that pay homage to other nations (as well as the U.S.), including the places I’m currently visiting.

I hope you enjoy this sort of international music travelogue.

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“Little Italy,” Stephen Bishop, 1976

“Careless,” Bishop’s remarkable debut album, is full of gorgeous melodies and polished production.  The #11 hit “On and On” got most of the attention, but I’m also partial to “Little Italy,” Bishop’s appreciation for the Italian neighborhoods that bring spirited cultural life to many major US cities:  “Ah mama, am I holding on to the wings of a prayer, /Waiting for Rosie, tell me, do you think she cares? /Ah, dancing in the streets, in little Italy, ah, they’re all dancing in the streets in Little Italy…”

“France,” Grateful Dead, 1978

Guitarist Bob Weir and drummer Mickey Hart collaborated with Dead lyricist Robert Hunter to write a tribute to France for their “Shakedown Street” LP.  Hunter had traveled to the Riviera the previous year and found it every bit as delightful as he anticipated it would be:  “Way down in the south of France, all the ladies love to dance, clap their hands and walk on air, /Yeah, the feeling’s really there, won’t you take a little taste, raise it to your charming face?…”

“Never Been to Spain,” Three Dog Night, 1971

This tune, written by Hoyt Axton, may have been a big hit in the US for Three Dog Night, but as the title states, he doesn’t know much about Spain, since he’s never been there.  But he knows enough to know that the indigenous music is lively and the native women are friendly:  “Well, I’ve never been to Spain, but I kinda like the music, /Say, the ladies are insane there, and they sure know how to use it, /They don’t abuse it, never gonna lose it, I can’t refuse it…”

“Panama,” Crosby, Stills and Nash, 1994

CSN’s “After the Storm” LP was pretty much a dud critically and commercially, but there are still a few decent tracks buried in there.  One of them is Stephen Stills’ “Panama,” an ode to the Central American country where he spent time in his early years:  “Have you seen Panama, where I first fell in love, /It will forever be an emerald necklace set between the seas, /So clearly I recall the magic of Panama, and surely never will it let me go, /Yo Soy Panameno…”

“China Girl,” David Bowie, 1983

In 1976, Bowie teamed up with Iggy Pop to write this tune about an American man who falls in love with an Asian woman, even though he concludes he’s a bad influence on her. Iggy recorded and first released it on his 1977 LP “The Idiot.” Six years later, Bowie recorded his own version, which producer Nile Rogers turned into a pop song that became the second single released from Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” LP, reaching #10 on US pop charts: “My little China girl, you shouldn’t mess with me, /I’ll ruin everything you are, you know it, /I’ll give you television, I’ll give you eyes of blue, I’ll give you a man who wants to rule the world…”

“Canadian Railroad Trilogy,” Gordon Lightfoot, 1967

The CBC TV network commissioned Lightfoot to compose this marvelous song as part of Canada’s Centennial celebration in 1967.  The tune tells the story of the Trans-Canada Railway’s construction, balancing the optimism of the 1860s railroad age with the cost in blood and sweat of the “navvies” who labored to get the project completed:  “We are the navvies who work upon the railway, swingin’ our hammers in the bright blazin’ sun, /Layin’ down track and buildin’ the bridges, bendin’ our backs ’til the railroad is done…”

“Bermuda Triangle,” Fleetwood Mac, 1974

On “Heroes Are Hard to Find,” the last Fleetwood Mac LP before Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joined the lineup, guitarist/singer Bob Welch wrote this irresistible rocker concerning the urban legend about strange occurrences and disappearances that have allegedly happened in the vicinity of this Atlantic island nation. Turns out subsequent investigations have concluded no evidence of higher incidence there than any other region of the world. “There’s something going on, nobody seems to know just what it is, /It might be a hole down in the ocean, or a fog that won’t let go, /It might be some crazy people talking, or somebody that we ought to know, /Down in Bermuda, the pale blue sea, /Way down in the triangle, it’s easy to believe…”

“Ethiopia,” Joni Mitchell, 1985

Mitchell’s “Dog Eat Dog” LP is full of angry diatribes, a far cry from the emotional heartbreak that made her famous throughout the Seventies.  She was moved to write “Ethiopia,” she said, because of the too-brief concern shown by first-world countries during the terrible famine that has plagued the African nation:  “Betrayed by politics, abandoned by the rains, /On and on the human need, on and on the human greed profanes, Ethiopia, Ethiopia…”

“Postcards From Paraguay,” Mark Knopfler, 2004

Since the breakup of Dire Straits, songwriter-guitarist Mark Knopfler has quietly yet reliably put out intelligent albums marked by his trademark slow-burn guitar stylings, English folk structures and well-crafted storytelling.  On “Postcards From Paraguay” from his “Shangri-La” album, he describes the life of a criminal on the run:  “I robbed a bank full of dinero, a great big mountain of dough, so it was goodbye companero and cheerio, I couldn’t stay and face the music, so many reasons why I won’t be sending postcards from Paraguay…”

“Vietnam,” Jimmy Cliff, 1969

Cliff was among the first reggae artists to have success with U.S. audiences.  Like Bob Marley after him, Cliff combined a deep spiritual love of life with a fierce message condemning injustice and war.  At the height of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, he released this song on his debut album:  “His mother got a telegram, it was addressed from Vietnam, /Now, mistress Brown, she lives in the USA, and this is what she wrote and said: /‘Don’t be alarmed,’ she told me the telegram said, “But mistress Brown, your son is dead…’”

“Made in England,” Ian Anderson, 1983

Born in Scotland, Anderson also spent his formative years in England, and has lived in both countries off and on his whole life.  His love of native folk music is visible through much of the lighter acoustic numbers in the Jethro Tull catalog, and this song, from his debut solo LP “Walk Into Light,” celebrates England’s natural beauty and traditions: “Somewhere in a town in England, could be Newcastle, Leeds or Birmingham… /And were you made in England’s green and pleasant land?…”

“Far Afghanistan,” James Taylor, 2015

This is a powerful piece about a land most of us will never know or understand.  Taylor’s lyrics do a superb job in giving a mini-history lesson and a look at what U.S. soldiers found during their tours there:  “They fought against the Russians, they fought against the Brits, they fought old Alexander, talking ’bout him ever since, /And after 9/11, here comes your Uncle Sam, another painful lesson in the far Afghanistan…  /I expected to be hated and insulted to my face, but nothing could prepare me for the beauty of the place…”

“Move to Japan,” The Band, 1993

The Band had dissolved in 1977, but they reunited without Robbie Robertson to record the LP “Jericho.”  On “Move to Japan,” drummer/singer Levon Helm was inspired to write about a friend who gave up on the U.S. job market in favor of Japan’s:  “From the unemployment line I see lots to be done, and they’re taking all hands in the land of the risin’ sun, /I love my mom and my apple pie, but sayonara Uncle Sam, hello Samurai, /Hey, we’re gonna move to Japan, the home of the working man…” 

“Bangla Desh,” George Harrison, 1971

In early 1971, natural disasters and a military crackdown by the ruling government had brought about hundreds of thousands of deaths in East Pakistan, soon to be known as Bangla Desh.  Harrison’s friend Ravi Shankar, a Bengali native, solicited help from the sympathetic former Beatle, and the result was the “Concert for Bangla Desh” charity event and album, and the “Bangla Desh” single:  “Bangla Desh, Bangla Desh, where so many people are dying fast, /And it sure looks like a mess, I’ve never seen such distress, /Now won’t you lend your hand, try to understand, relieve the people of Bangla Desh…”

“American Tune,” Paul Simon, 1973

This amazing song from Simon’s “There Goes Rhymin’ Simon” LP, with music based on a Bach chorale, turned out to be prescient about what we’ve been facing here in the 21st Century — where we’ve been, where we are now, where we might be headed — and it’s a sobering analysis: “I don’t know a soul who’s not been battered, I don’t have a friend who feels at ease, /I don’t know a dream that’s not been shattered or driven to its knees, /Oh, but it’s all right, it’s all right, for we’ve lived so well so long, /Still, when I think of the road we’re traveling on, I wonder what’s gone wrong…”

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Honorable mentions:

“Give Ireland Back to the Irish,” Wings, 1971;  “Cedars of Lebanon,” U2, 2009; “Angola,” Ambrosia, 1978;  “Jamaica Say You Will,” Jackson Browne, 1972;  “Mexico,” James Taylor, 1975; “In Germany Before the War,” Randy Newman, 1977; “Panama,” Van Halen.

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