100 Greatest Car Songs
Criteria: SUBJECT MATTER: A song that is about a car will rate higher than a song that merely references one. "Rocket 88" and "Maybellene" are two of the greatest ever, on that I'm sure we'll all agree. One's about a car, the other's about a chick. The Olds wins!
AUTOMOTIVE REFERENCES AND THE QUALITY THEREOF: "I got a fuel injected engine sittin' under my hood" blows away "ridin' in the hood" (no matter how big the rims are!). The composer who has had grease under the fingernails generally writes a better CAR song. This does not mean more abstract songs are omitted from consideration.
DOES THE SONG "DO BUSINE$$": Let's suppose were producing a box set of the greatest car songs of all time to sell on late night TV (for instance). We want the folks at home to race to the telephone! Right? Enjoy the ride!
"It had a four barrel, 409, gas was down to 29, four speed, posi-traction, guaranteed some back seat action...". Those are some lyrics to one of my favorite car songs of all time: "Real Man's Car" by a band from Long Valley, NJ named BLUE SPARKS FROM HELL. It's a killer car song with all the right elements: many automotive references (correct ones!), driving rhythm, machismo attitude and well produced to boot. Will it make this list of the top 100 greatest car songs of all time? I doubt it.
Those of us who are interested in this subject are VERY passionate about what makes a good "car song". Luckily, from a practical standpoint, we are talking about the greatest examples, and they are just that. In the true sense of the word they are distinguished from their counterparts. They stand larger than the rest. As good as an obscure song may be, resplendent with its killer musicianship,lyrics and references, if it hasn't made it's mark on pop culture it will have little, if any, presence on this list.
The Golden Gup
AUTOMOTIVE REFERENCES AND THE QUALITY THEREOF: "I got a fuel injected engine sittin' under my hood" blows away "ridin' in the hood" (no matter how big the rims are!). The composer who has had grease under the fingernails generally writes a better CAR song. This does not mean more abstract songs are omitted from consideration.
DOES THE SONG "DO BUSINE$$": Let's suppose were producing a box set of the greatest car songs of all time to sell on late night TV (for instance). We want the folks at home to race to the telephone! Right? Enjoy the ride!
"It had a four barrel, 409, gas was down to 29, four speed, posi-traction, guaranteed some back seat action...". Those are some lyrics to one of my favorite car songs of all time: "Real Man's Car" by a band from Long Valley, NJ named BLUE SPARKS FROM HELL. It's a killer car song with all the right elements: many automotive references (correct ones!), driving rhythm, machismo attitude and well produced to boot. Will it make this list of the top 100 greatest car songs of all time? I doubt it.
Those of us who are interested in this subject are VERY passionate about what makes a good "car song". Luckily, from a practical standpoint, we are talking about the greatest examples, and they are just that. In the true sense of the word they are distinguished from their counterparts. They stand larger than the rest. As good as an obscure song may be, resplendent with its killer musicianship,lyrics and references, if it hasn't made it's mark on pop culture it will have little, if any, presence on this list.
The Golden Gup
Greatest Car Songs
1. Hot Rod Lincoln
Commander Cody / Charlie Ryan / Johnny Bond / Bill Kirchen
2. Rocket 88
Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats
3. Little Deuce Coupe
Beach Boys
4. G.T.O.
Ronny and the Daytonas
5. Hey Little Cobra
Rip Chords
Commander Cody / Charlie Ryan / Johnny Bond / Bill Kirchen
2. Rocket 88
Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats
3. Little Deuce Coupe
Beach Boys
4. G.T.O.
Ronny and the Daytonas
5. Hey Little Cobra
Rip Chords
6. 409
Beach Boys
7. One Piece At A Time
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Three
8. Low Rider
War
9. Beep Beep
Playmates
10. Pink Cadillac
Bruce Springsteen
11. Maybellene
Chuck Berry
12. Little Red Corvette
Prince
13. Shut Down
Beach Boys
14. Mustang Sally
Wilson Pickett / Sir Mack Rice
15. Fun Fun Fun
Beach Boys
16. The Little Old Lady (From Pasadena)
Jan & Dean
17. Dead Man's Curve
Jan & Dean
18. Racing In The Street
Bruce Springsteen
19. Mercury Blues
K.C. Douglas/Alan Jackson / Steve Miller Band
20. 455 Rocket
Kathy Mattea
21. Hot Rod Race
Arkie Shibley / Ramblin' Jimmy Dolan
22. Greased Lightnin'
John Travolta "Grease" Soundtrack
23. Drag City
Jan & Dean
24. Ol '55
Eagles
25. In My Merry Oldsmobile
Billy Murray
26. Lord Mr. Ford
Jerry Reed
27. See The U.S.A. In Your Chevrolet
Dinah Shore
28. Last Kiss
J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers
29. Drive My Car
Beatles
30. Look At That Cadillac
Stray Cats
31. My Hooptie
Sir Mix-a-Lot
32. Long May You Run
Neil Young
33. Cadillac Ranch
Bruce Springsteen
34. No Money Down
Chuck Berry
35. Cadillac Red
Judds
36. You Can't Catch Me
Chuck Berry
37. Be Thankful For What You Got
William DeVaughn
38. Jaguar And The Thunderbird
Chuck Berry
39. Mercedes Benz
Janis Joplin
40. Whose Cadillac Is That
War
41. No Particular Place To Go
Chuck Berry
42. Tell Laura I Love Her
Ray Peterson
43. I'm In Love With My Car
Queen
44. Ride On Josephine
George Thorogood / Bo Diddley
45. Red Barchetta
Rush
46. Roll On Down The Highway
B.T.O.
47. Ain't Nothing Wrong With The Radio
Aaron Tippen
48. Radar Love
Golden Earring
49. Old Betsy Goes Boing, Boing, Boing
Hummers
50. (Seven Little Girls) Sitting In The Back Seat
Paul Evans
51. Car Wash
Rose Royce
52. Fireball Rolled A Seven
Dave Dudley
53. The Ballad Of Thunder Road
Robert Mitchum
54. You're Not Safe In A Japanese Car
John Goldsmith
55. Long White Cadillac
Dwight Yoakam
56. Rollin' In My Rolls
Moon Martin
57. The One I Loved Back Then
George Jones
58. Highway Star
Deep Purple
59. Goin' Mobile
The Who
60. Terraplane Blues
Robert Johnson
61. '49 Mercury Blues
Brian Setzer Orchestra
62. Cars
Gary Numan
63. Race With The Devil
Gene Vincent
64. Hot Rod Man
Tex Rubinowitz
65. Still Cruisin'
Beach Boys
66. Let It Roll
Little Feat
67. Hot Rod Gang
Stray Cats
68. Rockin' Down The Highway
Doobie Brothers
69. Transfusion
Nervous Norvus
70. Fishtail Blues
Wynonie Harris
71. Crown Victoria Custom '51
Jerry Lee Lewis
72. Voodoo Cadillac
Southern Culture on the Skids
73. V-8 Ford (Going To Your Funeral)
Buddy Moss
74. Pontiac Blues
Sonny Boy Williamson
75. White Cadillac
The Band
76. Vehicle
Ides of March
77. Dear Dad
Chuck Berry
78. Built For Speed
Stray Cats
79. I Gotta New Car
Big Boy Groves
80. Buick 59
Medallions
81. Red Cadillac And A Black Moustache
Bob Luman / Warren Smith
82. Jeepster
T-Rex
83. Rapid Roy
Jim Croce
84. Rev On The Red Line
Foreigner
85. Cadillac Jack
Andre Williams
86. Panama
Van Halen
87. Makin' Thunderbirds
Bob Seger
88. Deuce And A Quarter
All The Kings Men
89. Cars With The Boom
L'Trimm
90. "T" Model Blues
Lightnin' Hopkins
91. My Old Car
Lee Dorsey
92. Black And White Thunderbird
Delicates
93. Don't Worry Baby
Beach Boys
94. Drive It Home
Little Caesar
95. Black Sunshine
White Zombie
96. SS 396
Paul Revere and the Raiders
97. Car Crazy Cutie
Beach Boys
98. Motoring
Martha and the Vandellas
99. Little Rivi-Airhead
Junior Brown
100. Rusty Chevrolet
Da Yoopers
Beach Boys
7. One Piece At A Time
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Three
8. Low Rider
War
9. Beep Beep
Playmates
10. Pink Cadillac
Bruce Springsteen
11. Maybellene
Chuck Berry
12. Little Red Corvette
Prince
13. Shut Down
Beach Boys
14. Mustang Sally
Wilson Pickett / Sir Mack Rice
15. Fun Fun Fun
Beach Boys
16. The Little Old Lady (From Pasadena)
Jan & Dean
17. Dead Man's Curve
Jan & Dean
18. Racing In The Street
Bruce Springsteen
19. Mercury Blues
K.C. Douglas/Alan Jackson / Steve Miller Band
20. 455 Rocket
Kathy Mattea
21. Hot Rod Race
Arkie Shibley / Ramblin' Jimmy Dolan
22. Greased Lightnin'
John Travolta "Grease" Soundtrack
23. Drag City
Jan & Dean
24. Ol '55
Eagles
25. In My Merry Oldsmobile
Billy Murray
26. Lord Mr. Ford
Jerry Reed
27. See The U.S.A. In Your Chevrolet
Dinah Shore
28. Last Kiss
J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers
29. Drive My Car
Beatles
30. Look At That Cadillac
Stray Cats
31. My Hooptie
Sir Mix-a-Lot
32. Long May You Run
Neil Young
33. Cadillac Ranch
Bruce Springsteen
34. No Money Down
Chuck Berry
35. Cadillac Red
Judds
36. You Can't Catch Me
Chuck Berry
37. Be Thankful For What You Got
William DeVaughn
38. Jaguar And The Thunderbird
Chuck Berry
39. Mercedes Benz
Janis Joplin
40. Whose Cadillac Is That
War
41. No Particular Place To Go
Chuck Berry
42. Tell Laura I Love Her
Ray Peterson
43. I'm In Love With My Car
Queen
44. Ride On Josephine
George Thorogood / Bo Diddley
45. Red Barchetta
Rush
46. Roll On Down The Highway
B.T.O.
47. Ain't Nothing Wrong With The Radio
Aaron Tippen
48. Radar Love
Golden Earring
49. Old Betsy Goes Boing, Boing, Boing
Hummers
50. (Seven Little Girls) Sitting In The Back Seat
Paul Evans
51. Car Wash
Rose Royce
52. Fireball Rolled A Seven
Dave Dudley
53. The Ballad Of Thunder Road
Robert Mitchum
54. You're Not Safe In A Japanese Car
John Goldsmith
55. Long White Cadillac
Dwight Yoakam
56. Rollin' In My Rolls
Moon Martin
57. The One I Loved Back Then
George Jones
58. Highway Star
Deep Purple
59. Goin' Mobile
The Who
60. Terraplane Blues
Robert Johnson
61. '49 Mercury Blues
Brian Setzer Orchestra
62. Cars
Gary Numan
63. Race With The Devil
Gene Vincent
64. Hot Rod Man
Tex Rubinowitz
65. Still Cruisin'
Beach Boys
66. Let It Roll
Little Feat
67. Hot Rod Gang
Stray Cats
68. Rockin' Down The Highway
Doobie Brothers
69. Transfusion
Nervous Norvus
70. Fishtail Blues
Wynonie Harris
71. Crown Victoria Custom '51
Jerry Lee Lewis
72. Voodoo Cadillac
Southern Culture on the Skids
73. V-8 Ford (Going To Your Funeral)
Buddy Moss
74. Pontiac Blues
Sonny Boy Williamson
75. White Cadillac
The Band
76. Vehicle
Ides of March
77. Dear Dad
Chuck Berry
78. Built For Speed
Stray Cats
79. I Gotta New Car
Big Boy Groves
80. Buick 59
Medallions
81. Red Cadillac And A Black Moustache
Bob Luman / Warren Smith
82. Jeepster
T-Rex
83. Rapid Roy
Jim Croce
84. Rev On The Red Line
Foreigner
85. Cadillac Jack
Andre Williams
86. Panama
Van Halen
87. Makin' Thunderbirds
Bob Seger
88. Deuce And A Quarter
All The Kings Men
89. Cars With The Boom
L'Trimm
90. "T" Model Blues
Lightnin' Hopkins
91. My Old Car
Lee Dorsey
92. Black And White Thunderbird
Delicates
93. Don't Worry Baby
Beach Boys
94. Drive It Home
Little Caesar
95. Black Sunshine
White Zombie
96. SS 396
Paul Revere and the Raiders
97. Car Crazy Cutie
Beach Boys
98. Motoring
Martha and the Vandellas
99. Little Rivi-Airhead
Junior Brown
100. Rusty Chevrolet
Da Yoopers
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Compiled by: The Golden Gup,
"Cadillac of Mobile Disc-Jockeys"
www.goldengup.com
List Begun: 2010-03-23
Top 10 "18 wheeler" Truck Driving Songs
1. Six Days On The Road
Dave Dudley
2. East Bound And Down
Jerry Reed
3. Convoy
C.W. McCall
4. Roll On Eighteen Wheeler
Alabama
5. Phantom 309
Red Sovine
6. Willin'
Little Feat
7. 18 Wheels
John Stewart
8. Roll On Big Mama
Joe Stampley
9. Gear Jammer
George Thorogood
10. Truck Drivin' Man
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Dave Dudley
2. East Bound And Down
Jerry Reed
3. Convoy
C.W. McCall
4. Roll On Eighteen Wheeler
Alabama
5. Phantom 309
Red Sovine
6. Willin'
Little Feat
7. 18 Wheels
John Stewart
8. Roll On Big Mama
Joe Stampley
9. Gear Jammer
George Thorogood
10. Truck Drivin' Man
Lynyrd Skynyrd