PLAYLIST: Our Seven Favourite Songs That Are Sort Of About Cars
There is an intrinsic link between music and being behind the wheel. Certain songs and certain genres, give us mere mortals a few minutes of belief that in a parallel universe we could have been another Sebastian Vettel.
However, what about tunes that do not necessarily make a “driving song”, but mention cars in them? We’ve taken the time to find seven certified bangers that (sort of) give our four-wheeled friends a shoutout.
Don’t Dream It’s Over, (Crowded House, 1986): (Crowded House, 1986): Don’t Dream It’s Over is, was, and will always be a great song. Front man Neil Finn, sung “now I’m towing my car, there’s a hole in the roof”. The best hair in rock’n’roll doesn’t specify what leaky car he was towing, we concluded this: Crowded House were quite big by the time Don’t Dream It’s Over was released and Neil had obviously earned some decent cash by this stage. We figured his leaky drop-top was almost certainly the 1980s classic SAAB 900 convertible - a timelessly cool car!
Shut Up and Drive (Rihanna - 2007): In a welcome break from tradition, Rihanna moved away from whatever shit she usually sings about to make a not so bad driving song. It even was featured in the ‘Cars’ movie.
Autobahn (Kraftwerk, 1974): Most of us here at cV grew up during the 1990s and early 2000s, so we enjoy electronic music for a variety of extra curricular reasons. It would be impossible to speak about the genre without mentioning Kraftwerk. Their 1974 hit Autobahn begins with a Volkswagen Beetle starting up and driving off somewhere. Love it or hate its, the little VW is more than a car - it’s a social movement that brought affordable transportation to the masses and defined a generation.
Paradise By The Dashboard Light, (Meatloaf, 1977): We’re not really fans of Meatloaf, no. But the larger gentleman from Texas makes a good effort at describing what shagging in a car must have been like during the 1970s. The man who “would do anything for love” but “won’t do THAT” sings “we were barely 17 and we were barely dressed.” The song was released in 1977, and the age of consent in his home-state is probably 12. Just a theory, though.
Get Outta My Dreams and Into My Car (Billy Ocean): Absolutely 80sTastic in every way, Get Outta My Dreams and Into My Car features everything you could want in a music video - a white Porsche 911 3.2, synths, and if you’re that way, scantily clad ladies. An absolute certified banger in every possible way, and a head-nod to the hedonistic days of three decades ago.
Little Honda (The Beach Boys, 1964): Allow us some creative license here because this song is about a “groovy little motorbike”. That said, we’re big fans of Honda here at cV, so we think this short, joy-filled tune sums up everything we love about them. “First gear, it’s all right, second gear, I’ll lean right, third gear, hang on tight” - if you’ve ever driven a Honda, you will know that this is not too dissimilar to the sensation you get “when the VTEC kicks in.” We think that this celebration of everything great about being on the open road is best suited to one of our favourite – the Civic Type R.
Gold Trans AM (Kesha, 2012): So American and trashy, that it’s good.
Enough. Until next time.