From before cars even had radios to listen with, music associated with cars has been part of popular culture.
“In My Merry Oldsmobile” was written in 1905 and is a good example of the way cars were already becoming a fixture in music. The old trope of country songs being mostly about lost love and pickup trucks isn’t for nothing, and hip-hop’s love of the ‘64 Chevolet Impala is well-documented.
Most of us have favourite driving songs, or entire albums that we play on roadtrips. One of my favourite Cold Chisel songs is Bow River, about a factory worker who has been saving up to get off the factory floor and head out on a road trip to his favourite place. Probably the only song I can think of that captures the excitement of a “set of brand-new tyres!”
Memory can be a strange thing. A smell, or a sound can instantly transport you back to a time or place.
Today we’re talking about how a certain song, a few songs or even an album can bring back a memory of a car.
We had a chat about this a while back in The Autopian Slack, and here are some songs that a few of the writers here associate with cars they or friends/family have owned.
Please Note: Some of the songs below may have lyrics or music videos that are Not Safe For Work, some discretion is advised.
Laurence Rogers
1975 Ford Escort XL MkII: Song for the Dead by Queens of the Stone Age
My first car, I used to blast this through the Kenwood system I installed at age 16 while sliding it around in the paddock, dreaming of having my Provisional Licence and wishing I could play drums like Dave Grohl!
1986 Holden ‘VL‘ Commodore: Through the Loop by Pendulum
My first ‘P plater’ car, with requisite subwoofer. I have strong memories of blasting this song at 7am on backroads on the way to TAFE (trade school) and learning to control rear-wheel-drive *cough* hoon *cough* with this song pumping and the lovely RB30E inline-six singing.
1979 Chrysler ‘CM’ Regal Sedan: Territorial Pissings by Nirvana
My first Valiant, I got it on the road for my 18th birthday so you can imagine how that tank of a car was driven by a teenager, with the song to match! The cheap tape deck had bad alternator whine coming through when you gave it some revs, which only added to the attitude of this song in my opinion!
1974 Valiant ‘VJ’ Charger: Good From Afar by Horsell Common
My favourite song when I bought the Charger at the end of high school, and an apt description of the vehicle’s condition at the time.
1975 Chrysler ‘VK’ Regal Sedan: Riders on the Storm by The Doors
This car was what we all hoped ‘barn-finds’ would be, garaged and undriven for 20 years before I bought it, a near-perfect survivor car. I used to listen to The Doors on long roadtrips, and even now this song brings back memories of the long bonnet with mirror-shine white paint at night with street lights passing overhead.
2000 Nissan R34 Skyline GT-T: Papercut by Linkin Park
Like most kids growing up in the 90s, both Gran Turismo and Nu-Metal left an indelible mark. Honestly any song on their debut album or Meteora still brings back memories of this JDM beast on a windy backroad or the mountain roads near Armidale (about 5 hours north of Dubbo) that I frequented when my partner was attending university nearby.
2006 Subaru WRX Club Spec 9: History’s Stranglers by The Bronx
I’ve wanted a WRX since I was around nine years old and had the world of turbos introduced to me via a ride in a WRX Sti Version 5 Sedan with some upgrades and a blow-off valve that sounded like an iron lung. This song kicks arse, this car kicks arse
1970 Valiant ‘VG’ Wayfarer Ute a.k.a. ‘Lenny’: Downhearted by Australian Crawl
Not so much the lyrics, it’s the vibe, mate.
Project Cactus: 6L GTR by The Chats
This song saw heavy rotation in the creation of this machine, a perfect fit.
Bek’s 1985 Suzuki Mighty Boy: Too Big for Your Boots by Stormzy
Something about driving this thing flat-out in the streets of Dubbo (yet still doing the speed limit because ~25hp), bopping along to some UK Grime is a perfect fit.
Much like other Kei cars, the only way to drive this car is to join team ‘Never Lift’.
Thomas Hundal
It’s funny because I remember most cars by songs.
My mate Jerry’s old CSX Type-S was CRASHTHECAR by William Crooks, Fraxiom, and Cavan Brady. Just tearing through Scarborough on VTEC to noisy pop.
His LS460 was Numb/Beverly Hills by Bladee because the bass separation of that Mark Levinson system was marvellous
And XC90 that replaced it is Best Places To Be A Mom by Taking Back Sundy, for obvious reasons.
My childhood best friend’s Crown Vic is Ricardo by 88Glam
And his old 545i/6 was The End Of Heartache by Killswitch Engage.
I guess my automotive history by songs goes something like this:
Cutlass – I’m An Adult Now by The Pursuit of Happiness
C1500 – Love? by Strapping Young Lad
Crown Victoria – Chelsea Smile by Bring Me The Horizon
G35 – Stress by Justice
325i – Too many songs!
Boxster – Dust by Frank Ocean
Mark Tucker
My 1989 Forest Service Chevy K1500 Cheyenne is equal parts Outta Mind Outta Sight by Wilco, Counterclockwise by Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers, and Stuck Between Stations by The Hold Steady.
So far the Chrysler 300C is Ozzy’s “Road To Nowhere,” since that’s what was on the radio when I backed it out of my dad’s garage for the last time.
And the MG is the entirety of Joe Jackson’s Look Sharp album, because I listened to that a lot while I was doing the engine work.
Rob Spiteri
My cars have a few songs:
2010 Toyota 4Runner:
4Runner by Rostam. This one goes without an explanation. A song named after a car? Liquid gold. The story behind how I discovered this song is actually pretty funny. I was listening to Sirius XM’s ALT Nation and they were doing a new song hour and this happened to come on while driving my ‘yota and I paid attention to the lyrics and almost rolled my truck.
You’re So Vain by Carly Simon. Good ole Carly Simon and a great song. I love listening to CS, and this particular song was in my Spotify top 10 songs of 2022. When driving my 4Runner, I’m not sure if it’s the ride height, the cockiness of that robust 4.0 V6, or the fact that it’ll run forever, that just adds that level of “vain” to the driving experience. Maybe this song would be more suitable for a 200 series Land Cruiser, but we’re ballin’ on a budget here.
Land Rover Disco:
Miracles by Jefferson Starship. It’s a miracle this thing is still running. That’s it. I believe in miracles, and owning this Disco without anything too major mechanically failing is certainly a miracle. End of story.
The Entire Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack. Come on, who said Disco is dead! It’s not! Through the power invested in the Bee Gees, Yvonne Elliman, and KC & The Sunshine Band together we keep Disco alive and running.
Mercedes Streeter
2012 Smart Fortwo
Kevin Rudolf’s ‘I Made It.’
The car is a representation for me that dreams can come true. It was my first Smart! For whatever reason, this specific song resonated with teenage me and connected it to the car.
2016 Smart Fortwo
Zedd’s ‘Ignite’ from League Of Legends.
No particular reason, it was the first song that played when I got in the car and now whenever it plays I think of the car.
Bonus: 2003 GMC Envoy
This was my parents’ car back in 2008. When I got my license, I used to take it out for drives to my secret beach, where I experimented with finding my own identity. It was the only place I felt it was safe to experiment with what I didn’t know was my trans identity. The song that makes me think of it the most is Lady Gaga’s ‘Paparazzi’
Stephen Walter Gossin
2003 Dodge Stratus Coupe SXT
Vidiots by Cupcakes
When the huge guitars kick in on the chorus, the lyrics direct the audience to “…take it to the next level”.
That’s exactly what was achieved with bringing this junkyard-bound coupe (with its blown head gasket) to becoming a daily driver for the past 7 years.
Lewin Day
NA Mazda Miata
It’d probably be my Miata, and when I used to run through the hills blasting White People for Peace by Against Me. Banger track for a hot run.
What songs bring back memories of your cars, or those of friends/family? Let us know in the comments!
Awesome piece Laurence! I dig your style, mate.
Never change.
Thanks SWG, and thank you for supporting this article all the way through it being formulated!
Not my car. But whenever I hear The Cars’ ‘Dangerous Type’ I remember being the passenger in an orange 240z, driven by a notably crazy little chick with long, long blonde hair. She drove that thing like a maniac.
When I was in high school, me and my dad built my ’60 El Camino. When it was done, I saved my pennies and built the most obnoxious stereo I could afford.
It had two 12″ subs in a kicker box behind the seat. The song I used to show them off was The Hunter by Dokken. At the very end, there’s this triple hit to the kick drum that made those speakers shine.
It was the 80’s, man. What can I say?
Also, I had a ’94 Chevy Silverado. Half ton, extended cab, 6.5 liter turbo diesel. Took my kids too and from school in it. The song for that truck was Dragula by Rob Zombie. We would all mosh to it on the way home. My sweet, tiny, petite, 5 year old daughter LOVED that song. When she would sing for the teachers at her Christian school, they were, um, not impressed.
When I was in college I drove a ’67 Sprite. Early 80s and everybody was putting AM/FM cassette decks in their cars to replace the crappy AM radios. I put a decent Clarion unit in the Sprite with some good Jensen speakers. The speakers were on the rear valance which on a tiny car made them pretty close to your ears, almost like headphones.
I remember marveling to the sounds of Steely Dan’s Aja album, including the intro to “Babylon Sisters”. Sublime.
https://youtu.be/qBdv_tqVqkw?si=2ryQ6NgJbzqHyWA6
Except I’m pretty sure Babylon Sisters was on Gaucho. Still, the Royal Scam / Aja / Gaucho trio would have to be right up there in top powerhouse album runs for all time.
When I got my first car, a ’73 Ford Galaxie 500 in such base trim it didn’t even have a radio, I went to my uncle’s junkyard and grabbed an AM unit and then hooked in an accessory FM receiver below the dash.
You are right on Gaucho, anyway, good memories. I remember the little FM accessory units, my brother had one.
My bestest good buddy had a Kia Soul and Party Rock always ready to go on his Zune.
Any time we were stuck in slow traffic or crawling through a Costco parking lot he would roll down the windows and crank it.
He’d slump down in his seat and stiff arm the steering wheel like a gangsta.
I’d slump down in my seat trying to hide from the nauseated glares of strangers.
He still has the Soul and still goes through great lengths to expand my threshold for shame.
Bestest kind of friend.
My old SN95 Mustang- Chaos AD- Sepultura or Infected by Obituary
1997 Pontiac Firebird Formula – Dissident Aggressor- Judas Priest
My 1st car a 1980 Chevy Chevette- I’m A Loser- The Beatles
Get out of Denver, by Bob Seger.
We would have timed competitions in high school to see who could drive home from Denver to RMNP, (Estes Park) in the fastest time without getting stopped by the Colorado State Patrol. Going up or down the canyon from 7,500 ft to about 5,000 ft.
As memory serves a 1970 Road Runner with 440 six pack and Hurst 4 speed held the record easily for decades. About 75 miles in about 40 minutes going up. About the same on the way down.
Every time I encounter a Cadillac Escalade a particular Ludacris song springs to mind.
Wait… song that reminds you of a car not visa versa.
“We’re Having Much More Fun” by X always brings me back to the V6 Pinto (very nearly a Capri) I delivered pizzas in. I was a terrible delivery driver, easily distracted and often lost, and that cassette of “More Fun in the New World” kept me mellow-fuckit instead of psycho-fuckit like Big Black or Dead Kennedys would do.
1. 1968 Dodge Charger – Born to Run, Springsteen
2. 1969 Dodge Super Bee – Radar Love, Golden Earring
3. 1982 Dodge Rampage – You Don’t Want Me Anymore, Steel Breeze
4. 1945 Willys MB – Heart of Rock and Roll, Huey Lewis and the News
5. 1980 Mazda RX-7 – Danger Zone, Kenny Loggins
6. 1986 Saab 900 Turbo – Would I Lie to You, The Eurythmics
7. 1974 Jeep CJ5 – Jump, Van Halen
8. 1982 Jeep CJ8 – Rock and Roll Never Forgets, Bob Seeger
9. 1988 Volvo 240 – Soak Up the Sun, Sheryl Crow
In 1988, I was a 16-year-old sophomore with a 1978 [Bitchen] Camaro. Every time I hear “Fire Woman” by The Cult, in my mind I’m cruising in the Bitchen with the windows down and my mullet flapping in the breeze. She was slower than a tax refund, but boy, was she pretty.
In ’88 I was listening to Van Halen and was a few years away from better stuff like the Cult. Got there eventually, but also came to appreciate VH again later for Eddie’s skills.
And at this point, She Sells Sanctuary reminds me of…Le Mans. B/c it being the Radio Le Mans cutaway theme. I’d love to know the backstory there.
1st 2013 Fiat 500 Abarth: his name was Sex Dwarf after the Soft Cell song. As soon as I first drove that little black freak of nature I knew Sex Dwarf was a perfect match to the lyrics.
“Isn’t it nice, sugar and spice
Luring disco dollies to a life of vice
I can make a film and make you my star
You’d be a natural the way you are
I would like you on a long black leash
I would parade you down the High Street
You’ve got the attraction
You’ve got the pulling power
Walk my little doggie, walk my little sex dwarf…”
My beloved little Dwarf died in a tragic autocross rollover. After about a week of mourning, I was listening to The Sisters Of Mercy “No Time To Cry” when I realized moping time was over and I needed a new racecar. I always thought MK1 MR2s were sexy af and there’s a car that’s unlikely to flip. Sure, my best friend had recently nearly died when his went into a tree at a hillclimb, but that’s ok. So in honor of SoM pulling my ass out of mourning, I named my little black racecar Lucretia, but she is usually called “Crisha” more. I also picked up a second 500 Abarth and named him Orpheus to stick with the Marc Almond theme.
As for cars that make me think of a song, a black 2000 Cavalier always makes me think of the time I almost put my first car into a ditch when I heard “Between Breaths (An XX Perspective)” by Blaqk Audio. Up until then my 19 year old self had never thought of Davey Havok as a sexual being and holy hell, turns out that man is kinky. So shocked I nearly yeeted my Cavi????
Aww… brings back fond memories of my fellow weirdos in the smoking section.
I am still a weirdo with a pack of clove cigarettes…
Clove cigarettes remind me of old Nissan pickups, don’t get me started on why.
That whole story is amazing.
1972 Super Beetle – tossup between ‘Feel the Bass’ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8b-FEaGJG8Y) and the whole Blues Brothers soundtrack
1971 Challenger – Rush, Spirit of Radio 🙂
The blues brothers- pure gold
For me, Rush in general was my friend’s ’86 Firebird. Yes, with one headlight that would frequently get stuck.
1973 VW Bus — Summer Nights by Van Halen; I had this cassette playing the whole summer I fixed it up in my parents’ driveway
1982 Subaru GL wagon — Wendy by The Descendents; the was a high school cruising album
1984 Mazda B2000 — Loud Love by Soundgarden; many road trips to and from home to this album
1987 Honda CRX — Quiet by the Smashing Pumpkins; driving fast late at night on the Baltimore beltway
1978 IH Scout — Firebirds by Clutch; a song that demands one drive fast in a vehicle that would rather take its time
(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction, Rolling Stones, reminds me of an Austin Healey Sprite Mark I, because that was what I was driving the first time I heard that song in 1965.
It was my first solo road trip and I was approaching my High School BFF’s house in Jacksonville, Florida, on a beautiful Summer day. Life can be very good indeed.
That’s a great, generation-appropriate cite.
See, as a gen-Xer, for me that song used in a vehicular context is when Schwarzenegger (after dramatically loading a shocking amount of firearms) pops it into the tape deck of his Eldorado convertible as he goes to take on the Chicago mob all by himself in Raw Deal. Such silly fun.
You, sir, are welcome on my lawn anytime.
When I first start autocrossing in the ’90s, it was often the usual motorsports scene of a lot of people focused on what they’re doing, mostly oblivious to any larger ambiance.
The diehards lost in antisocial concentration as they tweaked their suspensions or changed their tires, the newbies chatting nervously with each other, unsure of just what they’d gotten into, the sporadic loudspeaker commentary from the timing/scoring van, etc.
But then one event, a guy on the grid fired up Edgar Winter’s “Frankenstein” at high volume. I thought uh oh, the (relative…after all, we were racing cars) fun police are going to shut that down.
But no. For the next 4 minutes as it blasted across the event, providing a cool backdrop to squealing tires and roaring engines, it was like we were all in a movie, right at the kickass montage scene that’s usually featured in the trailer. You could tell, everyone felt it.
I’ve had a fair number of cars over the years, but only a few have songs attached to them..
My 85 Merkur XR4Ti – Push Th’ Little Daisies – Ween.
My 96 Saturn SC2 – Scarlet Begonias – the Sublime version. Also Drag The Waters – Pantera.
My 95 Accord – Miss The Girl – Soul Coughing
My 99 Grand Cherokee – Going Back To Cali – the Notorious BIG version.
My 05 WRX – You Think I Ain’t Worth A Dollar Bit I feel Like A Millionaire – Queens of The Stone Age.
And my current two:
22 4Runner – Sandman – ASAP Rocky.
23 M2 – Count Me Out – Kendrick Lamar.
Soul Coughing is vastly underappreciated – I still love Super Bon Bon as a great city driving tune.
Not by this correspondent. My handle is a direct lift from a song off this same album.
One of my favorite tracks on that album. Shit, now I gotta listen to some Soul Coughing.
Oh man! Lazybones bumps hard.
When I had the Accord, it had a monster stereo in it, and the intro of Lazybones absolutely slammed! 🙂
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I bought my Celebrity in 2003, shortly after “Celebrity” by Brad Paisley was released. So a little change in words “when you’re in a Celebrity”. It’s still my summer daily driver.
Almost all the rest of my cars is “Rusty Chevrolet” by Da Yoopers.
The car, my father’s 1985 VK Commodore.
The song, Eiffel 65 – Move Your Body (Robi Molinaro Forge Edit) as found on the Addicted to Dance 3 compilation CD that lived in the glovebox.
Dad put a decent amount of work into the sound system in that car, including cutting two large holes in the rear wall so that the subs could be placed directly behind the rear seat backs. I spent many drives strapped in the backseat of that car getting bassy music injected straight into my soul.
That CD now lives in the glovebox of my NA MX-5 and though the sound system is substantially weaker, the song hits just as hard.
My first car was a Fiat, which is an acronym for.. well, you know. It, unfortunately, lived down to its reputation. My weekends were spent wrenching it for things that should never have broken. In my mind, the song title that describes it best was the first track on Elton John’s Caribou. I spent too much time back inside the engine compartment shouting foul interjections.
Doing a late evening drive up the PCH from Santa Monica to an overnight stay in Paso Robles on the way to a rendezvous in Sonoma in my new-ish red 2009 Mercedes-Benz CLK350 Convertible…
“Fool for Love” by Belinda Carlisle
Driving midnight, highway one
Love is the ocean, you’re the one
If I’m a fool for love
I don’t care, I don’t care
If I’m a fool for love
If I’m a fool for love
If I’m a fool for love
I don’t care
I don’t care
…but now that I’m on the East Coast – Sometimes when I’m driving the old Mercedes out of town towards the Bay…
“Moonlight Feels Right” by Starbuck
I’ll take you on a trip beside the ocean
And drop the top at Chesapeake Bay
Ain’t nothin’ like the sky to dose a potion
The moon’ll send you on your way
Moonlight
Feels right
Moonlight
Feels right
I drove a ’69 Bronco with a 3 on the tree in high school in the 80″s. My friend lived next to the parents of Tad Tepleman, who was involved with the music business. I think he was a Van Halen producer. Anyways, for my birthday in ’86 I got the album VOA by Sammy Hagar that had the inscription “You can’t drive 55 in that shitty Bronco.” So, I always play that song when we start a road trip and I think back to the worst car I ever owned.
Holy shit. Ted Templeman was THE Van Halen producer.
Yeah, saying Ted Templeman was involved in the music business is like saying Tony Montana was in the import business.
And a bunch of other popular bands, too, including The Doobie Brothers.
1998 Volkswagen Golf – “Pink Moon” by Nick Drake
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-kqUkZnDcM
The association is purely down to the commercial. Watching it just now, I realized that the Cabrio in the ad is actually a Mk4, not a Mk3 like my Golf. That said, the Mk4 Cabrio was a Mk3 with a new nose, so those distinctive creases along the fenders and doors still makes me think of that my first car.
Not of a car, but every single time I head Eminence Front, I think of night driving no matter what. There are certain songs that sound like they are rolling and as such will always be ‘Driving Songs.’
“Only The Young” by Journey is one of those prime “rolling” songs IMO.
You mean like the greatest of them all, Golden Earing’s “Radar Love”?
See also: Tom Petty, “Runnin’ Down A Dream”; Boston, “Foreplay/Long Time”; The Police, “Synchronicity II.”
Exactly! I almost mentioned that one instead, but went for my personal favorite instead.
Oh, you bet that Eminence Front and Radar Love were blaring through the bluetooth speaker in Cactus on the latest roadtrip! I need to listen to more Journey, good chance that will get added too!
Don’t forget
“Beds are Burning.”
Man… Eminence Front. Fantastic driving song. I had heard it a thousand times, but the first time I ever really appreciated it, I was cruising down Lake Shore Drive in Chicago with a buddy of mine on our way to see Wilco at the Auditorium Theatre. Late October 2004, beautiful fall day in Chicago, windows down, radio blasting 93.1 WXRT. Eminence Front came on, and for whatever reason, it just stuck with me that day. For as long as I live, Eminence Front will always remind me of my Grand Cherokee, my buddy Rick, and the best concert I’ve ever seen.
My first Cadillac was a 1969 Sedan deVille I traded $500 worth of $4/hr. labor for. It didn’t have much of an exhaust. Megadeth’s “Symphony for Destruction” has always instantly reminded me of the way that car’s 472 V8 sounded when idling.