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April 17, 1964 at the New York World's Fair  saw the introduction of the car that would take over American culture. It was the Mustang. New sheet metal on the old Falcon chassis, the car was fun and affordable (even receptionist Sally could buy one).
2024 Update: Jay Leno shows and drives one of the Skyway Mustangs. Jay Leno's Garage
Recordings of car songs go back to, well the birth of cars: Gus Edwards "In My Merry Oldsmobile," recorded in 1905. After WW2, guys started fixing their 30s and 40s junkers into customs or hot rods. Popular, country, and blues songs reflected that change: King Cole Trio "(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66" [4/46], Dick Reinhart & His Lone Star Boys "Hot Rod Baby" [3/48], and the K C Douglas Trio "Mercury Boogie" [1948].
One of the first rock 'n' roll records that falls into the "hot cars" category is Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats "Rocket 88" [1951] (actually Ike Turner). Followed closely by: The Medallions "Buick 59" [8/54], Chuck Berry & His Combo "No Money Down" [1/56], and Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps "Cruisin'" [3/57]. Interspersed and followed by many, many others.
But it was 1964 and the Mustang that began the peak period of car songs. West coast groups like The Beach Boys, Ronny & The Daytonas, and Jan & Dean rode the charts in their fast cars that summer ("I Get Around" [#1], "GTO" [#4], and "The Little Old Lady (From Pasadena)" [#3]). Other pony cars, like the Barracuda (actually preceeded the Mustang by a month) and Camaro (came out in 67—see The Raiders) had their songs, too. The most famous car make into song? Cadillac, of course.
The album below is from the Motor City area. After that? A box set from Rhino to facilitate your crusin' down the highway.
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The Road Runners: The New Mustang! |
| London PS-381 | |
| 5/64 | |
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 Side One | ||
| Cute Little Colt† | Paxton | - |
| Little Deuce Coupe | Christian-Wilson | - |
| Hey Little Cobra† | trad-arr Charlatans | - |
| 409 | Usher-Wilson | - |
| Competition Coupe‡ | Christian-Usher | - |
| Shut Down‡ | Christian-Wilson | - |
| Side Two | ||
| Super Torque 427‡ | Christian-Usher | - |
| Mighty Mustang | Scheibach | - |
| The New Mustang | Scheibach-Schillinger | - |
| Detroit Filly | Scheibach | - |
| Stompin' Steed | Schillinger | - |
| Road Runnah | Buckles | - |
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| Buy 'Em By The Box
If you want your fill of the best car songs, then this Rhino box set from 1999 is the one for you. About a hundred songs, from "Rocket 88" to "Hot Rod Queen" (1998), and some ads and movie trailers, too. A comprehensive booklet is also included. Plus fuzzy dice to hang from your rear-view mirror. "fuzzy dice / bongos in the back / my ship of love / is ready to attack" FZ, 1969 Over 70% of the tracks are from the 50s and 60s—right in our groove. |
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Hot Rods & Custom Classics |
| Rhino R2-75688 | |
| 3/99 | |
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| Disc One | ||
| no Artist | New Car Attitude | - |
| Ronnie Dee | Action Packed | 11/58 |
| The Duals | Stick Shift | 5/61 |
| Tex Rubinowitz | Hot Rod Man | 2/80 |
| Stray Cats | Hotrod Gang | 8/83 |
| Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps | Cruisin' | 3/57 |
| Golden Earring | Radar Love T20 | 4/74 |
| David Lindley | Mercury Blues | 5/81 |
| Chuck Berry & His Combo | Maybellene | 7/55 |
| Robert Mitchum | The Ballad Of Thunder Road BB | 5/58 |
| Duane Eddy | Forty Miles Of Bad Road T20 | 5/59 |
| Paul Revere & The Raiders | SS 396 | 1/67 |
| Dinah Shore | See the USA In Your Chevrolet | 1956 |
| The Beach Boys | Little Deuce Coupe T20 | 6/63 |
| The Collins Kids | Hot Rod | 1957 |
| Howlin' Wolf | Mr Highway Man (Cadillac Daddy) | 4/52 |
| Hank Williams | Lost Highway | 9/49 |
| Junior Brown | Highway Patrol | 8/96 |
| Bill Monroe | Heavy Traffic Ahead | 7/49 |
| Mr Bean & His Bearcats | Radar | 4/56 |
| Johnny "Guitar" Watson | Motorhead Baby | 6/53 |
| Denny Freeman | Led Sled | 1986 |
| 51 Merc vs 60 Impala | Rev Off | - |
| Disc Two | ||
| The Doobie Brothers | Rockin' Down The Highway | 11/72 |
| The Rip Chords | Hey Little Cobra | 11/63 |
| Deke Dickerson & The Ecco-Fonics | Hot Rod Queen | 1998 |
| Johnny Bond | Hot Rod Lincoln | 6/60 |
| Ramblin' Jimmie Dolan | Hot Rod Race | 12/50 |
| no Artist | Drag Race | 1960 |
| Curtis Gordon | Draggin' | 4/56 |
| Johnny Fortune | Dragster | 11/63 |
| Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps | Race With The Devil | 8/56 |
| The B-52's | Devil In My Car | 8/80 |
| George Thorogood & The Destroyers | Ride On Josephine | 9/77 |
| Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats | Rocket "88" | 4/51 |
| Lttle Walter & His Jukes | Key To The Highway | 9/58 |
| War | Low Rider T20 | 8/75 |
| Thee Midniters | Whittier Blvd | 6/65 |
| Billy "The Kid" Emerson | Every Woman I Know | 1/57 |
| Johnny Cash & The Tennessee Three | One Piece At A Time BB | 3/76 |
| Albert King | Cadillac Assembly Line | 1/76 |
| Maurice King & His Wolverines | I Want A Lavender Cadillac | 6/51 |
| Baker Knight & the Knightmares | Bring My Cadillac Back | 11/56 |
| Sammy Masters & His Rocking Rhythm | Pink Cadillac | 4/56 |
| Nervous Norvus | Transfusion | 5/56 |
| Dave Edmunds | Crawling From The Wreckage | 10/79 |
| Jan & Dean | Dead Man's Curve T20 | 2/64 |
| James Dean | 1955 Interview | 1955 |
| Disc Three | ||
| The Collegians | Let's Go For A Ride | 6/63 |
| Canned Heat | On The Road Again T20 | 4/68 |
| John Hiatt | Drive South | 8/88 |
| Big Boy Groves & Band | I Gotta New Car | 5/55 |
| Chuck Berry & His Combo | No Money Down | 1/56 |
| Dave Edmunds | Dear Dad | 4/82 |
| Leon Smith | Little Forty Ford | 7/59 |
| The Grand Prix | 41 Ford | 10/63 |
| Phranc | 64 Ford | 1991 |
| The Green Hornets | Stolen Car | 1996 |
| Ramones | Go Lil' Camaro Go | 9/87 |
| Bo Diddley | Road Runner BB | 1/60 |
| The Playmates | Beep Beep T20 | 10/58 |
| The Delicates | Black & White Thunderbird | 6/59 |
| Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps | Pink Thunderbird | 3/57 |
| The Customs | 54 Corvette | 1963 |
| The Routers | Sting Ray | 3/63 |
| Nelson Riddle Orch | Route 66 Theme BB | 4/62 |
| Jan And Arnie | Gas Money BB | 7/58 |
| Rod Stewart | Gasoline Alley | 6/70 |
| Disc Four | ||
| Wilson Pickett | Mustang Sally BB | 11/66 |
| Arlen Sanders & The Pacifics | Hopped-Up-Mustang | 6/64 |
| Dick Dale & His Del-Tones | Wild, Wild Mustang | 5/64 |
| The Quads | 409 | 1963 |
| The Spaniels | Automobiles | 1959 |
| Mose Allison | V-8 Ford Blues | 9/62 |
| Sonny Boy Williamson | Pontiac Blues | 11/51 |
| Ronnie & The Daytonas | GTO T20 | 6/64 |
| Carol & Cheryl | Go Go GTO | 2/65 |
| Buddy Randell & The Knickerbockers | Bite Bite Barracuda | 11/64 |
| Honey Boy Allen | Ford V-8 | 1958 |
| Chuck Berry | No Particular Place To Go T20 | 5/64 |
| The Shutdowns | Four In The Floor | 8/63 |
| Jimmy Carroll | Big Green Car | 11/58 |
| The Four Teens | Spark Plug | 8/58 |
| The Medallions | Buick 59 | 8/54 |
| The Fugitives | Freeway | 10/60 |
| Pure Prairie League | Two Lane Highway BB | 6/75 |
| Dave Dudley | Six Days On The Road BB | 4/63 |
| The Flying Burrito Brothers | Wheels | 3/69 |
Links!
Car song (@ wiki)