Any petrol head will tell you that a good driving song is key to embracing the delights of the road. Epic tracks such as ‘Born to be Wild’ or ‘Bat Out of Hell’ are well known, but here we have five that you won’t find on any driving album.
Top 5: Overlooked Car Songs
Is there a better marriage than the one united by the car industry and our favourite musicians? Music can help us forget our terrible fuel consumption as we belt our lungs out or drown out that suspicious wheel bearing grind with some pure musical gold. Just like most songwriters, our cars all have stories to tell - some of which can’t be mentioned here for risk of our mothers reading it.
However, some songs are over played beyond death. Various compilation albums can be picked up for £5.99 in any petrol station, all with the same songs adorning the playlist. Here we have five often overlooked car tracks that deserve to reside within your CD player.
5. Nicki Minaj - I Love My Range Rover
This absurdly hilarious unreleased gem was leaked during 2012, included on Nicki Minaj’s ‘Pink Friday: The Lost Tapes’ album. Featuring such culinary delights as ‘She’s so pretty, she know they want her, but she’s so sididdy’, ‘You know she even help me transport the dope’ and ‘ La [x28]’, Miss Minaj clearly has a soft spot for her Range Rover V8. We do warn you, listening to the full thing does involve some swearing. Not one for the family trip to your local classic show, then.
You can purchase this gangland monstrosity here.
4. Richie Havens - Drivin’
Very few of us will remember the 1989 comic dud that was ‘Cannonball Fever’. The third instalment in the Cannonball Run series, not even John Candy could survive this morbid atrocity of a car chase film with his reputation intact. Sadly, this meant that a strangely likeable soft pop driving tune slipped through the net. How many cars can you fit into one song? Richie Havens gives it a try. Rover even gets a mention - rather unexpected for a song about Los Angeles. We wonder if it was a Rover 414 diesel Havens was tuneful about?
Like the sound of some relaxed cruising chords from the legendary Havens? Step this way...
3. The Beach Boys - Little Deuce Coupe
Forget daddy taking the T-bird away, for capturing the glamorous car passion oozing from California teens of the early 1960s, ‘Little Deuce Coupe’ is the ideal song choice. Specifically about a 1932 Ford Model B, this is cited as being music mastermind Brian Wilson’s favourite car song. Apparently, the Beach Boy’s Coupe is good for 140mph and will pass a Thunderbird like it’s standing still - for surfin’ U.S.A to good vibrations, this takes some beating.
You can buy Little Deuce Coupe by the Beach Boys for only £0.99.
2. The Clash - Brand New Cadillac
When not rocking the casbah, The Clash appeared to have a liking for 12-bar blues. Finding its way onto their landmark album, London Calling, ‘Brand New Cadillac’ was originally recorded by Vince Taylor, however this particular cover set the bar ridiculously high for further cover artists to follow. Revolving around a girl who struts her new Cadillac in front of her man before deserting him, it turns out that women can often prefer cars over people, too.
For less than £1 you can keep this track forever and ever and ever and ever...
1. Janis Joplin - Mercedes Benz
Even though Janis Joplin died a cocaine-fuelled death only 72 hours after recording ‘Mercedes Benz’, that didn’t stop Merc from gracing their advertisements with Joplin’s blatant hippie-era rejection of consumerism. Recorded in a single take, this acapella icon remains one of the most recognisable songs about any car, ever.
Cover versions have been belted out by the likes of Elton John, P!nk and Gilby Clarke - perhaps hoping that the good Lord will have a Mercedes-Benz waiting for them when passing through the pearly gates, too.
Visit Mustard for a great deal on your car insurance.