Car Tunes

[24T42]

I got such a good response on 'Star Cars' how about posting your favorite CarTunes - songs about cars. Here are a few that come to mind right away.

1. In My Merry Oldsmobile (1905)

2. On An Automobile Honeymoon (1905)

3. The Little Ford Rambled Right Along (1914)

4. Gasoline Gus and His Jitney Bus (1915)

5. Henry?s Made a Lady Out Of Lizzie (1928)

6. Ray and His Little Chevrolet (1924)

7. He?d Have To Get Under - Get Out and Get Under (1913)

8. Keep Away From The Fellow Who Owns An Automobile (1912)

9. When He Wanted To Love Her (He Would Put Up The Cover) (1915)

10. Tumble In A Rumble (1933)

11. Git A Horse (1902)

12. I?m WIld About Horns That Go ?Ta-Ta-Ta-Ta?(1928)

13. Take Me Out For A Joy Ride (1909)

14. Beep Beep (1958) - The Playmates

15. Fun, Fun, Fun (1964) - The Beach Boys

16. Little Honda - The Hondells

17. 409 - The Beach Boys

18. Three Window Coupe - The Rip Chords

19. Dead Man?s Curve - Jan & Dean

20. Hot Rod Lincoln - Charlie Ryan

21. I Get Around - The Beach Boys

22. Little Deuce Coupe - The Beach Boys

23. Hey Little Cobra - The Rip Chords

24. Ballad of Thunder Road -Robert Mitchum

25. Shut Down - The Beach Boys

26. Little Old Lady From Pasadena (1964)-Jan & Dean

27. GTO - Ronny & The Daytonas

28. No Particular Place To Go -Chuck Berry

29. Mustang Sally - Wilson Picket

Can you think of any more?

[Guest]

Great list - tough to think of any others ... but success - Pink Cadillac by Bruce Springsteen

Not to be confused with my Pink Baby Bird just back on the road after a 9 year retsoration - see attached photo

# 14 was the first one that I actually remember as a kid and was one of my favorites - take a listen .... http://www.songexpressions.net/beep.html

[Centurion]

My first-ever record (45-rpm) was a Jan & Dean tune called "Drag City". This would have been about 1964. The flip side was called "Schlock Rod", which I wish I still had. The lyric went something like this:

"I own a '48 Buick and it's olive green. All the kids on the block say it sure looks keen. (Chorus) Schlock Rod . . . Schlock Rod "

Okay, it was hardly the most memorable song of the era, and sticks in my mind chiefly because it was sooooo bad. Anyone else remember this one?

[Guest BruceW]

Some contemporary car related songs I thought of:

Rocket 88 - Jackie Brenston (early 1950s)

Cadillac in Model "A" - Bob Willis and his Texas Playboys (1954)

Maybelline - Chuck Berry (1955)

Long White Cadillac - Dwight Yoakum

Cowboy Cadillac - Confederate Railroad

Car Wash - Rose Royce

I Can't Drive 55 - Sammy Hagar

Little Red Corvette - Prince

[Guest DeSoto Frank]

Here's one that I have in sheet music:

"The Dodge Bros. March", by Victor Herbert, I believe.

I actually have a 10" Columbia Graphophone record of "Gasoline Gus and His Jitney Bus" (and ...I...can't...remember...the name....of...the...singer...Help me, Spock!....) and a piano roll of "Henry's Made a Lady Out of Lizzie" (also recorded by Billy Jones and Ernie Hare - "The Happiness Boys" -two vaudeville performers-turned radio entertainers, who are credited with the first "singing commercial": fo Interwoven Socks !).

While not specifically a "car" song, Fats Waller had a Bluebird 10" side in the '30s called "Us on a Bus".

And I think Spike Jones or someone along those lines had a wartime song about the Jeep. ("Little Bo Peep and something or other?")

And, a true "car record": a little brown celluloid and cardboard advertising mailer record (about 5 or 6 inches square), with mailing lable right on the backside, advertising the "new Chevrolet", c. 1926. ( "$525, F.O.B. Flint Michigan" ).

I'll have to scour the archives.....

[24T42]

Four more come to mind -

Theme from Driving Miss Daisy

Route 66

Mechanic's Rag

Tobacco Road

Songs #1, 3, 4, 7, 12 (from post #1) can be heard on the Brass-Nickel web page. Because they are vocals, these are MP3 files and take awhile to load. But once loaded into cache, they will load faster the 2nd time.

Songs #1, 7, 14, 15, 17, 20, 21, 24, 25, 25, 27 (from post #1) as well as the 4 listed above can also be heard on the Brass-Nickel web page. These are instrumental and so are midi files. These load quickly.

To listen to any of these songs -

Go to Brass-Nickel Touring Region web page. After 4 seconds, a pop up will open asking you if you want to listen to background music. Click on the radio, which open the juke box page. We are currently playing patriotic music but you can choose either the car_MP3 or car_midi jukebox.

[color:"red"]<span style="font-weight: bold">SORRY</span> - but the juke box only works in Exlorer.

[Dave@Moon]

I've been collecting hot rod and car music for about 4 years now. I've got well over 2000 different car songs, mainly in the surf, doo-wop and rockabilly veins. Quite honestly, to list them all would be really boring, especially for me.

A couple of real good sources for this kind of music would be:

Sundazed Records : How bad can a record company be whose last two promotional t-shirts pictured the Buick XP-300 dream car and a '64 Comet drag car? Great re-issues of classic surf/hot rod on cd, including the Rip-Chords catalog, the original <span style="font-style: italic">Hot Rod City</span> lp, and the <span style="font-style: italic">Surf & Drag</span> compilations.

Buffalo Bop Records : They have several diverse compilations still in print that cover the widest range of styles(mainly consisting of great but never heard obscurities), including an entire cd (30 songs) of Cadillac themed songs.

Rhino Records' Hot Rods & Custom Classics : 4 cds of car tunes, a set of fuzzy dice and some other stuff in an old pseudo-Revell model box.

There are also a lot of very interesting compilations out there: the <span style="font-style: italic">Legendary Hot Rod Hits</span> series, <span style="font-style: italic">Surf Bunnies and Hot Rod Honeys, Doo-Wop Car Songs, 30 Classic Car-tunes, Car and Driver Greatest Car Songs, Monster Summer Hits: Drag City</span>, etc. Of course it goes without saying that the Jan & Dean and Beach Boys catalogs are available on cd, mostly as two-fers (2 lps on a 1 cd). <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

And <span style="font-style: italic">then</span> you get to play with vinyl! <span style="font-style: italic">The Illustrated Discography of Hot Rod Music, 1961-1965</span> by John Blair is <span style="font-style: italic">the</span> reference to have on the subject. Oh, to have half the music listed in just this one reference.

[ex98thdrill]

1. Barracuda (Heart)

2. Crazy Like a Mercury (Alan Jackson)

3. Chrome (Trace Adkins) - 2002.

[Bill Stoneberg]

Can't forget "Big ol' Dynaflow" by The Remains.

[seyman]

I definitely remember the Schlock Rod. The Bob Wills song went "Cadillacin' around in my Model A".

[Guest]

You forgot "take me on a Packard honeymoon" Ca. 1915 that my pal Vince Giordano has.

His 10 piece Dance band {at the Cajun Club,8th ave & 16th st NYC, Mon and Thurs eves, Shameless plug} also can play He'd have to get under,get out and get under" on request.

[Guest DeSoto Frank]

Carleton,

As in "Vince Giordano and his Nighthawks"? They played on my alma mater's jazz series when I was at Wilkes College chasing a music degree.

(ANYBODY who plays the bass saxophone is OK in my book! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> )

One of my favorite "new" bands, along with Rick Benjamin and his "Paragon Ragtime Orchestra".

[another old car]

howdy

I would like to add another one to list

455 Rocket - by Kathy Mattea

car tunes

[Guest Awini]

who can forget "Drive my car" by the Beatles....

[Guest Skyking]

Buick 59 - Bob Dylan

[Dave@Moon]

Bob Dylan wrote "From a Buick 6", which is on the <span style="font-style: italic">Highway 61 Revisited</span> lp. "Buick 59" was released as a single by The Medallions in 1954. It was rereleased in 1959, and was a top 40 hit both times. It is one of my favorite doo-wop songs, even setting aside that I drive a '60 Buick! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

[Terry Bond]

If you want to see some neat early auto sheet music, try levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu/ this whole collection can be browsed-look at the boxes labled "transportation." I've been collecting auto sheet music for several years and have a couple hundred, mostly very early pre WWII. I've also been trying to compile a list of all known auto related sheet music, so if there are any other collectors out there, please email me or post unknown items here. I'll try to get some time early next week to add to the original list and will be glad to share my list with anyone. I was once told there were around 600 songs related to the auto. Recently heard of a collection containing over 1000. Im sure some of those just have an automotive scene illustrated on the cover, but they do look great framed. I'm running out of wall space!

[Guest DeSoto Frank]

Terry,

Thank you so much for posting the link to the Levy Sheet Music Collection at Johns Hopkins University.

I grew up just outside of Baltimore, studied music, and had absolutely no idea of its existence....what an absolutely fabulous treasure of old American Music: from about 1798 to the mid 20th century, most in very nice clear j-peg images of the original copies!

What a wonderful place to browse around!

Thanks again!

<img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

[24T42]

If you want to listen some automobile music, go to the Junior AACA web site. I just added a section called - Car Tunes. There are about 30 songs currently on the web page for you to listen to. I have some midis but most are MP3. There are actually 2 pages. With the 1st page, you load the songs individually. With the 2nd,you must be using Microsoft Explorer and a stereo will play continuously in the background. Both open up in a new window.

Caution:MP3 are sometimes slow loading because they are vocals. I have compressed them quite a bit so they will load faster.

ENJOY!!

Go to - Junior AACA web page - and click on Car Tunes.

[Guest]

How about;

Goldbergs Automobile Troubles

Uncle Josh buys an Automobile

Both on Edison Blue Amberol Cylinders.

Hapy hobbying

[24T42]

'Uncle Josh Buys and Automobile' is on the web page. You need to scroll down to the bottom of the MP3 list. You can also find the 1904 comedy classic 'Rueben Haskins Ride on the Cyclone Automobile.' I will have to look for 'Goldberg's Automobile Troubles.' Or, if you have an MP3 file of it, email me at juniors@aaca.org and I will be glad to include it. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Guest imported_Irongang]

How about <span style="font-style: italic">Bitchin' Camaro</span> by The Dead Milkmen.

http://www.deadmilkmen.com/index.html

[Guest]

Here's an interesting historical note, to show how POWERFUL a song can be, actually CHANGING our p4rception of history.

"GET YOUR KICKS ON ROUTE 66" was a catchy song which I first recall hearing in the 1940's.

"ROUTE 66", as a result of that song, has become a cultural icon. I live near a portion of "Route 66" that is still in service (northern Arizona), travel it from time to time in my '38 Packard Twelve (fun to pull into a gas station and hear people tell me how...

"don't old cars over-heat here in the desert" (only if

their cooling systems are screwed up....! )

"I bet they have small cylinders....." ( The "big" Lincoln V-12 was

over 430 cu. in, the Cadillac V-16's were over 440 cu. in.,

the Packard and Pierce Arrow V-12's was over 470 cu. in,

and the Marmon V-16 was over 480 cu in...! )

"well...they may LOOK fast...but I bet they cant get out

of their own way" (come around with your "ordinary man's

car of that era....and try and keep up with one of the

"big engined" cars of those days...on second thought..DONT...

why blow up your "ordinary car" motor trying the impossible...!)

But the most interesting reactions, are when you explain to people there was NO SUCH THING as "Route 66". People actually get ANGRY when you try and explain REAL history to them. Isn't that an interesting phenomena of human behavior...

What REALLY happened, was this. The song's writers fully understood the legal problems in singing about a REAL place. So they came up with a "nonsence name". Again, NO SUCH THING then, as "Route 66".

Here's the REAL history that has been BURIED by the success of that song.

At the "CONVENTION OF STATE HIGHWAY COMMISSIONERS" in 1928, delegates were pretty united on a "standard" for highway sign markers. One of many reasons...too many cases of local "smart alecs" luring long-distance travellers to regions out of their way with non-standardized highway markers.

So - adopted into law by the vehicle codes of ALL the states, was the "STANDARD SIGN CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM". All states agreed that henceforth, there would be "local/county" "ROADS" "State Sign ROUTES", and "U.S. HIGHWAYS".

U.S. Highway 66 was, of course, the major cross-country highway leading out of Chicago to the south-west, ending at the Santa Monica Pier in So. Calif. Since it was a U.S. Highway, it was marked by the distinctive sign agreed-upon, meaning the famous "U.S. Highway" shield, which had to meet certain physical standards that were agreed on.

For those of you who want to get a flair for what travel was REALLY like on U.S. Highway 66, rent a copy of the movie version of John Steinbeck's GRAPES OF WRATH ( a story of the tragedy of Americans caught up in the post-depression farm migrations of the late 1930's). Most of the exterior scenes were shot along U.S. Highway 66.

"State Sign Routes" were the actual "ROUTES". A "State Sign Route" marker had to comply with the following:

1) be a distinctive shape unique to that state

2) numbering system could NOT resemble ANY U.S. Highway.

Actually, today, it IS correct to call the old roads of what WAS U.S. Highway 66 a "route" in this respect - after U.S. Highway 66 was de-commissioned, some states, seeing the "nostalgia" value for tourism, petitioned for an EXEMPTION, adopting the old highway into their state highway systems.

So....THESE days...it IS correct to say you traveled "ROUTE 66"....because...you were on a STATE highway that follows the "route" of the once "glorious" U.S. Highway 66. And since it IS a STATE highway now, it most certainly IS a "ROUTE" !

Was it really "glorius" ? Take it from an old "gear jammer" who drove it regularly when there WAS a U.S. Highway 66. It was a HORROR. Mostly two-lane, meaning getting caught behind trucks of that day that could not hold speed up the grades, or, if you were driving a truck..."working" the "Brownie Box" like crazy...heat coming in thru the floor boards... and...those bloody horrible "head ons" when people from the opposite directions got impatient and tried to pass......

The BEST part about the past....boys and girls...IS THAT IT IS PAST !

Perfidious

[Dave@Moon]

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[mrpushbutton]

"rusty Chevrolet" by Da Yoopers

"Paradise by the dashboard light"-Meatloaf

I used to work with a guy who had a Duster he was always working on, we called him "Bondo Bob"

we used to sing a parody of Led Zepplin's "whole lotta love" when ever he drove that car to work.

we changed it to "whole lotta rust"

[ex98thdrill]

Was it a Plymouth Duster??

or maybe a Plymouth 'ruster?'

[Guest windjamer]

Dave, I cant remember the name, but in 1957 was a popular car song --Cruseing down the highway on a rainy day when you see me comin better start to pray Im a real cool cat and the boss all the way( sound efects) crash --transfussion transfussion my red corp suckles are in mad confusion nevernever ever gonna speed again slip the fluid to me louie. Song ended with barnyard drivers there found in two classes road crouding hogs andspeeding jackasses,so remember to slow down today. Had about 4 maby 5 verses. Can you name that tune??? <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

[Guest higg47]

Could be Transfusion by Nervous Norvus listed as August 1956.

[Dave@Moon]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Could be Transfusion by Nervous Norvus listed as August 1956. </div></div> Bingo! (See link.)

[stock_steve]

What a great old "Dr. Demento" classic!

Here's another slightly esoteric one from the New Wave era:

"Manny, Moe, and Jack" by the Dickies.

[Bill Boudway]

How about "I've Gone Loco Over My Locomobile or "The Dodge Brothers March"?

Also, does anyone have a copy of, or know if there is a Packard march?

Regards,

Bill Boudway

[carbking]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I've been collecting hot rod and car music for about 4 years now. I've got well over 2000 different car songs, mainly in the surf, doo-wop and rockabilly veins. Quite honestly, to list them all would be really boring, especially for me. </div></div>

Dave - we need to compare notes sometime. I have a collection of more than 2000 car records (16, 33, 45, 78, other) and a database listing many more compiled over about a 20 year period. And lots of extras. I would make the database available to any who ask.

My all time favorite is "Go Back to your Pontiac" by the Darby Sisters. This is a ballad about a young man with an old Pontiac and a girlfriend. He spends all the money that he is supposed to spend on the girlfriend on the Pontiac instead. (Of course, NONE of us would ever do that!). And of course, for obvious reasons, "Three Carburetors" by Don Carson is a sentimental favorite! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Jon.