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What's your all-time favorite car songs?  Doesn't have to be just Beach Boys car songs.  Studio......live versions......let's have your top 10 favorites!

Shut Down, #1

Ballad of Ole Betsy... (actually had an aging truck that I named Betsy before I even heard the song... when I first heard it I couldn't believe it.)

Basically the entire Little Deuce Coupe album is all I need...

Oh, Highway Star by Deep Purple.

Custom Machine
Our Car Club
In My Car (really! I love this song unironically)

Shut Down (hands down)
No-Go Showboat
Custom Machine

Spirit of America

cherry cherry coupe... love it to pieces

Don't Worry Baby.

Hot Rod Lincoln (sorry Beach Boys), also like that annoying Beep Beep song.

For Beach Boys I'd have to say - Shut Down, Cherry Cherry Coupe, No-Go Showboat, Betsy and Spirit of America.

Does "little honda" count?

It's amazing, whenever I hthink of that song, I don't think "car song"...even though it is. Works on so many levels.


Amongst younger people I talk to who don't relate to the BB's so much, they almost all love DWB. What a great one.

Move Out Little Mustang, 409. Custom Machine, Little Old Lady From Pasadena, Shut Down, No Go Showboat, Drag City, Schlock Rod, Dead Man's Curve, Hey Little Cobra

Little Deuce Coupe
Hey Little Cobra

1-Don"t  Worry Baby 
2-Car Crazy Cutie
3-This Car of Mine
4-Honkin Down The Highway
5-Our Car Club
6-Little Deuce Coupe
7-Three Window Coupe
8-Horace The Swingin School bus Driver
9-Custom Machine
10-Bucket-T
 

Isn't Shut Down the only BB song in which Mike plays sax?

Don't Worry Baby

Car Crazie Cutie-Brian at his rockin' best.

Elvis Presley: Long Black Limousine

Low Rider -- War
Little Red Corvette -- Prince
Radar Love -- Golden Earing
Mustang Sally -- Wilson Pickett
Hot Rod Lincoln -- Charlie Ryan
Me and the Boys -- NRBQ
Dead Man's Curve -- Jan and Dean
Litttle GTO -- Ronnie and the Daytonas
Fun, Fun, Fun -- the Beach Boys
Baby Driver -- Simon and Garfunkel

In no particular order...

non-Beach:

Road Runner by the Modern Lovers
Auto Modown by Devo (when I first started doing music, I played the riff ENDLESSLY)
Route 66 by Nat King Cole (The Cramps do a fun version too, along with everybody else)
Goin' Out West by Tom Waits
Autobahn by Kraftwerk

15 year old me adds:
Bitchin' Camaro by the Dead Milkmen

Ok, it's not a car song at all... but somehow it is to me:
The Wayward Wind by Gogi Grant

AutoBahn!!! Forgot about that one!!!

1-Don't  Worry Baby (if it counts)
2-Dead Man's Curve
3-Shut Down
4-The Anaheim Azusa and Cucamonga Sewing Circle Book Review and Timing Association
5-Drag City
6-Little Old Lady From Pasadena
7-Little Deuce Coupe
8-Honkin Down the Highway
9-Bucket-T
10-Ballad of Ole Betsy

But...I could name car songs I love all day from Hot Rod Lincoln to Radar Love to 409 to Trampled Underfoot, East Bound and Down, etc...I love cars, racing, and rodding and I love car songs.

Anyone recall a 1980s song called something like Every Guy's Got to Have An Automobile by the Stickshifters? Never been able to track a copy down…

Fast Car - Tracy Chapman

Cars (here in my car) - Gary Numan

Betsy.

I feel guilty saying this, but I honestly enjoy In My Car more than any of their other car songs.

jaguar- the who
little honda- the hondells
rocket 88- ike turner
92 subaru- fountains of wayne
jeepster- t-rex
racing in the street- bruce springsteen
hot rod lincoln- johnny bond

No need to feel bad!

Add Suzie Cincinnati to the list!

01  Don't Worry Baby
02  Fun Fun Fun
03  Little Deuce Coupe
04  Spirit of America
05  Honkin' Down the Highway
06  No Go Showboat
07  Car Crazy Cutie
08  Ballad of Ole' Betsy
09  Our Car Club
10  Custom Machine

Outside of the boys, there's probably a lot of Springsteen car songs that I'm partial to from the days his stuff was always worth listening to (i.e. before (and including) Tunnel of Love), but off the top of my head and in no particular order:

01 No Particular Place to Go - Chuck Berry
02 Dead Man's Curve - Jan and Dean
03 In Cars - Jimmy Webb/Art Garfunkel
04 Parked Cars - Stephen Bishop
05 Long May You Run - Neil Young
06 Cars and Girls - Prefab Sprout
07 Cadillac Ranch - Springsteen
08 Racing in the Street - Springsteen
09 Promised Land - Springsteen
10 Route 66 - Nat King Cole

Of course, were I allowed 12, I'd have to add

11  Ol' 55 - Tom Waits
12  Road Runner - Jonathan Richman

Oh hecks yes.

Don't Worry Baby

What about Shut Down Part II? (Which, incidentally, is a great little catchy instrumental. It annoys me when people lump it in alongside 'Cassius Love...' and 'Denny's Drums' as the weak Shut Down Vol 2 tracks - I've loved it from the first listen!)

Anyway, my favourite car song (discounting Don't Worry Baby, which to me is more a love song) is Custom Machine. Those chord changes and harmonies - oh my gosh! Brian shows more imagination in the minute and a half of this song than some groups manage to pack into their entire career...

Also love: No-Go Showboat and Spirit Of America.

So, my second ten non-BB car songs:

01  Ol' 55 - Tom Waits
02  Silver Thunderbird - Marc Cohen
03  Stranded in a Limousine - Paul Simon
04  I Love LA - Randy Newman
05  Naked Ride Home - Jackson Browne
06  Trans-Island Skyway - Donald Fagen
07  Mary's New Car - Tom Petty
08  Used Cars - Springsteen
09  Road Runner - Jonathan Richman
10  The Beatles - Drive My Car

Still Cruisin'

(after all of these years!)  :lol

Agree with Disney Boy (1985) that Don't Worry Baby is a love song (not to a car!) ;)

Have often wondered if Shut Down 2 was ever intended to include words besides the countdown. Play it often.

I like the Brian/Al car song on Al's solo album. What is it called... "Drivin'"?

And sorry to say, but I love still cruisin...

Who plays sax on their cover of "What'd I Say"? It sounds way too good to be Mike, but hey, you never know...

"Don't Worry Baby" is my favourite car song by miles  ;)  ;)  ;)  ;)  ;). I gotta join in the chorus of people professing their love for "In My Car". It's not high art, but it's good fun with Brian sounding genuinely engaged.

Don't Worry Baby, I Get Around, Little Deuce Coupe, Cherry Cherry Coupe.

Oh yeah, and the alternate version of Little Honda.

Has nobody mentioned "Let's Go to Heaven In My Car" yet? What a shame.

I get around. When you consider it was b/w Don't worry baby, makes the boys' genius even more amazing

By the BB: Cherry Cherry Coupe and I Get Around

I'm In Love With My Car by Queen is probably my most favourite car song. Love the lyrics and Roger Taylor's voice.

Shutdown (Especially Mike Live! So much energy and love the SAX solo when available).....409 is awesome.....Still Cruisin is really great. Custom Machine is really cool with Mike's low parts and awesome lead and Brian's high parts. All those silly Car Crazy Cutie songs are incredible too.

All the Jan & Dean stuff (Dead Man's Curve, Pasadena) are incredible.

Little GTO

It's Mike on sax. He's also on some of then early surf instrumentals (e.g. Surf Jam) and "Let's go trippin'" on Concert (plus the end of "Long Tall Texan")

409
Shut Down
No Go Showboat
Ballad of Old Betsy
Car Crazy Cutie

Custom Machine, Little Deuce Coupe, Little Saint Nick.

Does Drive-In count?

I wish they had completed the Paley version of "Desert Drive" with Mike on vocals. One of my wishes for MIC that won't get fulfilled.

Non-Beach-Boys: Road Runner (Bo Diddley), You Can't Catch Me (Berry)

Here’s my favorites.  Check out the links!

Shut Down – Beach Boys *
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sq6_dX0gr2Y

I Get Around - Beach Boys *
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eY0OCS4_fig

Drag City  – Jan & Dean *
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2U0b9bw3cJg

Dead Man’s Curve - Jan & Dean * (Versions 2 & 3. And the ‘dirty’ mix).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmw0wejzBvI

Hey Little Cobra – Ripchords *
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llAvYn0m8VQ

Little GTO – Ronny & The Daytonas *
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaoIY7cmrq8

Little Old Lady From Pasadena - Jan & Dean * (Version 1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MhiHZvq8zc

Little Douche Coupe – Beach Boys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNbpPH416Bg

Three Window Coupe – Jan & Dean
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpLz-Bl4jBM

Bucket T – Jan & Dean & The Who
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUPPz1he3sQ


Fun, Fun, Fun
Don’t Worry Baby

I remember a long time ago starting a Car thread. Don Cunningham added Don’t Worry Baby to his list and somebody said, “Well, that’s not really a car song”. Don ended up winning the argument that it was.

* Stereo mixes, baby!

Man in Motion (St. Elmo's Fire). Sang/screamed it earlier today in a buddy's car. So much adrenaline.  :woot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVf4_WglzWA

typo?  ;)

Little Dutch Coupe.

If we're talking about songs that are strictly about cars or a car, I would go with Ballad of Ole Betsy and This Car of Mine (just love Denny's vocal on the latter).  I do love all the BB car songs, but those two are particular favorites.

I like Car Crazy Cutie more than I get Around

I like Car Crazie Cutie, but I really like Pamela Jean more than Car Crazy Cutie.  PJ shoulda been a hit.

This Car of Mine.  Right.  Forgot to include that one. 

Don't Worry Baby


I'm In Love With My Car

I immediately liked this song when I heard that detective intro. It's catchy & fun! Definitely in my Top-3 of Jan & Dean, along with their version of "Where Were You When I Needed You" & "The Best Friend I Ever Had".

Anyway, list of car faves by The BBs: Our Car Club, Cherry Cherry Coupe (if only for Mike's bass lines), Custom Machine (terrific group harmonies!), This Car of Mine, 409, Drive-In, In My Car, I Get Around, Honkin' Down The Highway, Still Cruisin', Little GTO (very entertaining!), Fun Fun Fun, Spirit of America.

Other artists: The Rip Chords' Hot Rod USA (one of my ultimate faves by the band); Goin' Out West, Ol' 55 by Tom Waits; Ridin' In My Car by NRBQ; The RS live cover of Route 66; Long Tall Sally by Little Richard; Terraplane Blues by Robert Johnson (nothing can beat the original imo, other renditions are tame).

Little GTO isn't a Beach Boys song, and Long Tall Sally isn't a car song.

I know, just expressed my fondness of namely The BBs' version. As for "... Sally", well, I thought the name referred to the narrator's car. Seems like I was wrong now. Thanks for correction, Mr. Hickey!

Very far from it -- "Long Tall Sally" is a trans* prostitute...

(Can't believe I missed this comment.) I totally agree with you, Disney Boy, Shut Down-2 is indeed great! Good to see I'm not alone on enjoying it. If anything, I never really understood why it's constantly being ignored while Moon Dawg receives much praise around fans. I mean, just listen to those tremolo effects & reverb! Carl really nailed the surf guitar! Plus, the backwards countdown by Mike is a cool start. So yes, I don't get what's special about Moon Dawg. Imo it just goes on forever, without any changes. Boring tune.

1/ If my car could only talk- Lou Christie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoyJKCBUlSU

2/ Bucket T- Jan and Dean

Don't really feel too strongly about any of The BB car songs...like them all equally, but these two have been non stop, weeks long earworms.

1. "School Is A/Gas" - The Wheelmen
2. Jan & Dean - Dead Man's Curve
3. The Super Stocks - Hot Rod High
4. The Rip Chords - Hot Rod USA
5. The Beach Boys - Shut Down

:) Mark

I Cant Drive 55 - Sammy Hagar

or how about My Mother the Car - teevee theme  ;D ;D

Absolutely "The Ballad Of Ole Betsy"...  That acapella at the end is out of this world. 

Wilco- Passenger Side
Audioslave- Getaway Car

"Betsy"                   Beach Boys
"Hot Stocker"         Jan & Dean
"Mighty GTO           Jan & Dean
"Custom Machine" Beach Boys
"Car Crazy Cutie"  Beach Boys

For pure fun (and because it hasn't been mentioned), I really like "Gas Money", the Rip Chords' version. I get a kick every time I hear the spoken "I need some gas money" (Terry Melcher, I think???) that comes from out of nowhere after the instrumental. (I also like, but not nearly as much, The Turtles' version... mainly because I can just picture Mark Volman going bonkers on stage performing it.)

But my favorite is easy... "Dead Man's Curve".  Jan's greatest production.     

Fun, Fun, Fun
Little Honda
Little Deuce Coupe
Hey Little Cobra
Shut Down
Custom Machine
Drag City
Little Old Lady From Pasadena
Our Car Club
409

Wow, I can't believe I didn't mention GM in my original list! It 's indeed total fun & Terry did great performance! I like those delicate high piano notes heard at the background, behind the electric & bass guitars. Plus, as someone who isn't mostly fond of the saxophone, I'll say that here it sounds nifty - one of the best solos, in fact (another such example - The BBs' Transcendental Meditation).

Additionally, I agree with you re Dead Man's Curve - it's definitely a top-notcher & easily my all-time favorite Jan & Dean song! I often end up listening only to this gem when play their catalog.

i have 2

back seat '38 dodge - opus 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lT51lpRKDp0

rolling through the city - guru guru
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ez_0RSjkmK8

Favorite Beach Boys car songs....probably "Don't Worry Baby" and "Little Deuce Coupe".

Favorite by others (namely Jan & Dean), probably "Dead Man's Curve" and "The Little Old Lady From Pasadena".

Recently listened to Autobahn by Kraftwerk... bloody brilliant car song. Easily the best for me!

John, did you ever locate this? I found a Ry Cooder song called "Crazy 'Bout An Automobile (Every Woman I Know)":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyQC0F3ec9w

First I thought there might be an "answer song" to it but as far as I can see there isn't.

The Stickshifters connection has me entirely stumped! Little Village, a band Cooder was in, is the closest I could get. And they used to do a live version of that song:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B015LOP0CM?ie=UTF8&ref_=dm_ws_tlw_trk6



   

As for car songs, the entire LDC album gets my vote. Every one a winner!

Others unmentioned until now (possibly) are War's "Low Rider"...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xTGrfs5TXM

...and Chuck Berry's "Maybellene":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjrQWU2EcsA

Classics both.

Desert Drive, Our Car Club, This Car of Mine. Springsteen's Pink Cadillac, McCartney's Helen Wheels, Elvis' Long Black Limousine, The Kinks Drivin', more will pop into my head later.

"Roadrunner"  by the  Modern Lovers - I grew up in suburban Boston so I relate to the song and the song's un-ironic celebration of suburbia is almost subursive.

If 'Vehicle' by The Ides of March qualifies as a car song, I'd say that's my favorite. Those horns are awesome.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6eSmECG4IQ

Comment:   Showing my age ....  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iK43-ERSwwM  ~swd

LONG MAY YOU RUN........   " Maybe the Beachboys have got you now.....with those wave singing "Caroline Noooooo"

"Rollin down that empty ocean road, getting to the surf on time"........

Right out of Neil's heart for old cars.   :)

Never found it yet. I said 80s but I'm wonderińg if it was 70s? It came late, in the wake of that rock and roll/doo wop revival that hit the UK charts in the form of Darts, Showaddywaddy, Rocky Sharp and the Razors/Replays, Shakin' Stevens et al.

I'll keep an eye out, as Murry might have said. I love looking for stuff. ;D 

How could I have forgotten this by one of my idols, Gary Numan?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6YMAvfwTFo

Here you go: :=)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By7acMlFAxk

I found it here:

http://rockandrollrevival.blogspot.nl/2008/01/looking-for-corner.html

A couple of them...

"The Breeze" - Lynyrd Skynyrd
"On The Road Again" - Canned Heat
"Flirtin' With Disaster" - Molly Hatchet
"Jesus Built My Hot Rod" - Ministry
"Highway 61 Revisited" - Bob Dylan
"La Grange" - ZZ Top
"How Are You Getting Home" - Sparks
"Maserati GT" - Blue Oyster Cult
"Pink Cadillac" - Bruce Springsteen
"I've Been Everywhere" - Johnny Cash
"Sweet Hitch Hiker" - Creedence Clearwater Revival
" 5 Minutes" - The Stranglers
"Cars And Girls" - The Dictators
"Long May You Run" - Neil Young




 

"Cadillac Ranch"

"Beep Beep"

Oh my golly blimey!!!! Many thanks indeed. First time I've heard that in decades. I misremembered enough of the band's proper name and the song lyrics to misdirected Google etc, but you nailed it. That you so much!

-Just What I Needed
-My Best Friend's Girl

 :lol :lol :lol :lol but I always go with "Heartbeat City".

The Beach Boys did some great car songs, no doubt.  Other faves of mine that haven't yet been mentioned include...

Hot Rod Lincoln
One Piece at a Time
Mercury Blues
Mercedes Benz

Oh wow. Janis. How did that not get listed yet?

Wouldn't the ultimate Cars song be "Drive."  It's The Cars singing about driving a car!!! 

Ha.  That's true. Cars ^2

Not really a car song per se, I guess.  More an anti-materialism anthem of sorts.  I like it, whatever it is.

Ooh, I forgot one that is only a couple of years old, with subject matter that touches upon a pet peeve of mine...Junior Brown's "Hang Up and Drive".  That's the same Junior Brown that covered Brian's "409" on the Stars and Stripes, Vol. 1 album.

Don't think these have been mentioned yet:

Freeway Of Love----Aretha Franklin
Cruising For Burgers----The Mothers of Invention

And at the controversial end of the spectrum:

Highway To Hell----AC/DC
Dead Joe----The Birthday Party

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WItkYLgYzP4