The automobile is one of pop culture’s central images. Just see how many songs about cars exist. Whether it’s a rock ‘n’ roll Cadillac screaming down Route 66 or Louis Theroux’s Fiat (you really have to see it, y’know) music is replete with car imagery. Indeed, car songs are practically a genre unto themselves – songs about escape and entrapment, using the car as a cypher for sex, relationships, pent up energy, and the need to break out of your surroundings.
Today is a Bank Holiday for (most of) the UK – sorry, Scotland! – so the Clash team have united to compile our favourite songs about cars and driving. The ultimate road trip playlist, we’ve pieced together 33 songs from across music history – so put the pedal to the metal…
Simon & Garfunkel – America
While the competition for best love song ever written might be tough, ‘America’ by Simon and Garfunkel definitely wins best love song ever written about a roadtrip, without a doubt. In that signature S+G storytelling way, ‘America’ captures so much. From the distinctly 60s energy of that beatnik, nomadic lifestyle of travelling from coast to coast without a penny, to the timeless sweetness of dedicating hours on the road to each other as if its a date – “let us be lovers / we’ll marry our fortunes together” has to be the most romantic way to say lets split the petrol.
A rare song that lends itself to perfect covers, you can swap out the original for Courtney Marie Andrew’s take or a harmony heavy version from First Aid Kit and it’ll remain just as beautiful. The kind of song that could turn a slow crawl down the M1 into a movie montage, add it to your playlists for some necessary romantic escapism. (Lucy Harbron)
Willie Nelson – On The Road Again
The ludicrously prolific Willie Nelson has covered a wealth of genres across his storied career (72 albums over 60 years is no mean feat), but it’s his uniquely breezy outlaw country classics that truly set him apart. This ode to life on the road in a touring band is classic Willie, with simple sincerity bursting from his warm, reedy voice as he declares, “The life I love is making music with my friends.” You could probably apply much of the sentiment to any sort of shared pursuit that sends groups of mates out on the road, and allied to a tune that’s tailor-made for zooming across the American highways, it’ll make you feel like you’ve already packed up a guitar and hopped straight into the van with him. (Will Fitzpatrick)
The Breeders – Drivin’ On 9
‘Drivin’ On 9’ was originally performed by Boston collective Ed’s Redeeming Qualities, but it’s The Breeders’ cover from seminal album ‘Last Splash’ that really gets the blood running. Kim Deal sounds positively road-weary here as she sighs, “I sure miss you” while breezing past motels and missing turn-offs – another touring anthem to add to an extensive songbook of bangers from the American underground. Fiddle player Carrie Bradley (from ERQ, of course) also turns up to lend an extra mournful tone to proceedings; however, it’s Kelley Deal’s jauntily optimistic mandolin motif that really seals the deal, pushing a solid alt country banger into a composite of moods while driving home just how good The Breeders really were at this point. (Will Fitzpatrick)
Isaac Hayes – By the Time I Get to Phoenix
Isaac Hayes’ take on Jimmy Webb’s classic torch song might not be the best known, but it’s undoubtedly the most ambitious. Running to almost 19 minutes if you treat yourself to the 1969 album version, its first half is a drawn-out spoken narrative, interspersed with croons of “mama, mama, mama” and “ooooooh” that whet your appetite for the triumphant explosion of soul that follows. Long enough to take you from LA to Phoenix? Not unless you play it on repeat – but then why wouldn’t you? (Tom Kinglsey)
Kings of Leon – Camaro
“She looks so cool in her new Camaro…” Kings of Leon hit a high point with their third album, ‘Because of the Times’, and ‘Camaro’ is its most riotous, full-throttle performance. Driven by a bunched-up bass line and a whole truckload of ecstatic riffs, it’s ultimately just a song about a woman who looks great in her car, and a guy trying to make eyes with her without jettisoning his “great sunglasses”. Like the car of the title, it’s classy, well-crafted and a hell of a ride. (Tom Kinglsey)
Eminem – ’97 Bonnie & Clyde
Eminem’s breakthrough album, The Slim Shady LP, is riddled with cartoonish violence, from nurses ODing on shrooms to the rapper’s entire brain falling out of his skull. It therefore goes without saying that ’97 Bonnie & Clyde is not your average road trip narrative. Slim murders his wife, pops the body in the boot of his car, and drives off to the lake to dispose of it – bringing his baby daughter along for the ride. We’re not sure exactly what equivalent journey this would suit as a soundtrack, but it’s brilliant enough to make the list anyway. (Tom Kingsley)
Read on for more Songs About Cars
Bruce Springsteen – Racing in the Street
Bruce Springsteen’s written so many good songs about cars that it’s almost impossible to pick just one. That said, ‘Racing in the Street’ is a very strong contender for the best song about cars ever. It wrings emotion out of the slightest images, from the dismissive way its hero outraces a “Camaro with this dude from LA” and steals his girlfriend to the “wrinkles ’round my baby’s eyes” that mark the downturn in their relationship. And it’s not just the girl who gets stolen: Springsteen takes snippets of other, happier songs (‘Dancing in the Street’, ‘Don’t Worry Baby’) and reworks them into a mournful ballad about loss, emptiness and redemption. (Tom Kinglsey)
The Game, Anderson .Paak – Stainless
‘Stainless’ is the flawless result of merging Anderson .Paak’s soulful vocal styling with the gravelly bars of The Game. Taken from The Game’s 2019 album ‘Born 2 Rap’, he illustrates the steps he has to take to protect himself in LA and how firearms have become a necessity in his world. Held aloft by an iconic Anderson .Paak hook, The game blends the layers of ugliness he’s been exposed to with an inexplicable beauty he sees in his surroundings. All of which produce a track deeply infused with a West Coast sound that carries with it all the energy of driving through the streets of the city late at night. (Naima Sutton)
Rema – FYN
For what our summers might have been without Rema it doesn’t even bear considering.
Back in March, the Nigerian artist released his debut album ‘Rave Roses’, nestled firmly in the project sits ‘FYN’. A team up between Rema and AJ Tracey layering laidback flexes and opulent images of cruising in a Beamer, giving an almost dreamy production that merges together to create an infectious melody that perfectly encapsulates the energy that comes with knowing you’re a hot commodity. ‘FYN’ begs to be played at full volume as you speed down a coastal highway on a sun-kissed day. (Naima Sutton)
Curren$y – Gold and Chrome
If anyone can blend the best elements of old-school hip-hop effortlessly with the new school it’s Curren$y. On ‘Gold and Chrome’, with Harry Fraud by his side and a beautiful sample courtesy of The Sentiments in hand, Curren$y raps on his dreams and intentions for his son once he’s fully grown and how the experience of lockdown made him ruminate on his legacy.
The intricately layered production has countless elements but the sound that comes from the combination of strings and horn breaks brings the track from certified bumper to undeniable classic. (Naima Sutton)
Slick Rick – Sittin’ In My Car
Slick Rick still holds the crown for his exceptional storytelling abilities, ‘Sittin’ In My Car’ comes from his third studio album ‘Behind Bars’ released in 1994. The track combines his playful narrations with a dry, stripped-back production that uses beatbox as its strongest element. Slick Rick flashes back on the reasons that led him to be waiting in his car for a girl, taking us on an ironic journey of an unfaithful man losing his perceived control of a situation that eventually ends with his comeuppance. Break this one out when you’re stuck at traffic lights or waiting for your companion to hurry up and get in the car. (Naima Sutton)
Lemon Jelly – Pushy
Set against a sunlit backdrop, British electronic duo Lemon Jelly’s track ‘Pushy’ create a gentle, feel-good, and contagious beat inspired by mellow jazz influences. Following a consistent 92 BPM across seven minutes, ‘Pushy’ is a perfect, feel-good road trip song that never veers on faceless “lounge pop.” Every road trip playlist needs a breather track in-between cathartic singalongs and breakneck beats; A playlist is in constant pursuit of the perfect ‘mellow anthem,’ one to stare out the window and pretend you’re in a coming-of age film, and ‘Pushy’ provides a colourful, fuzzy, and nostalgic response. It’s a song created with warmth, perfect for cruising down the coast on a sunny bank holiday, and it’s impossible to play this track without a smile on your face, a wistful look in your eye, and the infectious tapping of fingers against the dashboard. (Ruby Carter)
MGMT – When You Die
The makings of a perfect road trip song normally include an emphatic sing-a-long, a great release of life’s mundanities when friends, family, or whomever can come together and transform a small Chevy into the O2, and ‘When You Die’ does exactly that. On electro-pop MGMT’s track ‘When You Die’, the duo contemplate the void, lacing an aesthetically upbeat pop anthem with nihilistic sentiments, contrasting a deceptively chipper mood with bleak lyrical content. Played in the context of a car-ride with friends, whatever the “meaning” of this song may be (which, by the way, has sparked countless debates in the MGMT reddit forum), is inconsequential. Examining its existence as a road trip anthem, it provides groups of friends cruising along the M25 singalong opportunities for a cathartic “Go fuck yourself!” And “I’m not that nice!”, all layered over a breezy, ambiguously cheerful sound. (Ruby Carter)
Cocteau Twins – Heaven or Las Vegas
It’s nearly impossible to distinguish most the lyrics to the Cocteau Twin’s ‘Heaven or Las Vegas’, and that’s what makes it so much fun. Elizabeth Fraser’s hypnotic vocals layer over Robin Guthrie’s glimmering, wholly-beguiling sound, channelling an ethos that can only be described as an emphasis of light and beauty. The group’s almost invented language of murmurs, screeches, recitative wails and bellowing eschews a technicolour, dream-pop world, with the dizzying and near illegibility of their performance concocting an extremely human feeling. Delicately composed while vocally emphatic, it’s the audible personification of something subverting inhospitable darkness for something far more inviting and lovely. The swells of the track envelope its audience, highlighting the true potential of music to create its own field of Heaven tangible for audiences.
‘Heaven or Las Vegas’ is an instant burst of comfort, perfect for environments of friends and family, creating a euphoric sensation driving down long, seaside roads without a care in the world. The track’s invented language provides the perfect cathartic sense of release, inviting the listener to sing along however they see fit. The act of belting out debated lyrics allows the audience to personalise their own experience of listening; As every melty note is plucked from Guthrie’s lush guitar, the listener is allowed to take centre stage and create their own indecipherable anthem, layered over the saturated, colourful notes of indigo, violet, and bright red, like the eponymous album cover. It’s the ultimate bonding experience, allowing road-trippers to release their own emotional heft through a freeing, individualised sing-a-long. (Ruby Carter)
Kanye West – Drive Slow
Everything about Kanye West’s ‘Drive Slow’ makes for a slick midnight cruise, preferably flaunting a low-rider in blacked-out shades and clouds of cigarette smoke. Perhaps it’s twinkling chords or the soul-baring sax that makes for a spotlight moment across second studio album ‘Late Registration,’ serving as a signpost in West’s signature production. Leaning towards the more jazzy, playful side of hip-hop, ‘Drive Slow’ builds upon West’s mid-noughties reformation of the genre, with verses from Houston rap icon Paul Wall and fellow Chi-Town resident GLC. To this day, this era of Mr. West feels evermore timeless and relevant. (Ana Lamond)
Little Simz – Speed
For some, 2021’s album ‘Sometimes I Might Be Introvert’ truly warranted Little Simz to enter new conversations regarding those pushing UK music forwards. For others it simply solidified what we, and the North London wordsmith, have known all along. ‘Speed’ is a streak of experimentation, reaching for a mellowed punk bass and screeching synths that have typically invited Simbi to hop behind the keys at her live shows. Rumbling in its production, the lyrics carry themselves with braggadocio, all the meanwhile teasing that Simz is far from running out of steam. “Got a hard drive full of classics, I keep that shit locked up in the attic.” It’s a racing number that feels distinctly vintage, rugged and buzzing all at the same time. (Ana Lamond)
Frank Ocean – White Ferrari
Nestled within 2016’s ‘Blond,’ the stripped back fragility of ‘White Ferrari’ finds solace in spaced-out production and starkness. Capturing Frank Ocean at perhaps his most intimate and broken, the enigma lathers his words in double entendres and metaphors, standing at the cross-road of a relationship jaded by differing hopes and intentions. Using a white Ferrari to describe the naivety, the rarity and value of the time shared, there is a sense that the two can no longer move forwards. Vocally, Ocean plays with distance and multiplicity in a way that constructs a ghostly listen, feeling particularly poignant as he croons over the loose strums of a guitar. “Mind over matter is magic, I do magic. If you think about it, it’ll be over in no time…” (Ana Lamond)
Tyler, The Creator – 2SEATER
Tumbling into heavy chords and fleeting vocals, ‘2SEATER’ is a bright and breezy escapade from none other than Tyler, The Creator. For many fans and, admittedly the car enthusiast himself, 2015’s ‘Cherry Bomb’ felt like a jumbled attempt, packing in all the foundations that would later meet their polished execution across future work. Nonetheless, Track 8 is a gorgeous glimmer of Tyler’s strengths in arrangement, layering the contrasting textures of squawking synths, epic drums and bitter-sweet keys. It’s a structure that foreshadows Tyler’s knack for movie scores, building a world of sound around action and steering away from intricate lyricism, devoid of too deep a meaning. ‘2SEATER’ is, quite frankly, all about speeding, rolling down the windows and hair blowing in the wind. (Ana Lamond)
Slaves – Where’s Your Car Debbie?
‘Where’s Your Car Debbie?’ is pretty self-explanatory, as evidenced by its exquisitely unambiguous lyrics; “Where’s your car, Debbie? Debbie, where’s your car?” bellows lead singer Isaac Holman, teetering into Cockney farce. The bolshy track details the end of a bog-standard night out, escorting a good friend Debbie to her car. Yet, parked somewhere in the late-night wilderness, the punk rock duo are perturbed by the ominous presence of Bigfoot. An underlying sense of dread creates the basis of the track, reflected in the dissonance of walloped drums and heady electric guitar. ‘Where’s Your Car Debbie’ is taken from Slaves’ equally energetic debut ‘Are You Satisfied?’, where 70s-tinged punk assaulting the senses like spoilt milk. It doesn’t get more Kent than this. (Gem Stokes)
Beenie Man – Who Am I (Sim Simmma)
Beenie Man’s ‘Who Am I’ is a landmark dancehall track released in 1997, but has more than stood the test of time. Krept & Konan and J Hus are just two of many artists that have sampled the track to commercial success. But that well-known riddim bassline is actually a sample itself, taken from veteran Jamaican producer Jeremy Harding’s ‘Playground Riddim’. Packed with innuendo, Beenie Man toasts the quest to find his BMW’s keys, all in the name of speeding to his lovers. Upon its release, ‘Who Am I’ hit number 10 in the charts, launching Beenie Man’s star and leaving an infectious legacy. (Gem Stokes)
Charli XCX – Vroom Vroom
This article wouldn’t be complete without a special mention of the pioneering hyper-pop track ‘Vroom Vroom’. One of a few automobile-themed Charli XCX singles, ‘Vroom Vroom’ is the gritty and delicious opener of the starlet’s eponymous EP, produced by the late and great SOPHIE. The twanging bassline and corrosive percussion are a testament to the pair’s pioneering sound, pouring liquid metal directly into the eardrums of listeners. The bars of ‘Vroom Vroom’ shift like a car scudding around the city, punctuated by bang-on-the-door hi-hats and reverberating gasps. ‘Vroom Vroom’ is alt-pop perfection. (Gem Stokes)
The Wombats – Girls / Fast Cars
The musical apex where indie rock meets synth: it’s gotta be The Wombats. The Wombats have an essence of summer in a muddy field, perhaps because they’re festival bookers’ favourites, or perhaps because their noughties throwback anthems have listeners beaming with wistful nostalgia. 2011 release ‘Girls / Fast Cars’ is one such track. A song about life’s simple pleasures: living in the present and remaining aloof in the wake of heartbreak, ‘Girls / Fast Cars’ is cheesy comfort. Lead singer Matthew Murphy weaves a glib tapestry of independent delights, all building to a catchy, yet simple chorus: “I like girls, girls and fast cars.” The Wombats clearly knew what they were going for, steering the fantasy of many a teenage boy in 2011. (Gem Stokes)
The Cardigans – Daddy’s Car
Dreamy, evocative and life-affirming, when you think of The Cardigans and driving songs, ‘My Favourite Game’ with the MTV-banned video of Nina driving recklessly through a desert road surely springs to mind. But, how could we not include ‘Daddy’s Car’ – a sweet, nostalgic track from the indie-pop Swedes that we can all relate to; the prospect of gathering the gang together and embracing the freedom of the road. This song really epitomises those lost summers and how nothing else mattered other than those precious moments with friends.
Infectious, melodic and charming, ‘Daddy’s Car’ is an underrated gem that showcases Nina Persson’s seraphic and effortless vocals exquisitely. (Emma Harrison)
Prince – Little Red Corvette
There’s always been a correlation between cars and sex in music and ‘Little Red Corvette’ is no exception. Hell, this was Prince after all, the slinky-hipped, sultry singer oozed sex appeal and this is the track that propelled him into the mainstream and into the history books.
Prince doesn’t pull any punches with lyrics like “Cause I felt a little ill when I saw all the pictures / Of the jockeys that were there before me…” This song which was released in 1982 uses the metaphor of the ‘Little Red Corvette’ to describe how he feels when he learns that the woman he has slept with has had other lovers. It offers an interesting slant on gender perceptions and represented a changing attitude for women when it came to going after what they wanted in all aspects of their lives which became more apparent in the eighties. Above all, this song was a game-changer for Prince and is an absolute masterpiece. (Emma Harrison)
Looking for more Songs About Cars? Read On…
Oasis – Roll With It
It may have lost out to Blur’s ‘Country House’ in the now notorious chart battle back in 1995, but ‘Roll With It’ fully deserved that number 1 spot. Not only is it an absolute anthemic rock classic, but it comes with an important message, encouraging the listener to simply go with the flow of life and to be yourself at all times.
Oasis is a band synonymous with the word swagger and ‘Roll With It’ has it in abundance, from the thundering drumming to the defiant, rousing and charismatic delivery by Liam. Don’t tell me you haven’t sung the refrain ‘life will drive (drive, drive) whilst behind the wheel, channelling your inner Gallagher!
‘Roll With It’ hasn’t always been given the kudos it deserves, but this is a song that not only helped shape and define an era, but that has stood the test of time and still sounds as fresh and relevant as ever.
Everything might have been ‘goin’ jackanory’ for the floppy haired Blur boys, but when it comes to lyrics like ‘Don’t ever stand aside/Don’t ever be denied’ and “You gotta roll with it/You gotta take your time / You gotta say what you say / Don’t let anybody get in your way” these aren’t just lyrics, it’s a way of life. (Emma Harrison)
Olivia Rodrigo – Drivers Licence
There are more than a few reasons as to why Olivia Rodrigo has become one of pop music’s darlings, but perhaps the song that catapulted her to stardom is heartbreak anthem ‘Drivers License’. Whether on route to a festival or driving home from work glassy eyed and heartbroken, this track, hailed as an essential track to come out of the TikTok age, is one of our road trip essentials. (Isabella Miller)
Anderson. Paak and Kendrick Lamar – Tints
Anderson .Paak and Kendrick Lamar combined forces to make this head-bumping summer banger that will transport you to the roads of LA. Packed with serotonin-boosting properties, this song bursts with 80s funk and soul, with each verse and instrumentation masterfully composed. Anderson .Paak is notorious for his energetic yet effortless performance, and we see that in this track. Picture your roof-top (or windows) down, shades on, cruising in the sun, with this track playing on full blast – what more could you want. (Milcah Fajardo)
Bad Boy Chiller Crew – New Machine
Need an energy boost halfway through a long road trip? Forget Red Bull, just slap on Bad Boy Chiller Crew and crank it up. Homages to life on the road don’t come much higher octane than this. The boys haven’t so much ignored the Highway Code as torn out pages and used them to roll big boy bifters, and while Clash definitely doesn’t recommend dangerous driving, the pounding kick and 100mph flows on this should even have PC Plonker revving his engine at the lights. (Alex McFadyen)
Red Hot Chili Peppers – Road Trippin’
Taken from their seventh studio album ‘Californication’ (featuring hit singles, ‘Scar Tissue,’ ‘Otherside,’ and ‘Californication), ‘Road Trippin’’ is a track often missed, yet never fails to disappoint. ‘Road Trippin’’ is a nonchalant tune that perfectly captures the joyous vibes of a getaway road trip. The music video for this single came later alongside their ‘Greatest Hits’ 2003 album and its shoegazy photogenic nature blissfully accompanies delicate harmonies. ‘Road Trippin’’ has a simplicity and gentleness to it that makes escapism feel so real – nothing else matters when you listen this song. (Laviea Thomas)
The Chats – 6L GTR
Australian pub-punk is essential for a road trip – nothing quite beats screaming along to potty-mouth lyricisms and bouncing along to reckless breakdowns. The Chats seem to know this is the case; latest album, the eloquently titled ‘Get Fucked’, blesses us with a totally perfect motor-loving banger. ‘6L GTR’ is a squealin’, tyre-burnin’ anthem, fuelled by its tongue-in-cheek charm and and frantic guitars.
It’s bright, it’s bouncy, and it’s gloriously messy. This is a track certified to have you drumming on your steering wheel as you’re ‘fangin down the highway’.
Never Not Nothing – Tunnel Vision
‘Never Not Nothing’ are the embodiment of a tech-noir car chase. The space-punk duo’s sound oozes atmosphere, crafting soundscapes you can’t help but sink right into. ‘Tunnel Vision’ in particular really captures that cruising feeling, charged drumbeat and soaring synths urging the track onwards. Those howls of “I’m a crash, I’m a collision!” are invigorating, the psychedelic energy even moreso. The duo’s self-titled 2019 debut is ram-packed with road trip worthy anthems, so definitely treat yourself to a space race if that’s what you’re after. (Emily Swingle)
Incubus – Drive
‘Drive’ is a classic. Incubus really pulled out all the cards on this anthem, crafting a total alt-rock spectacular. Slow, purposeful and thick with emotion, ‘Drive’ is a track where every word strikes a chord – and you simple have to howl along to with your entire chest, no exceptions. With a vocal performance as rich and impassioned Brandon Boyd, you can’t help but emulate; you’re guaranteed to echo his howl of “whatever tomorrow brings I’ll be there” with just as much gusto, throwing yourself into the guts of this track. (Emily Swingle)
Steppenwolf – Born To Be Wild
BORN. TO BE. WIIIIILD! Need we say any more? This 1968 hard-rock banger truly captures the feeling of the open road, every note bristling with energy and rumbling with a giddy sense of freedom. Many even claim this track to be one of the first heavy metal bangers, and the spark is undeniable in that meaty riffs and mighty chorus. It’s the kind of track that makes you wish you were in the Hells Angels, listening to the purr of your Harley-Davidson as it growls beneath you. There’s a wild side in all of us, and this track is the perfect way of letting it loose. So, stop wasting time – get your motor runnin’! (Emily Swingle)
