By Robert Emslie
The dawn of the eighties saw the last of Joan Claybrook heading up the NHTSA and her insipid 85-mph speedometer mandate adding insult to injury with the near death by boredom experience that was the national 55-mph speed limit. Those were trying times. Of course as the nation shook off the last vestiges of the humdrum seventies cars did become better, quicker, and a heck of a lot more fun to drive. Witness the U.S. birth of the GTI, the Aero Thunderbird, third-gen Camaro/Firebird twins, and the rebirth of the Mustang GT which to this day offers an unparalleled kick in the pants to dollar ratio.
And along with performance returning to cars and trucks like a formerly amnesiac lover, rock and roll brought forth tunes to celebrate its restoration. For some, the seventies was all disco and the eighties a vast wasteland of new wave and synth-pop. But truth be told, there were tons of not only straight forward rock to be had in the MTV era, but a lot of tunes that would engender right pedal enthusiasm and open window fist pumps.
This was the age of Sammy Hagar’s famous ode to social disobedience- I Can’t Drive 55, as well as a slew of ZZ Top songs that just seem so right when played on a car stereo. Looking back on this automotive epoch, what do you think was the awesomest driving song to come out of the eighties?
Image source: RetroRides
Jeff Glucker
As as a teen of the 80's this may be one of the hardest questions I've seen here.
Panama?
Danger Zone? (Even though I don't Tom Cruise)
All of Eliminator?
My Zubaz are tented thinking of the possibilities.
Danger Zone was the first thing that popped into my head
A song that's enjoying a new lease on life thanks to a certain secret agent.
[youtube d3D7Y_ycSms http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3D7Y_ycSms youtube]
You know, the song is cheesy, Tanantino's impression of the movie is dead on, but damn that song works as a driving song.
For me the funny thing is that song only works as a driving song. A lot of these are good music that is enjoyable to drive to, but "Danger Zone" is different. So this is what I propose:
DSP=DE/NDE
DSP is Driving Song Purity a numerical valuation of a piece of music's quality as a driving song, and only a driving song.
DE is Driving Enjoyment from 1 to 10.
NDE is, of course, Non Driving Enjoyment again, 1 to 10.
I've constrained the valuations from 1 to 10 to keep us from dividing by zero, or from having Kenny Loggins blow our minds with indescribable driving awesomeness.
But once the car stops, or someone sees you, that shit's getting turned off.
Kudos on the Zubaz reference!
X – The Hungry Wolf
http://youtu.be/VLzQ-v0C8CA
[youtube c3Q2OLhPIuI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3Q2OLhPIuI youtube]
See, I was gonna say…
[youtube 8I8mWG6HlmU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I8mWG6HlmU youtube]
Can we agree that Love is the greatest driving album?
Both song above make me think of empty desert roads for some reason.
As for sanctuary.. reminded me of this rather NSFW comic from Oglaf. http://oglaf.com/sanctuary/
Dang you. My first thought was this.
[youtube lAdRCUsqg-U http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAdRCUsqg-U youtube]
Okay, best driving album of the eighties. I must have worn out two or three cassette copies of it in high school.
I wore out one. Still have my second.
And no tape player. . . .
Since we agree, we're either correct or similarly insane.
Honestly, though, it gives me shivers. My right foot involuntarily twitches about an inch downward with the first drumbeat. Not to shortchange 'Nirvana', 'Phoenix', or particularly 'Rain', but 'She Sells Sanctuary' is the song that I'm most shocked hasn't gotten me arrested.
I believe my soon-to-be-new car has a tape deck…
. . . we're either correct or similarly insane.
It's possible for both to be true, hey? Pardon me while I take my meds.
"She Sells Sanctuary" has been an odd sort of litmus test for me over the years; if a person happens to mention the song unprompted, they're someone I'm going to like.
It's hard to do the speed limit when "Runnin' Down a Dream" by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers is playing.
All of Full Moon Fever was really great.
Maybe we should've done albums.
Yep. I got Full Moon Fever thru the Columbia CD Club along with Clapton's Journeyman.
Good stuff.
[youtube C62-5oPcusw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C62-5oPcusw youtube]
Nothing in the Eighties beats Golden Earing's Radar Love from 1973.
Oh I can make it fit. Here is the White Lion remake from the 80's
[youtube pk2U41uvOlI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pk2U41uvOlI youtube]
Sorry, no points for you. The Golden Earring version far surpasses all the covers.
The Golden Earring version is far superior but the question was for songs from 80's. So I made it fit using the cover.
This came out in September 1990, but I still think of it as a late 80s song. When I got my Isuzu Impulse at age 16, I LOVED listening to this song on the radio (the cassette deck was broken).
[youtube 7z6dxQVhE8o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7z6dxQVhE8o youtube]
Golden Earing – Twilight Zone
This is an acceptable second place.
It's been my opinion for a long time that the 55mph speed limit was the beginning of people's general ignorance of traffic laws today. Drivers hated the 55, and routinely ignored the limit, and the rest flowed from there.
Oh so many to choose from. I drive for a living (hauling HVAC parts), so I think I know good driving music.
A few of my favorites:
Bachman-Turner Overdrive "Let It Roll" (Not quite 80's but still good stuff.)
Poision: "Anith Nothing But a Good Time" and "Ride The Wind"
Joe Satriani: "Summer Song" and most anything else by him.
Vixen: "Rev It Up"
Pat Benetar: "Shadows of the Night"
Did someone just thumbs yo down for Shadows of the Night? I hope not, and fixed it.
Missing Persons – Walking in L.A.
Talk Talk – Life's What You Make It
Midnight Oil – Blue Sky Mine
Really depends on the mood, I could make a list of hundreds.
I feel so much better that someone else out there will admit to liking Missing Persons.
"Mental Hopscotch" is a great driving song.
[youtube m17rt_xo9x0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m17rt_xo9x0 youtube]
When it comes to 80's music, the answer is always Metallica.
[youtube ppVFPRM6swM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppVFPRM6swM youtube]
Thanks to Old School I start lusting after bad ass Ram vans when I hear this. An excellent choice![youtube IoevyxD6m5E&feature=player_detailpage http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoevyxD6m5E&feature=player_detailpage youtube]
I love that van.
Nobody's mentioned Phil Collins – In the Air Tonight yet, which is clearly the correct answer. Yes, it's not a fast driving song per se, but c'mon.
Gotta give props for that, that's no pack of lies.
Word.
It is hard to think of that song without visualizing Miami Vice.
[youtube E1o-NWNmQLM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1o-NWNmQLM youtube]
Or Rebecca DeMornay in Risky Business.
Would post clip, but NSFAnything.
The pilot episode of The Americans (on FX) like toootally ripped off/paid homage to Vice's use of that song. Dang, that was a good episode actually.
This was also the only song they managed to butcher in Miami Vice the movie, the 2006 remix stunk, even though all other musical selections pretty much rocked. Every time I see a white Rangie at night on the street now I have Felix Da Housecat's Sinnerman remix pop into my head.
Partially because I love the song, and partially because it corresponds with my first car, my vote may have to go to David Lee Roth's "Just Like Paradise"
"Rocking steady in her daddy's car/ she got your stereo with the big guitars / and that's all right…"
Boys of Summer by Don Henley. It's quintessentially 80's in its sound and it works well as an open highway/road trip soundtrack.
You're not wrong, despite the high cheese factor.
Steve Earl's Copperhead road, of course.[youtube xvaEJzoaYZk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvaEJzoaYZk youtube]
Ooh. Oooohhhhhhh.
Know what's fucked? I've never listened to this song while behind the wheel – it just never made it onto a compilation and never came on the radio. When I pick up my new car, though, this'll be the first thing I play, I've already decided.
You didn't specify 1980s. From 1880 Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture.
[youtube VbxgYlcNxE8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbxgYlcNxE8 youtube]
The 1812 Overture has always been proto-AC/DC to me anyway.
Wonder why?
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/5c/ForThoseAboutToRock_ACDCalbum.jpg/220px-ForThoseAboutToRock_ACDCalbum.jpg"width=400>
I salute you.
My favorite version was played at a Schofield Barracks picnic on July 4 during the post-Gulf War celebrations.
When they opened up with the artillery at the end, more than a few servicemen dove for cover, then sheepishly returned to their supportive family groups. We all laughed afterward and agreed it was the best way to perform that particular work.
Information Society's What's On Your Mind, specifically, the Pure Energy remix.
[youtube mIUFTR0wReE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIUFTR0wReE youtube]
I mean, they had a '73 Plymouth Satellite on the album cover, already Mad Maxed…
Any reference to 'Vector' is worth a thumbs-up in itself…
Load up the van and hit the highway – it's the Talking Heads – Life During Wartime.
[youtube xzORu1dqEE0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzORu1dqEE0 youtube]
Anything with an umlaut:
Queesnrÿche, Operation Mindcrime
Mötley Crüe, Dr. Feelgood
Spın̈al Tap, Big Bottom
Also:
Ozzy Osbourne Bark at the Moon
AC/DC Back in Black
Aerosmith, Permanent Vacation
Still technically the 80's.
[youtube qUIOYclmA_k http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUIOYclmA_k youtube]
Molly Hachet – Flirting with Disaster
Foreigner – Rev on the Red Line
Eddie Money – Shaking
This album is seriously under rated but AC/DC's Blow Up Your Video is full of great driving songs. Plus my dad would let me play it a lot in the car. I'm on my second copy of the cassette and it's in my car at all times, I was listening to it on the way to work this morning.
[youtube PTrmFLMytTU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTrmFLMytTU youtube]
Another one I listened to a lot as a kid was Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A.. It was for a different mood, but i sold my Golf with it in the deck, so it's been a while.
I wasn't exactly alive in the 80's (although I was a fetus for around 5 months of it), so my vote probably doesn't count. From my retrospective angle, I'd have to pick:
Iron Maiden – The Trooper
Motley Crue – Kickstart My Heart
Stevie Ray Vaughn – Pride and Joy
Danzig – Mother
Soundgarden – Loud Love
Red Hot Chili Peppers – Higher Ground
As someone you got their driver's license in 1988, the proper Stevie Ray Vaughn song is the House is Rockin.[youtube u44L_EfD5XI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u44L_EfD5XI youtube]
Although any of his stuff is pretty good.
I'd get a speeding ticket with this playlist. Good picks!
Rev it Up & go the The Stray Cats – "Built For Speed"
[youtube TQMrTil4zMw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQMrTil4zMw youtube]
The Cult, Whitesnake, Dio, early 80's Sabbath, The Clash, Rainbow (recently discovered Death Alley Driver), 80's Deep Purple…
Sorry- my work cut the youtubes.
Love Dio and early 80's Black Sabbath. I love Black Sabbath's Zero the Hero from Born Again (1983). [youtube tqEo-gg7mE8&feature=player_detailpage http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqEo-gg7mE8&feature=player_detailpage youtube]
That may be the worst album art this side of Cannibal Corpse.
Aside- the guys who dig Dio Sabbath over Ozzie are in the extreme minority. At least we have taste.
Relatively.
I first heard Zero the Hero as a Cannibal Corpse cover in the early 90's. I was completely unaware of Born Again until then, the album is meh but Zero the Hero is a good tune. Plus cookie monster vocals amuse me.
Eddie Rabbit of course!
[youtube KZg9f5JtYtA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZg9f5JtYtA youtube]
You get a thousand demerits for reminding me that song existed.
How about "Smoky Mountain Rain" by Ronnie Milsap?
I've got to nominate Elvis Costello's entire "Armed Forces" album.
Suicidal Tendencies – Trip at the brain
I'm showing my age here, but Out of Control, from U2's first album. The '80s were only 10 months old when it came out.
[youtube oG4jNAt70M4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG4jNAt70M4 youtube]
[youtube -FOE1JRZ7_k http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FOE1JRZ7_k youtube]
Perfect starter for a long road trip, commute or escape from a top secret government facility.
MuthaF.
I was thinking of this soundtrack today after reading this thread.
I have this CD- came with the special ed tin can DVD.
Let's eat sushi and not pay!
Not really an automotive song (despite having "drives" in the title), but every time I hear this song, I remember coming back from Daytona Beach, when the passenger in the car behind us, obviously listening to the same radio station, pulled off her top and started bopping around to the beat.
[youtube wjalc6Atbig http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjalc6Atbig youtube]
I prefer Johnny, Come Home, But good call!
What do we like? Cars.
When do we like them? 80's.
What are we going to do with them? Drive.
[youtube xuZA6qiJVfU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuZA6qiJVfU youtube]
Love "Drive".
Love "Just what I needed" more.
Heartbeat City was the first record I ever purchased .
And one that squeaked into the '80s in the last 3 months…
[youtube 339_aT5axQU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=339_aT5axQU youtube]
[youtube xBKyBlJ_JN8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBKyBlJ_JN8 youtube]
Wow, I don't think I've even thought of that song since the 80s.
I forgot about that one, which I actually have as space filler on my cassette of Candy Apple Grey
[youtube j0lVmceDIts http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0lVmceDIts youtube]
Not a driving song, but a Hooning video.
[youtube J6oupuOoVs0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6oupuOoVs0 youtube]
Another one.
Peter Cetera sounds like something that would keep you from donating blood.
Still, I approve of this tune.
For somebody who "grew up" in the 80s, this is hard. But my shortlist would have to include:
Dire Straits: Telegraph Road,
Marillion: Bitter Suite,
AHA: I've been losing you,
Lotus Eaters: First picture of you,
Oh, damnit. TOO hard.
I was 4 when the '80s ended, but I can still give you a massive thumbs up for "Telegraph Road." The last five minutes are epic.
Also, Mark Knopfler put on, hands down, the best live show I've ever been to.
Ah, Marillion. Exactly the music that needed to be played on the drive home after being dumped by an actress or art student…
First let me say I do not appreciate the 'sponsored by' banner. But I know it helps the Hooniverse so I'll shut up about it.
And now: OH YEAH!
[youtube cC8UbZbf4pk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cC8UbZbf4pk youtube]
THE ACE OF SPADES -motorhead…. duh. that may compete for top 20 best hooning songs of all time.
Crazy Train – Ozzy
oh hell. heres a hunert-album playlist…. go drive to China at full throttle
http://rateyourmusic.com/list/warpigcat/the_top_1…
can i use Fucking Hostile – Pantera? it was written, recorded, and performed live for over a year before CFH was released in 1990.
Sin – Nine inche Nails
Not really a driving song, but a great workshop song. Inspires me to go to the garage and build something custom.
[youtube Jm-upHSP9KU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jm-upHSP9KU youtube]
I actually listened to a lot of 70s music in the 80s but offhand:
Husker Du Dead Set on Destruction 9along with the rest of Candy Apple Grey)
The Clash Guns on The Roof
Hoodoo Gurus Mars Needs Guitars album
REM Exhuming McCarthy (in NY City traffic)
Joy Division 24 Hours
B-52s Planet Claire, especially if you have a Plymouth Satellite. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47YAcpCa5dM” target=”_blank”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47YAcpCa5dM
And Devo's Gut Feeling. One of the best and longest intros in musical history. Give it a listen, you won't be sorry. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nexuAIKZmY
What surprises me about this thread is the lack of driving songs about DRIVING. So lets fix that.
[youtube gdDNFJpil50 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdDNFJpil50 youtube]
Yea, um….
[youtube q0S642NtHtE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0S642NtHtE youtube]
I was going to say "Don't Stop me Now" by Queen, because that's what Top Gear picked. But that is 1978. Way too many good ones listed above for me to add to otherwise. But here's the earliest song I can remember driving to in the 80s. I just happened to crash my first car, a 1983 Chevy Chevette Scooter, as this song was playing. Good times… not.[youtube yiuUYLr_f3w http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiuUYLr_f3w youtube]
Camper Van Beethoven-Take the Skinheads Bowling
And "Tanya".
"City of the Angels" by Wang Chung, from the movie soundtrack for "To Live and Die in LA":
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tWh-87b-PGs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
It may not get more 80s than this.
Let's try that again….
[youtube tWh-87b-PGs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWh-87b-PGs youtube]
I am officially embarrassed to put this here, but…
[youtube Le1z9HOY5Ss http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Le1z9HOY5Ss youtube]
I haven't seen this video in 20 years.
I think is the song most like to be playing while programming a Commodore64.
Not really a driving song, per se, but it's very car focused and very 80's.
[youtube 1v3CzvQ9e_w http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1v3CzvQ9e_w youtube]
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Wow. That's really harsh, spambot. Also completely inaccurate
Hey, hold on. "yoga for weight loss" is a great guy (I think), and a very close friend of mine. He (or she, I'm not totally sure) is absolutely spot on, except for the part about relying on video, and the part about posting a video. If you ignore the minor detail that this post contained all text and no video, he (or she) is abo-posi-definitely correct.
I'm always kinda curious about how the spambots target older, inactive posts. Anyone have some insight to this?
"…it is more common for spammers to target older articles that have established traffic and a good search engine ranking. These articles can sometimes be years old, so you may not even notice that they have been attacked." http://www.elegantthemes.com/blog/tips-tricks/red…
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