By Elayne Matthews

Where has the great music depicting the great American automobile gone?  Is it the lack of American automobile innovation to inspire the music artist, or has music forgotten the love between owners and their automobiles?  As The Who sings, “The song is over, it’s all behind me, I should have known it…”

As I age, I find myself changing my car radio station to our local classic rock more often.  I pride myself to be open to all sorts of music genres’, often listening to music choices challenged by my college daughter, however the heart still longs for the classics.  These songs were inspired by different times in our culture, major events, and most certainly the American car.  The Beach Boys brought to life the T-Bird, 409, and the little Deuce Coupe.  Sally had her Mustang, and the little red Corvette became the hot automobile to own after hearing Prince sing about the car.  Bob Seger’s lyrics grant a picture of the backseat of a 60s’ Chevy, while Aretha sings about riding down the freeway of love in her pink Cadillac.  Country songs are filled with lyrics depicting the American truck and Alan Jackson sings about being “Crazy About a Mercury”.   Did these songs influence the sales of the American automobile?  I have owned both American and Foreign.  I would like to own a GTO, Corvette, or Cadillac from those days of ingenuity and style.  However, what about today’s models?  Why aren’t there songs written about them, or have I tuned into the wrong radio stations?  Could it be the names aren’t inspiring?  I still believe the classic automobile is classic because of the style and the name.  Again, The Who, “The song is over, the song is over…Searchin’ for a note, pure and easy, playing so free, like a breath ripplin’ by.”

Even if I wasn’t an original owner of some of the cars in those classic songs, I could still picture myself driving that car when the song was playing.  There always was the possibility of owning one much later, used.  My husband and I did just that a few years back.  We became the owners of a classic 1968 Pontiac Catalina, and went to all the car shows.  It was the same model, different color, of the first car owned by husband in his early years of car ownership.  Cavorting with other car owners, reminiscing about the classic cars with classic music in the background was a real treat for us.  There definitely was style and innovation back then in the automobile and the music.  “This song is over, I’m left with only tears, I must remember, even if it takes a million years.” Where has it gone, or is it on a come back?  I see the American automaker ramping up its style and bringing us cars to love again.  Will the music come along and join the auto industry?  What was your favorite automobile song?  Did it inspire you to make that car purchase, new or used?  Have you heard any new songs depicting automobiles that give that feeling the classics provided?

We at carcarebuzz.com would like to hear your choices of music and cars, past or present.

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