Cars and Songs
There is no doubt that music and automobiles have a place together in history. For many people, there is nothing quite like cruising around town with the radio blasting. The love affair with cars and music inspired songwriters to craft memorable pieces all about their favorite cars, like the Lincoln Zephyr, the Mercedes Benz, and the Chevy Corvette. Here are a few cars that appeared in song lyrics by artists from a variety of different music genres:
Mercury: Alan Jackson might be best known for his classic “Mercury Blues” song where he told us all he was “crazy ‘bout a Mercury,” but there were several other performers that crooned about the speedy rides. The Steve Miller Band, K.C. Douglas, and Ry Cooder & David Lindley also sang about them.
Lincoln Zephyr: It might not be an obvious choice, but the Red Hot Chili Peppers wrote a song called “The Zephyr Song.” Anthony Kiedis encourages his girl to fly away with him on a Zephyr. Whether he is talking about the west wind or a smooth rolling Lincoln Zephyr, the song never says.
Chevy Corvette: One of the sexiest songs ever written about a car, wasn’t really written about a car at all. “Little Red Corvette” by Prince may seem like it is all about the perfect car, but it is actually about a woman and her mystical ways. Regardless of the actual topic of the song, it truly is unforgettable.
Mercedes Benz: Janis Joplin might have been the last person that you would ever think would actually own a Mercedes Benz, but she sang her heart out about the car. “Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz” sounded ironic, yet completely perfect out of her rough and tumble raspy voice.
Lincoln: The Lincoln Zephyr was not the only Lincoln with its own song. “Hotrod Lincoln” by Commander Cody told us all about the perils of a papa trying to control his son’s bad habits: drinking and racing. The song was originally recorded by Arkie Shibley and his Mountain Dew Boys about a race between a Ford Model A and a 12-cylinder Lincoln.
Ford Mustang: “Mustang Sally” was a hit for two men, Mack Rice and Wilson Pickett. The song was rumored to be about Della Reese and her desire for a new Mustang, with the song being named by none other than Aretha Franklin. This popular song has been covered by more than 20 different artists over the years.
