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Date published: 11/13/2009
By LARRY PRINTZ The Virginian-Pilot Odds are, if you're a car lover, you have a playlist on your MP3 player with a few car songs on it. Or you enjoy the odd car song now and then. But there's more to these songs than first meets the ear. Here are five tunes worth taking for a spin: 'Rocket 88' Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats, 1951 Sam Phillips--who later discovered Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and other legends--produced this tribute to the Oldsmobile 88 in 1951. The song, considered one of the first rock 'n' roll records, was written by Ike Turner's cousin, who is responsible for these somewhat coherent lyrics: "V-8 motor and this modern design / my convertible top and the gals don't mind." Turner's band backs Brenston, with Ike tickling the ivories. 'Why Don't You People Learn To Drive?' Gene Vincent, 1960 This track was released on Vincent's 1960 album "Crazy Times" to capitalize on his U.K. tour with fellow rocker Eddie Cochran. Ironically, the tour would find both rockers involved in a car crash that killed Cochran, but not Vincent. The track features Sandy Nelson on drums and future Beach Boy Bruce Johnston on piano. Its lyrics are ironic given the circumstances and still apropos: "Well if you drive like crazy / gonna be pushing up daisies / I think you people is crazy." 'Hot Rod Lincoln' Charlie Ryan and the Timberline Riders, 1959 Made famous by Johnny Bond in 1960 and Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen in 1972, "Hot Rod Lincoln" was co-written and first recorded by Charlie Ryan in the early 1950s as an answer record to "Hot Rod Race." Ryan's version reached No. 33 on the charts; Bond made it to No. 26. But Cody had the big hit, cracking the Top 10 and peaking at No. 9. Ryan died last year, at 92. 'Flat Tire' The Del-Vikings, 1958 One of doo-wop's great groups, the Del-Vikings formed in 1955 at an Air Force base where they worked as jet mechanics. Having won an Air Force talent contest the following year, they started recording for a small Pittsburgh label. Two tracks from 1957 became top 10 hits: "Come Go With Me" and "Whispering Bells." This one, a tale of a date ruined by four flat tires and a visit from the police, failed to chart. 'Cadillac' Bo Diddley, 1961 One of rock and roll's founding fathers penned this sizzling indictment of the luxury car on his album, "Bo Diddley Is a Gunslinger." The disc contains one song you might know, "Ride On Josephine," later covered by George Thorogood & the Destroyers on their first album. This song rocks just as hard, although it's unlikely to be used by General Motors anytime soon. Sample lyric: "Come to the car but the car wouldn't start / C-a-d-i-l-l-a-c / Cadillac is breakin' my heart."
1. Be respectful. No personal attacks.
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