Greg Myers Posted September 9, 2014 Author Share Posted September 9, 2014 Obviously, this thread has wandered far afield from the original post, but I just wanted to comment that I thought the 3 songs chosen were quite appropriate to the question: Hot Rod Race for having established the genre and provided the seminal structure upon which all future Hot Rod songs would be based. Hot Rod Lincoln as the breakthrough hit that broke the genre onto the mainstream Pop Music charts. Little Deuce Coupe as the mass-appeal iconic classic that transcends all generations past and present and survives to this day. The back stories for each of these songs, who wrote them, when they first appeared, and even how they made their journey into whatever level of popular culture they finally resided, is equally significant. Hot Rod Race, while unquestionably genuine and "pure" as a representation of postwar West Coast hot rod culture (street racing in San Pedro) and the Okies and Arkies of the Depression who created it from the money they earned in wartime factories, is relatively obscure today. To modern ears it is prehistorically primitive proto-rockabilly and much of what it describes has largely been forgotten except by hard-core Hot Rod aficionados. Hot Rod Lincoln owes as much of its notoriety to Commander Cody & The Lost Planet Airmen and the Rock 'n' Roll revivalists of the 1970's as it ever did to its initial success in 1955 or its acceptance as a pop chart hit in 1960. I would dare say that many who vote for it today are doing so because they remember it from the pop music revolt of the 70's and early 80's rather than the emergence of rockabilly and car culture in the 50's and early 60's. Only Little Deuce Coupe can truly be thought of as a pop culture icon, and THE quintessential hot rod song when it comes to mass culture. I'm one of the few who voted for Hot Rod Race, but only because of its seminal nature and because it's such a remarkable document of the early years of hot rodding. But I would be the first to admit that, far more than the other two, Little Deuce Coupe, the product of California Youth Culture in full cry (cars, music, and post war consumerism), has endured and is universally acknowledged for its representation of a pop hot rod ideal. Really the essence of this thread. Thank you Bernard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigphoto Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 Spring Little Cobra ? Ok, maybe not so much but you know I had to say that didn't you ? : )One of my faves too my friend!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonW Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 There's nothing in the rest of the song that leads me to believe that's a drag strip. Sounds like he's just cruising to me. I think every population center of any size whatsoever in America has a "strip" of some sort where the kids cruise and hang out. We had two even here in tiny Dickberg.Thanks for that also to Brett and Danno for filling in a missing bit of my education, We never really had a 'strip' like that in Solihull!I do know that a drag strip is a one way affair though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webestang Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I voted for Deuce Coupe......but my favorite "car" song has to be Mustang Sally....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High octane Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 How 'bout an instrumental called "Stick Shift" by the Duals? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilderness1989 Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 She's real fine my 409. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclescott58 Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Has "Little Nash Rambler" been mentioned yet? "Beep-beep, beep-beep, his horn went Beep-beep-beep." Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclescott58 Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Never mind my last posting here. I don't know how I missed this. Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike morelli Posted September 9, 2017 Share Posted September 9, 2017 Perhaps technically not a "Hot Rod" song, but whenever I hear the "Route 66" theme song, I imagine being out on the open road in a high-powered machine just rolling along at a good clip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junkman Posted September 9, 2017 Share Posted September 9, 2017 Music is always subjective...like Deathgoblin...I like it a bit heavier.. "Jesus Built my Hotrod" by Ministry (not religious) is one of my favs and the video is awesome. You've gotta watch it if you've never seen it!^^This.And I can't stand Rock'n'Roll and Surfing stuff.There. I said it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtx6970 Posted September 9, 2017 Share Posted September 9, 2017 Danny Haggar . I can't drive ....55 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtx6970 Posted September 9, 2017 Share Posted September 9, 2017 As far as older songs .Little Old Lady from Pasedena works to. I'm not really a ' HOT ROD ' guy.More of a muscle car guy myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike999 Posted September 9, 2017 Share Posted September 9, 2017 Not "quintessential," but goofy and fun. Also sad, since Pontiac is no longer with us. "Go Back to Your Pontiac" by The Darby Sisters, from 1959. Included in the awesome collection, "Girls in the Garage, Volume 2." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snake45 Posted September 9, 2017 Share Posted September 9, 2017 Danny Haggar . I can't drive ....55 I like Sammy Hagar's version better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtx6970 Posted September 9, 2017 Share Posted September 9, 2017 I like Sammy Hagar's version better. It was early ( pre coffee ) and on my phone . But yea, me to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arjay 396 Posted September 11, 2017 Share Posted September 11, 2017 All great tunes thus mentioned so far but my vote goes to (drum roll please)...... "SS396" by Paul Revere & The Raiders. Of course I've been known to be a skosh biased. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wku88 Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 "The radio plays a forgotten song..." -- Radar Love Golden Earring Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Myers Posted September 12, 2017 Author Share Posted September 12, 2017 Which song is the ONE song that most represents Hot Rodding ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordan White Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 I like Sammy Hagar's version better. This is one of my favorites. The poll options are great for their time period, but the fact that they are played constantly at seemingly every car show makes me sick of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynehulsey Posted September 16, 2017 Share Posted September 16, 2017 Would have to vote for the Hot Rod Race just because of its capturing the essence of the beginnings. Saying that I wore out a copy of Johnny Bond's version of Hot Rod Lincoln which I consider the best version of the song. Don't really care for Commander Cody's version that much. Got to meet Charlie Ryan at a car show years ago when he was touring with the car and got an autographed copy of his version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Irwin Posted September 16, 2017 Share Posted September 16, 2017 Belvedere Cruising. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aStb89JZDms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FoMoCo66 Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 This is probably a really dead thread given it was started 10 years ago but that was way before I was back in the model car scene or this magazine. I actually made a hot rod Playlist on Spotify with pretty much every song listed on this page. Here's a link. If you like it you can find it easier the next time you want to listen to it! FMC66 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaddyDaddy Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 “Low Rider”by War “I’m In Love With My Car” by Queen ”Momma Hated Diesels” by Commander Cody........well, maybe not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 (edited) "She's Real Keen, My V-16" Edited February 16 by Ace-Garageguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blizzy63 Posted February 17 Share Posted February 17 What could be more “hot rod” than a burn out…? ’Burnin’ Rubber’ by Gene Moles & the Softwinds (1964). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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