11 songs about the highway
We dedicated the May/June 2023 issue of Hagerty Drivers Club magazine to the deep connections between music and cars, including several fun lists featuring your favorite car songs. Click the Music & Cars tag to catch up on all the stories, or jam with our custom Music & Cars playlist on Spotify, available here.
For our final installment of car songs, we’re looking to the open road for inspiration. Here are 11 tunes focused on that long black ribbon of freedom.
Nat King Cole
“ROUTE 66”
Now you go through St. Louis
Joplin, Missouri
And Oklahoma City looks mighty pretty
You’ll see Amarillo
Gallup, New Mexico
Flagstaff, Arizona
Don’t forget Winona
Kingman, Barstow, San Bernardino
Fun fact: Outside of this song, no one has ever accused Oklahoma City of being mighty pretty.
Deep Purple
“HIGHWAY STAR”
Nobody gonna take my head
I got speed inside my brain
Nobody gonna steal my head
Now that I’m on the road again
Meth—not even once.
Willie Nelson
“ON THE ROAD AGAIN”
On the road again
Goin’ places that I’ve never been
Seein’ things that I may never see again
And I can’t wait to get on the road again
It’s literally impossible to come up with something snarky to say about this song. Try it.
The Doobie Brothers
“ROCKIN’ DOWN THE HIGHWAY”
Ford’s about to drop, she won’t do no more
And I smell my motor burnin’
Underneath the hood is smoke
Somewhere, a billion Chevy owners are nodding their heads and laughing.
Golden Earring
“RADAR LOVE”
When she is lonely and the longing gets too much
She sends a cable coming in from above
Don’t need no phone at all
Even in 1973, these guys knew that driving and cell phones didn’t pair well.
AC/DC
“HIGHWAY TO HELL”
I’m on the highway to hell
Highway to hell
I’m on the highway to hell
Highway to hell
No one has ever captured a weekend trip to Ikea better than AC/DC did.
Lindsey Buckingham
“HOLIDAY ROAD”
I found out long ago
It’s a long way down the holiday road
Holiday road
Holiday road
A catchy jingle to be sure, but this song really comes alive when you’ve got your dead aunt Edna strapped to the roof.
Talking Heads
“ROAD TO NOWHERE’”
They can tell you what to do
But they’ll make a fool of you
Nice, subtle nod to parents everywhere.
Kraftwerk
“AUTOBAHN” (This was actually a Beach Boys homage)
Wir fahr’n, fahr’n, fahr’n, auf der Autobahn
Wir fahr’n, fahr’n, fahr’n, auf der Autobahn
Wir fahr’n, fahr’n, fahr’n, auf der Autobahn
Wir fahr’n, fahr’n, fahr’n, auf der Autobahn
Wir fahr’n, fahr’n, fahr’n, auf der Autobahn
Wir fahr’n, fahr’n, fahr’n, auf der Autobahn
Wir fahr’n, fahr’n, fahr’n, auf der Autobahn
Wir fahr’n, fahr’n, fahr’n, auf der Autobahn
Wir fahr’n, fahr’n, fahr’n, auf der Autobahn
They’re driving on the Autobahn, in case that’s not clear.
Canned Heat
“ON THE ROAD AGAIN”
You know the first time I traveled out in the rain and snow
In the rain and snow
You know the first time I traveled out in the rain and snow
In the rain and snow
I didn’t have no payroll, not even no place to go
Poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.
Tom Cochrane
“LIFE IS A HIGHWAY”
This is the road and these are the hills
From Mozambique to those Memphis nights
The Khyber Pass to Vancouver’s lights
We’re not going to say this drive is impossible, but you really need to keep an eye on the tides.
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This article first appeared in Hagerty Drivers Club magazine. Click here to subscribe and join the club.
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I actually like each one of these songs. But I can’t wait for the tsunami of responses that say, “How Could You Leave _______________ Off Of This List?” ‘Cause you know it’s coming – you KNOW it is…
Well that is the point. Not posting songs that are obvious creates post and hits on the story and that is the point of web stories.
Same for songs posted out of context. Love Highway to Hell but it is not a highway it is about touring as a band. Unlike a song like Ventura Highway that is really about a highway.
These stories are to stimulate web conversation and traffic as that is what pays the bills. No pun intended.
Say it ain’t so, Hagerty!!! Are you seriously just click-baiting us with these lists as hyperV6 asserts?
(B-T-W, I totally missed the pun – anyone else get it?)
maybe I made this up-but it is stuck in my head- song begins with “driving(riding) down the (that)American highway..” does this ring a bell with anyone?
long ago I had a 1975 Mustang convertible- if I win the lottery I will be in touch!
Under the Radar, but Great Driving Song by Johnny Mathis, “99 Miles from LA”
Ok, but how do you have a list of “songs about the highway” that doesn’t mention…. “Highway Song” by Blackfoot? It’s literally the name of the song!!!
I haven’t listened to that “Blackfoot Strikes” album in 40 years. Thanks for the reminder!
This is the first one that came to my mind even before I opened the article. Great song and a staple on my playlist!
Rockin’ Down the Highway! Great opening rif!
Add Little Feat Let it Roll
“Headed Out To The Highway” by Judas Priest off the Point of Entry album. Now that’s a right foot slammed to the floorboard kinda song.
All great songs, but if you’re a Brit and an “Essex Boy” then Billy Bragg’s song “A13, Trunk road to the Sea” is the only song you need. It uses Route 66 as the base tune and goes like this..
“If you ever have to go to Shoeburyness
Take the A road, the okay road that’s the best
Go motorin’ on the A13
Well, if you’re looking for a thrill that’s new
Take in Fords, Dartford Tunnel and the river too
Go motorin’on the A13
It starts down in Wapping
There aint’t no stopping
By-pass Barking and straight through Dagenham
Down to Grays Thurrock
And rather near Basildon
Pitsea, Thundersley, Hadleigh, Liegh-on-Sea
Chalkwell, Prittlewell
Southend’s the end …..
Check out Google for the full lyrics, plus Google maps to follow the route.
Perhaps not a highway song, but definitely a song for the road, Speed by Montgomery Gentry.
Highway Star is a definite foot to the floor song.
What happened to ‘Born to Be Wild’ by Steppenwolf?
Get your motor runnin’
Head out on the highway
Looking for adventure
In whatever comes our way
Nice adder Robert!
I swallowed the bait….The Highway Don’t Care…Tim McGraw, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban
And to show my age….Deadman’s Curve….Jan & Dean
“Carefree Highway” by Gordon Lightfoot — one of my all-time favorites.