Rockin Down the Highway

Ever think about how big a music as it relates to our classic car hobby? Ive had my ear buds in for the half hour and what comes on the iPod? The Doobie Brothers Rockin Down The Highway. A driving song if there ever was one! This tune has almost landed me in hot water a few times it just makes me want to downshift and the hard against the floorboard. Im typing away here the Doobies tune has come to an end, and whats next on the The Doors Riders On The Storm. Haunting, to say the least. This one sounds best on a lonely highway at sundown, storm clouds roiling overhead. Its amazing how huge a role music in our classic car hobby. Listening to Elvis through that tinny 6 dash speaker while cruisin round the block in your 57 Chevy, or filling the cockpit with Sammy Hagars I Cant Drive 55 on some wide open stretch of Interstate the tunes set the mood, big time! How about car shows? Ever been to one where theres no music blaring through the loudspeakers? Neither have I. The songs that have been written over the years about cars and driving are too numerous to count! Jan and Dean and The Beach Boys certainly focused their efforts on the road tunes. Oh, here we go The Eagles Hotel California just started that ominous beat coming through my ear buds. As you can imagine, Ive got a huge carroad collection of songs on my iPod. Little Old Lady From Pasadena, 409, Little Deuce Couple, Hot Rod Lincoln all favs. The best moments (for me, anyway) come from matching the music to the moment. I took a ride (not as the driver bummer) in a 62 Impala SS about 10 years ago. The owner had 409 out of his beefy aftermarket sound system. And yes, that big Chevy happened to sport a 409 under the hood. It was an incredible moment for me and still sticks in my brain. Heck, sometimes it doesnt even have to be music. I used to love listening to afternoon ball games on the little Sonomatic AM radio in my 69 Buick. Single dash speaker, kind of crackly, just set the mood good times indeed. Like drive-in movie theaters and old time burger joints, music in our cars tugs us (sometimes not so gently) back into days gone by. And sometimes, thats just where we want to go. Would love to hear your thoughts here. Feel free to use the Comments section below and a while youre at it! Shop for Tri-5 Chevy at www.ecklers.com Follow us on our Tri-5 Facebook Click here and Like us!