There are an abundant amount of songs that feature a Chevrolet. In fact, there are so many that it would take forever to make a list of them all. Because of the importance of cars in our society and our history, there are some that have a special place in the American pop culture.
Here are six of the greatest:
6. "Chevrolet" ZZ Top. This road anthem likens a ride in this motor vehicle to a religious experience. The word "hallelujah" is even repeated eight times throughout the course of the song. Released on ZZ Top's second album in 1972, this track was the last on the A-side of the record.
5. "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?" Paula Cole. The only top ten hit on Billboard's Hot 100 for Cole, "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?" was released in 1997. It was nominated for three Grammys, including Song of the Year. It's a tune that looks backwards in semi-nostalgic wonder to the way the world has changed, using this car as one of its symbols.
4. "Crocodile Rock" Elton John. The first number-one single in the US for Elton John, "Crocodile Rock" was released in 1972. Shaped by strong influences from the late 1950s and early 1960s, he uses the car as a reminder of the time when cars were a symbol of youth, freedom, and a promise of the future in a post-war world, when rock was young.
3. "Little Red Corvette" Prince. This pop/rock phenomenon was Prince's first top ten hit in the US. Released in 1983, it's played in bars, restaurants, clubs, parties, and karaoke joints to this day, a testament to its cross-generational appeal. In fact, it's currently ranked as the 87th greatest song of all time by Acclaimed Music, thus showing how enamored we still are with the little red corvette.
2. "American Pie" Don McLean. This one seems an obvious choice. It was named Number Five on the Recording Industry Association of America's Songs of the Century for good reason. The tune's chorus, wishing Miss American Pie goodbye and using the Chevrolet as its mode of transport, has likely been stuck in the head of everyone over fifteen at least once.
1. "Racing in the Street" Bruce Springsteen. This ballad is considered by several critics to be Springsteen's best song. Despite the disappointments of the narrator, the 1969 Chevrolet he built himself gives him immense pride and joy. Critics have seen this ability to find satisfaction in driving a fast car as symbolic for the desire of American men for freedom.
The Chevrolet's many models, from the Corvette to the Camaro, the Impala to the Silverado, loom large in the eyes of music artists as stand-ins for American freedom, nostalgia, and innocence. It has served as a muse for some of the greatest, catchiest tunes that have ever graced the airwaves, and these six titles serve as a testament to the power in this symbol.
Here are six of the greatest:
6. "Chevrolet" ZZ Top. This road anthem likens a ride in this motor vehicle to a religious experience. The word "hallelujah" is even repeated eight times throughout the course of the song. Released on ZZ Top's second album in 1972, this track was the last on the A-side of the record.
5. "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?" Paula Cole. The only top ten hit on Billboard's Hot 100 for Cole, "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?" was released in 1997. It was nominated for three Grammys, including Song of the Year. It's a tune that looks backwards in semi-nostalgic wonder to the way the world has changed, using this car as one of its symbols.
4. "Crocodile Rock" Elton John. The first number-one single in the US for Elton John, "Crocodile Rock" was released in 1972. Shaped by strong influences from the late 1950s and early 1960s, he uses the car as a reminder of the time when cars were a symbol of youth, freedom, and a promise of the future in a post-war world, when rock was young.
3. "Little Red Corvette" Prince. This pop/rock phenomenon was Prince's first top ten hit in the US. Released in 1983, it's played in bars, restaurants, clubs, parties, and karaoke joints to this day, a testament to its cross-generational appeal. In fact, it's currently ranked as the 87th greatest song of all time by Acclaimed Music, thus showing how enamored we still are with the little red corvette.
2. "American Pie" Don McLean. This one seems an obvious choice. It was named Number Five on the Recording Industry Association of America's Songs of the Century for good reason. The tune's chorus, wishing Miss American Pie goodbye and using the Chevrolet as its mode of transport, has likely been stuck in the head of everyone over fifteen at least once.
1. "Racing in the Street" Bruce Springsteen. This ballad is considered by several critics to be Springsteen's best song. Despite the disappointments of the narrator, the 1969 Chevrolet he built himself gives him immense pride and joy. Critics have seen this ability to find satisfaction in driving a fast car as symbolic for the desire of American men for freedom.
The Chevrolet's many models, from the Corvette to the Camaro, the Impala to the Silverado, loom large in the eyes of music artists as stand-ins for American freedom, nostalgia, and innocence. It has served as a muse for some of the greatest, catchiest tunes that have ever graced the airwaves, and these six titles serve as a testament to the power in this symbol.
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