Art & Inspiration Car Show Music-What Are Your Top 5 Songs?

I agree the music is trite and too loud. I like classical and I am all for the songs on Bandstand when I was a kid and it was Dick Clark live in Philadelphia. But, honestly, how you can have a car show and not play Hot Rod Lincoln is beyond me. It'd be like a wedding without the Chicken Dance. Period correct, here's Johnny Bond from 1960:

 

Or, how about this? didn't every kid into cars have this in '63?

 

I definitely like to hear the sounds of silence coming from the pa system at car shows. Playing music and always running your mouth over the loudspeakers ruins a good car show.

 

No Money Down.
By either Chuck Berry or Chris Smither.

 

After listening to the NASCAR ride alongs roar around the racetrack all day at GG Texas Motor Speedway, interrupting many conversations and giving me a headache, I don't even notice the music, and would be happy to listen to doo-wop all day rather than that.

The last event in June was rainy, which was sad because the car count was down, but the upside was no race cars on the track.

 

Those "tired" songs may "fit this website" but it's a pain to hear them
over and over again. There are too many really good songs from the
so called HAMB era that we don't need to be lost in the '50s & '60s.

Play "Summertime Blues" by Eddie Cochran but don't even think about Blue Cheer's version.
Play "Johnny Be Good" by Chuck Berry" but don't even consider Judas Priest's version.
Play "La Bamba" by Richie Valens but don't you dare play Los Lobos' version.

Faux, or patina, paint jobs weren't a thing in the HAMB era but they're okay on this site.
Polished American D spoke wheels weren't a thing but they're quite acceptable here.
A/C, cruise, custom tweed interior and other creature comforts were unheard of. Not here, though.
But don't list a post '65 artist.

Back to the original question:

Rev Up - Manuel & The Renegades
Car Hop - The Exports
Big Baby Blues - Richie Valens
Go Jimmy Go - Jimmy Clanton
Dear Dad - Chuck Berry (don't worry, it's a rocker)

 

Pull out "Kansas City" by the Fat Man and eighty six the rest. They're car show regulars.

 

Glen Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Les Brown and his Band of Renown with '63 Novas, axled '56
Chevys, and a chopped '32 three window. Now there's a match made in car show heaven.

 

Seriously? Does that mean that pics of participants who don't have either 'greaser' or flattop haircuts will be deleted? Pics with colored T-shirts or baseball hats banned? No shorts on males allowed? Love of old cars isn't enough, now we have to pass a cultural litmus test?

In spite of that, my choices (in no particular order) are...

'I Can't Drive (55)' Sammy Hagar
'Effen It Don't Go, Chrome it' Mr. Gasser and the Weirdos (AKA Ed Roth and some studio musicians)
'Highway Star' Deep Purple
'Maybelline' Johnny Rivers
'Goin' To Mexico' Steve Miller Band
'Radar Love' Golden Earring
'Six Days On The Road' Taj Mahal
'The Ballad Of Thunder Road' Robert Mitchum
'Pipeline' The Chantays (OK, I snuck in a surf instrumental... LOL)
'Fun Fun Fun' The Beach Boys (the obligatory Beach boys selection)

OK, that's more than five (and I could add a lot more) but I'm pretty passionate about my music. The problem these days is the older guys that do this are retiring and you're starting to get clueless kids who dig up random oldies and think they've 'got it'. And the better ones know how to place their speakers, something else that can be a problem unless the event operators pay attention. The couple of shows I'm involved in we hire somebody for the PA capabilities as much as anything else.

 

For my money, the original version of "Kansas City" by Wilbert Harrison in 1959 was better. Fats Domino's version (1964) was on the B-side of a 45 with "Heartbreak Hill" on the A-side. Both were great but the original, in my opinion, is better.

 

Sammy Hagar writes songs about hot rodding. ZZ Top only has traditional builds in their videos. The Beach Boys did hot rod tunes after 1965. Lot's of tunes after 1965 are good hot rod and cruising tunes and are played at cruises. How can any music be banned? Now we are in "traditional music"? That's just stupid.

 

Interesting point. We're building cars in the "traditional" style so why wouldn't music in the traditional sty;e fit as well? There are two issues here-the songs and the noise level. Fortunately, there seems to be a consensus on the decibel level.

 

Before the thread gets locked, another vote for low level or none.

 

I definitely agree with low level. I love music and don’t mind it at some cruise-ins but prefer to have nothing playing.

 

Everybody has different tastes in music. You do need to make the choices 'accessible' to account for that. About 10 years ago our 'entertainment director' tried doing all 'era correct' (pre-British Invasion) music and the complaints were numerous and vocal. Last time we tried that. Playing a large bunch of obscure (to many) songs is a good way to lose your audience, especially if everyone is there to have a good time.

FWIW, any show that I attended in the '60s didn't have canned music, it was live if it had music at all. And I don't recall even one Big Band, C&W, DooWop, Bluegrass or Girl Group performing. They were generally local rock bands that did covers, sometimes a 'second' tier band with some national notoriety and in any case you usually got whatever their play list was, with maybe a few 'car tunes' added for the occasion. You rarely see live music anymore, as the costs are generally too high if the purpose of the show is to generate money for community giving as most are.

And what kind of show is it? Limited to era/type of cars? Most shows around here are 'open', pay your entry fee and they don't care what kind of car it is. Awards lists will do more for controlling what shows up than trying to formulate entry criteria in most cases if that's the intent.

 

It seems the 'music too loud' thing is a worldwide phenomenon at car shows. We have to suffer it here in Australia as well. Particularly annoying when you have a trade stand and you're trying to discuss items with a potential buyer, or finally get to meet with an existing customer you've only dealt with over the phone in the past.

 

In the 60's there were high school bands all over the place. Some of them even knew a second song besides "Louie,Louie". Of course, every band that played Louie,Louie was then investigated by J. Edgar Hoover.

 

I and I think a lot of others enjoyed the live bands/groups who were performing at Hotrod-A-Rama in Pendleton. If you were over 100 ft from the stage the music wasn't so loud you couldn't talk to someone in a normal voice but you could still hear it clearly. I sat down in a couple of spots to catch my breath and relax a bit and listen to them.
There was some group out further away who decided that they needed to have their own brand of music complete with box speakers and some device to drive them but I didn't spend much time in that area anyhow and they were a bit away from everyone else. Maybe they didn't like live bands and wanted something to cover it up with.
A few years back I attended a show every labor day that had a paid DJ that did a lot of car shows in the PNW who thought the car shows were all about him rather than the fact that he was supposed to be the background entertainment for the event.

 

None!

 

Most stuff played at shows sucks.

 

The more I think about this, car show music is one of the reasons I don’t like car shows much. My favorite shows don’t have much music other than maybe some live stuff in an area where you only have to listen if you want to (which I do sometimes since I do really like music). But, I would much rather just be able to talk to people with no overplayed 50’s music. Talking and exhaust notes are plenty music to me when it comes to a car show. Car shows don’t need to be a circus.

 

I guess I'm one of the odd balls. I like it loud. Even better if it's live music. I usually park as close as I can get to the music...

 

I was hoping it was a joke. Just in case….I’m headed to the thrift store for some penny loafers and a button down white shirt with a pocket protector. I might have to post a selfie some day.
Thank God Yul Brynner was around back then. I’d never make the DA look.
Edit: If you ever see me driving an old car and the radio is playing The Beach Boys or Doo Wop, Call the frigin Police…there is a guy in the back seat with a gun or a large knife!

 

The Sounds Of Silence by Simon and Garfunkle

 

That guy works outside the PNW, believe me.

 

I hear ya....

The music is played way too loud at car shows and cruises. Even though I like the music to beat me in the chest, car show music is very tinny most of the time due to poor sound systems and piss poor sound techs.
Live music is a lot different and better sounding.

And what about those morons at the swap meets who blast their motown through echo plexes?

 

Jim (HRG) I'll bet you didn't foresee the direction this thread has taken! Hope I get to hear your DJing sometime soon.

 

The thump of a lumpy cam, going through the gears, the wine of a blower, rock crusher tranny, or quick change rear.....

 

Hey Jeff,

It's all good! I asked for suggestions and got several that I plan to utilize at a show tomorrow. I've got three more large car events booked in the next month, so if you find yourself in WV, PM me for directions.....would love to see you! My earlier post describing my setup with several remote speakers at low volume and even a low-power FM radio transmitter guarantee that I won't be "that guy" who plays too loud.

Jim