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

As a quasi pre college music major, I like all the pre 70's stuff, even songs from the
mid 40's. I attempted playing the trumpet with mild success making it in a dance
band, marching band, an orchestra (big band and cl***ical), and fulfilled the base bugler
position at McConnel AFB '58 to '62, and other venues.
When putting pieces together to form my 34 three window I envisioned when getting it on the
road, driving it at around say 85/90, windows wide open and Duane Eddies "Rebel Rouser"
blasting at max volume. Never got around to putting in a sound system though, the exhaust
would drown out any "tunes".

Edit: The loud car show stuff does get obnoxious to be sure.

 

Ah, but first recorded in 1952 by Little Willie Littlefield. Little Richard made the first of two recorded versions in '55. Wilbert Harrison didn't record the "biggie" until 1959

 

I was also a business consultant working out of Georgia Tech. College of Engineering for the FAA and others, played music as a 2nd job after I retired. I do have a slanted view - music and cars have always been together since radios in cars with our girlfriends. Again for those with short memories this particular subject is favorite 5 songs for car shows. Here's mine:
1. Buick 59 The Medallions
2 Rocket 69 Todd Rhodes Orch.
3 I got a new car Irvin Big Boy Groves
4 Get out of the car Richard Berry
5 Rocket 88 Jackie Brenston
Be Cool, Jet Up, Get With it, Pay attention to where we are "5 favorite songs for Car Shows"

 

I'll try to answer the OP's question. It's hard to choose my favorite 5..... but here's a shot at it.
1. Anything by Elvis... we'll go with jailhouse rock for this list.
2. Rock around the clock, Bill Haley and the comets.
3. Maybelline, Chuck Berry
4. Josephine, Fats Domino
5. Gotta pay respect to the Everly brothers at this time with Bye Bye Love.


But there's so many more! The big bopper, Buddy Holley, the temptations..... like I said, hard to pick just 5... some of the beach boys...Jane and dean....

As stated earlier, the wife and I like the music portion of a car event. We have been known to get up and dance in front of the band or even a DJ. If it's too loud for you up close to the booth or stage, there's usually plenty parking farther out.

 

Hey, I know you. You're the guy who shows up at my honky-tonk band's gigs and is always requesting "Old Time Rock & Roll" or "Freebird" or something by "Florida Georgia Line" or some other fake country artist. People love the terrible music that has been shoved down their throats by commercial radio. Or, they are stuck on what was popular when they were in High School. Not me. If I hear another Supertramp song, I might do something I will regret.

 

Boy, how lucky you are. I never did manage to find a girlfriend with a radio in her.......................

 

What a great idea! Then we can turn her off when needed. Hell, I would be happy with just a volume control.

 

Good luck with that, Wray!

 

In A Gadda da Vidda - Iron ****erfly
I Heard it Through The G****vine -CCR
*** Machine - Sly and The Family Stone
Tied to The Whipping Post- Alman Bros
I'm Your Captain- Grand Funk Railroad
.......honorable mention.......The End by The Doors

 

May as well post the videos.... Because I can't.....

 

What are your 5 songs?

 

What are your 5 songs?

 

Peter Griffin has heard the word...

 

Gilligan had a radio in his mouth at one time...

 

I really like the 1952 John Cage cl***ic 4'33".
I like it so much they could play it over and over five times..............................or even more...
But hey, that's just me. Everyone is different.

C'mon @wraymen , you're in trouble here too. How about your five ???

 

Since it looks like we have to pick songs that are pre 65, my favs are:
Glenn Miller- In the mood, anything by Howlin Wolf, Link Wray, Junior Brown and some others I can’t think of right now.

 

Lucile Ball stated on The Tonight Show that she could hear radio signals on her new dental work. She said she heard Morse code and reported it to the FBI who in turn arrested a Japanese spy…..Believe It Or Not.

 

I’ve just blocked you. I am now humming innadagodavida at 4:15 am home from my night shift. If I’m still up at 5 I’m calling in some favors

 

That is one of the reasons I avoid car shows. Who needs someone else's music forced on them? Live bands are far better. At cruise nights I can count on 1 or 2 hooples playing 50's music turned up too loud.

 

Good list if you're showing your '67 Camaro RS/SS350, your perfectly
restored maroon '67 GTO. your yellow '71 MACH I, or '70 442. And you're
listing Sly Stone' *** Machine over The Doors?

 

Sounds like my HS parking lot! Maybe add a few Road Runners and a VW or two and I’m there, smokin’ a Marlboro on the fender of my Mustang.

 

As far as pre-65 goes… Duane Eddy, Bo Diddley, Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters… all what hot roddin’ sounds like to me. Some Buddy Holly, Bill Haley, Little Richard etc too.

Post-65 music, can never go wrong with Zeppelin or Van Halen, or Crue, or WASP, depending on mood. Fabulous Tbirds or of course ZZ Top are always in my personal playlists too. Car shows normally play the same 3 boomer hits around here though. I like Fortunate Son plenty but I can only hear it back to back with Freebird and Ted Nugent’s one song so many times before I want to burn my CCR tapes.

 

There you go, having someone else's choice of music forced upon you. I didn't want to be the one to say it, but finally we get to the crux of this discussion...

 

When it comes to car shows I’d rather hear no music at all, live or otherwise.
I’d prefer the quiet to walk around and look at the rides that appeal to me and don’t need loud 50s music or even the live amateur music performers who for the most part totally butcher the songs they are covering.

 

None of these are HAMB era songs. If you're sitting in your Chrysler Cordoba with rich Corinthian leather, I guess. And I Heard it Through the G****vine? Please. Marvin Gaye or Gladys Knight and the Pips. The California Raisons did a better version than CCR!

 

It is that "Muh Freedum" mentality.

 

Is that a statement or a question.................are you agreeing or disputing? Hard to tell.........
No question mark. I guess you are agreeing.

 

I believe I was agreeing with you; too many think their 'freedom" overrides others.

 

I knew that, but I ask; Which version are you most likely to hear at a car show, if at all? ;-)

 

No one has ever 'forced' music onto me at a car show. I've never been herded into a show and told I can't leave...

Most shows have 'music' because that's what DJs do. But why they're really there is to provide PA capabilities in most cases. Lost-and-found, door prizes, raffles, awards are just some of things that require a PA system. PA equipment isn't cheap, and not many clubs can afford to make the investment in a system for a once-a-year event, so a DJ fulfills that function.

'Commercial' shows like Billetproof, NSRA and GoodGuys are there to make money for the parent organization. But most shows are put on by local clubs for the benefit of the local community. Donations to senior centers, food banks, coats for kids, small scholarships are just some of things they do. Add in show costs like venue rental, insurance, sanicans, advertising flyers, and yes, a DJ and you can have a $1K nut you have to cover before you can make a single donation.

So whether or not you care for the music played at a show (and you'll never please everyone), remember the reasons the show exists.