Cars.com Top Ten Car Songs-- Part 3

And, now, their Top Four Car Songs, all of which I know.

4. LOW RIDER-- WAR-- With its distinctive bass line and singer's deep growl "this song begs to be blasted while cruising." You've got to love those hydraulically-altered classic cars. It's been covered and sampled many times. (A good way to rattle your brain in those jumping cars.)


3. FUN, FUN, FUN-- BEACH BOYS-- The list could have easily included three ot four Beach Boys songs, but they limited it to the most universal. "For many teens, car keys equal freedom." (Yeah, lots of fun till it breaks down or you go to the pump.)


2. PINK CADILLAC-- BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN-- Originally the "B" side to "Dancing in the Dark." Many Springsteen songs feature car imagery. (I couldn't afford one, even if it was pink.)


1. LITTLE RED CORVETTE-- PRINCE-- It "isn't the only song to equate a woman with a car, but it is probably one of the most blatantly sexual of those songs." (I never realized it. Guess I'll have to give it another listen. And, I might add, another vehicle I can't afford.)

Let's Get to Cruisin'. --RoadDog

Drinking Wine Out in Northwest Illinois

While out on our Mississippi River trip earlier this month, we found out about two new local wineries thanks to the Street Rod driving tour. We already knew about Galena Cellars which grow their grapes and bottle outside of the town.


ROCKY WATERS VINEYARD AND WINERY

The first new place is outside of the town of Hanover, about fifteen miles south of Galena. Rocky Waters Vineyard and Winery (2003 West Hanover Road) is where we met up with a lot of the street rods out on the tour. If there is really such a winery as a "perfect spot" to sample and drink your wine, this has to be the place. You have the view of a valley and hills off beyond as well as what could best be described as a north woods lodge with high ceilings and rough-hewn logs.

This is a place on our to-visit list as they were so busy we decided to leave. But, as the gov says, we'll be back.


MASSBACH RIDGE WINERY

It's listed as being in Elizabeth, Illinois, but it is really about eight miles out of town, closer to a cluster of buildings that goes by the name Massbach (8837 South Massbach Road). We really got lost going here, but there is signage if you go a different way (which we didn't).

We did stop here and did some tasting ($3) along with another couple who must have bought ten bottles. We bought a bottle of Elizabeth Wine with the grapiest grape taste ever. We also purchased a bottle of Blushing Pink which came the closest to our favorite wine, pink catawba.

Liz and I always like to give our business to small, local wineries whenever we come across them. We especially like the variety of flavors you can get.

Little Ol' Wine Drinker Me. --RoadDog

Cars.com Top 10 Car Songs-- Part 2

7. LET ME RIDE-- DR. DRE-- The lyrics definitely aren't g-rated "but that doesn't diminish its importance as a song about cars." (Never heard of it and with language like you usually hear in rap songs, doubt that I ever will. Plus, I'm sure he used the dreaded "N" word that I find offensive.)


6. DRIVE MY CAR-- BEATLES-- "How do you know you've made it? According to John Lennon and Paul McCartney, it's when you can afford to hire a chauffeur. (From my favorite Beatles, the early Beatles.)


5. MUSTANG SALLY-- WILSON PICKETT-- "Pickett wasn't the first to record 'Mustang Sally,' but he's the one who put it on the map." (This has been recorded by many, many, many artists and I like all the versions I've heard. And, of course, one of my favorite all-time soul singers is the "Wicked" Pickett.)

Four More to Go. --RoadDog

The Red Barchetta

OK, I've just spent the last hour finding out about this song and the one by the Dead Milkmen. I gave both a listen.

RED BARCHETTA-- RUSH

I had never heard of it although I am somewhat familiar with Rush. I found out that I had the song on my "RUSH CHRONICLES" double cassette and on my "Rush The Spirit of Radio Greatest Hits 1974-1987" CD. I'm listening to it right now.

There were several videos on YouTube, plus, I found the lyrics on another site.

This is one really great song and I'm glad I finally got the opportunity to listen to it. That sure was a lot of words to remember to sing in one song. I wonder how Geddy Lee remembered all of them.

And, it is a long one clocking in at 6:14 and from the 1981 "Moving Pictures" album. The song takes place in a post-petroleum future where gasoline-powered sports cars are illegal. His uncle has kept one hidden and Geddy takes it out for a cruise only to be chased by future cars.

"Wind in my hair
Shifting and drifting
Mechanical music
Adrenaline surge"

I then had to find out what a Barchetti was. Never heard of one. It is an Italian sports car.

Warning, this song can cause speeding tickets. Do not play while driving. Oh well, I'd chance it. "Honest officer, I was only driving fast because of Rush."

I'll definitely be putting this on my cruising list. As a matter of fact I'm recording it on my "On the Road Again" cassette as I get ready for Bob Stroud's Ten at Ten on the Drive.

Thanks Cars.com.

VROOOM, VROOOMMMM!!! --RoadDog

Cars.com Top Ten Car Songs-- Part 1

From the July 24th Chicago Tribune Auto Mart section.

While looking for ads for a 2010 Ford Mustang (well, thinking about one anyway), I came across this article by Amanda Wegrzn "Top 10 car songs."

"Ever since radios started popping up in cars, music and car culture have been inextricably (Big Word!) linked, and everyone has a strong opinion about both. Feeling a bit nostalgic during the summer cruising season, we thought we'd play tribute to the top 10 classic songs written about cars."

No mention was made about how they arrived at this list, and I've never heard of three of them, and I consider myself somewhat of a car song nut and have made about ten cassette tapes with favorites.

Here is Cars.com's list and their comments:

10. RED BARCHETTA-- RUSH-- Lots of reckless driving mentioned but with new regulations about fuel efficiency, pollution and what-not "it's a scary future for any sports-car nut...."

9. I CAN'T DRIVE 55-- SAMMY HAGAR-- "Some musicians use their talent to rail against political injustice, war and poverty" but not Sammy Hagar.

8. BITCHIN' CAMARO-- DEAD MILKMEN-- Includes a two-minute dialog about going to the shore and watching a Doors cover band. "...we dare you to listen to the song and not want to do doughnuts on your neighbor's lawn." (Hey, you can do it on mine if you run over those lousy Japanese beetles.)

I'd never heard of #10 or #8. Reckon I'll have to go to You Tube and listen to these two songs.

Driving and Tunes Just Kinda Go Together. --RoadDog

Perhaps a Trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway?

As summer winds down (hey, they're selling school supplies already and started even before the 4th of July), the July 11th Chicago Tribune had a list of trips by Jay Jones "Last blast" you can still fit into the waning days.

One has been on my list of "To-Dos" for a long time, and that is the Blue Ridge Parkway that links two national parks, the Shenandoah in Virginia and Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina.

And, this year marks the 75th anniversary. It was a Depression-era project designed to bring jobs to the Appalachian Mountains.

"The 469-mile route twists around the mountain ridges and traverses dozens of bridges and several tunnels, providing breathtaking vistas all the while."

Places with names like Blowing Rock and Fancy Gap are having festivals to honor the 75th featuring everything from bluegrass, banjos to barbecue.

The official 75th anniversary celebration kicks off September 10th in and around Cumberland Knob where the building project started.

You can get information at www.blueridgeparkway75.org.

Maybe I'll Just Have to to a Little Drive. --RoadDog

ILMOTOUR 2010-- Part 2

I-88 joins I-80 and then on to Iowa. Still I-80 to Iowa City where we picked up US-218 to Mt. Pleasant where we got on US-34. Along US-218, we saw lots of barns with those neat designs on them.

Once heading west out of Mt. Pleasant on US-34 we saw lots of roads named after trees. One named Varnish Tree Road particularly was an interesting name. We also saw a sign for the American Gothic House made famous in the painting by Grant Wood. That would definitely be worth a trip some time. Maybe even have to find me a pitchfork and do a little posing. "I'm a farmer and I don't know how to speak in front of a roomful of people, much less 400,000." Who said that and where?

We got to the City of Bridges, Ottumwa, Iowa, and checked into the Stardust Motel along the original US-34 east of town. There is another small motel , the Royal Rest) across the road as well, definitely what you'd expect to find along the old US highways, motels at the far sides of any town.

Mostly construction workers stay at the Stardust Motel as the rooms are around $50 a night. The place is getting a bit run-down, but is still clean and there is a bar right on site. (AND, IT HAS NTN!!! even a better deal for us.)

We drove around town and way out west (about three miles) to another bar that has NTN. We then went back to the bar by the motel.

I wrote about these back in June on NTN Cruisin'.

MASH's Radar O'Reilly was from this town on the show. We always kid and say we're looking for Radar.

Never Have Seen Radar O'Reilly in Ottumwa, However. --RoadDog