10 Best Songs About Cars

Feature Photo: Aral Tasher

Cars have been part of modern life since Karl Benz completed his gasoline-powered Patent Motor Car in 1885 and patented it in 1886. Henry Ford pushed the automobile much deeper into everyday American life with the Model T, introduced in 1908 and eventually produced on a massive scale.

Rock, pop, soul, and even television themes have been celebrating cars ever since. Some songs treat them as symbols of freedom, some as objects of desire, and others use them to tell stories about escape, rebellion, romance, or just having a little fun behind the wheel.

# 10 – My Mother The Car

Now, come on, have a sense of humor. This one is for the old timers out there who grew up with the classic television series My Mother the Car. The show’s premise had Jerry Van Dyke’s character discovering that his deceased mother had been reincarnated as a 1928 Porter touring car, with Ann Sothern providing the voice. Ralph Carmichael composed the theme music, while Paul Hampton wrote the lyrics and performed the song. It is goofy, memorable, and absolutely belongs on a list about cars.

# 9 – Mercedes Benz – Janis Joplin

Janis Joplin’s “Mercedes Benz” proves that a car song does not need engines, guitars, or even a band. Recorded a cappella in 1970 and released on Pearl in 1971, the song turns a request for luxury goods into a sharp joke about materialism and consumer culture. Joplin wrote it with Bob Neuwirth and poet Michael McClure, and her unaccompanied performance gives the song its unmistakable personality.

Read More: Top 10 Janis Joplin Songs

# 8 – Wheels – Lone Justice

“Wheels” comes from Lone Justice’s second album, Shelter, released in 1986. Written by Maria McKee, the song carries the band’s country-rock roots into a more polished sound while keeping McKee’s powerful vocal presence at the center. The title fits the car theme, but the song works just as well as a piece about movement, longing, and trying to find a way forward.

Read More: 11 Best Lone Justice Songs

# 7 – Let Me Be Your Car – Rod Stewart

“Let Me Be Your Car” is one of the more unusual collaborations on Rod Stewart’s 1974 album Smiler. Written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, the track features Elton as a guest performer alongside Stewart. The song turns the image of a car into a playful come-on, and its loose, energetic performance fits perfectly with Stewart’s rough-edged early solo style.

# 6 – Cars – Gary Numan

Gary Numan’s “Cars” became one of the defining synth-pop singles of 1979 and one of the signature tracks from The Pleasure Principle. Its cold synthesizers, mechanical rhythm, and detached vocal style sounded futuristic when it arrived and still sound distinctive decades later. The song topped the UK chart and turned the automobile into a symbol of isolation as much as mobility.

Read More: Gary Numan Songs Ranked

# 5 – Red Barchetta – Rush

“Red Barchetta” is one of the great driving songs in the Rush catalog. Released on Moving Pictures in 1981, Neil Peart’s lyrics were inspired by Richard S. Foster’s short story “A Nice Morning Drive.” The song imagines a future where powerful modern vehicles and restrictive laws have pushed older cars off the road, turning the hidden red Barchetta into a symbol of freedom, rebellion, and escape.

# 4 – 409 – The Beach Boys

“409” helped establish The Beach Boys as one of the defining bands of Southern California car culture. Written by Brian Wilson, Mike Love, and Gary Usher, the song was released in 1962 and appeared on the band’s debut album, Surfin’ Safari. Its celebration of a Chevrolet 409 helped connect the Beach Boys’ early surf sound with the hot rod craze that soon became another major part of their identity.

# 3 – Rocket 88 – Jackie Brenston

“Rocket 88” was recorded in Memphis on March 5, 1951, by Ike Turner’s Kings of Rhythm with Jackie Brenston on lead vocals, although the record was credited to Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats. The song celebrated the Oldsmobile Rocket 88 and became a number one R&B hit. It is often cited as one of the earliest rock and roll records, making this car song an important piece of both automotive and music history.

Read More: The Story Of Classic Rock

# 2 – Mustang Sally – Wilson Pickett

Mack Rice wrote and first recorded “Mustang Sally,” but Wilson Pickett’s 1966 version turned it into a soul classic. Pickett recorded the song for The Wicked Pickett, and his performance gave the story a swagger that made the title car impossible to forget. Few automobile references in popular music have become as instantly recognizable as the Mustang at the center of this song.

Read More: Top 10 Wilson Pickett Songs

# 1 – Racing In The Street – Bruce Springsteen

“Racing in the Street” closes this list because Bruce Springsteen understood that songs about cars are rarely just about cars. Released on 1978’s Darkness on the Edge of Town, the song uses street racing, engines, and nighttime drives to tell a much deeper story about youth, escape, disappointment, and the passage of time. Roy Bittan’s piano gives the recording much of its emotional weight, while Springsteen turns the automobile into both a dream of freedom and a reminder of everything his characters cannot outrun.