Songs about cars capture more than just the thrill of driving. They’re about freedom, identity, speed, status, and sometimes even heartbreak. This list focuses strictly on cars, not just driving, but the cars themselves. Whether it’s the rush of a high-speed chase or the pride of a prized possession, these tracks capture what cars mean to people from all walks of life.
Be sure to check out the Songs About Cars Playlist at the bottom of this page.
Best Songs About Cars
1. “Low Rider” – War
Lyric Sample: “Take a little trip, take a little trip, take a little trip with me.”
This funk classic gives the lowrider lifestyle its own laid-back soundtrack, celebrating cool cars and cruising culture in one tight groove. It’s more than a song about cars; it’s a whole attitude.
2. “Cars” – Gary Numan
Lyric Sample: “Here in my car, I feel safest of all.”
A synth-heavy track about isolation and safety inside a car, Numan’s hit defined the futuristic side of late ’70s new wave. It’s one of the most iconic songs about cars in pop culture.
3. “Panama” – Van Halen
Lyric Sample: “Here she comes, full blast and top down.”
“Panama” follows a flashy car and the adrenaline that comes with pushing it to the limit. The lyrics focus on speed, control, and the rush of driving a high-powered machine.
4. “Beep Beep” – The Playmates
Lyric Sample: “I’ll show him that a Cadillac is not a car to scorn.”
This novelty hit from the ’50s tells a hilarious story about a tiny Nash Rambler taking on a Cadillac in a slow-motion showdown. It’s one of the strangest but most memorable entries on this list.
5. “Little Deuce Coupe” – The Beach Boys
Lyric Sample: “If she had a set of wings, man, I know she could fly.”
This classic car song celebrates the pride of owning a customized hot rod. As you’ll see as you move through this list, the Beach Boys turned American car culture into many catchy, harmony-packed anthems.
6. “One Piece at a Time” – Johnny Cash
Lyric Sample: “I got it one piece at a time, and it didn’t cost me a dime.”
In this clever 1970s country tale, Cash’s character builds his dream car by stealing parts from a factory over the years. It’s one of the most entertaining country songs about cars out there.
Related: Songs Relating to Work
7. “80s Mercedes” – Maren Morris
Lyric Sample: “Pop the top down like a summer dream, she’s my teenage time machine.”
This modern country-pop hit compares the singer to a stylish, strong, and unforgettable classic car. It’s sleek and confident, just like the ride she’s singing about.
8. “Red Barchetta” – Rush
Lyric Sample: “My uncle preserved for me an old machine.”
Rush delivers a dystopian story of car rebellion, with a red Barchetta symbolizing freedom in a world where driving has been banned.
Related: Best Songs with “Red” in the Title
9. “Cars That Go Boom” – L’Trimm
Lyric Sample: “We were cruising in the Jag’ or the Lamborghini.”
This Miami bass hit celebrates loud stereos, flashy rides, and cruising with attitude. It’s fun, catchy, and fully dedicated to car culture.
10. “G.T.O.” – Ronny and the Daytonas
Lyric Sample: “This little modified Pon-Pon has got plenty of style.”
Part love song, part bragging session, this surf rock track puts a Pontiac GTO in the spotlight. It’s pure ’60s car obsession in musical form.
11. “Hot Rod Lincoln” – Commander Cody
Lyric Sample: “It’s all Lincoln motor, and it’s really souped up.’”
This spoken-word country-rock classic tells the story of a wild race and a father’s frustration. It’s been a car-song favorite for decades.
12. “Brand New Cadillac” – The Clash
Lyric Sample: “My baby drove up in a brand new Cadillac.”
This punk cover of a rockabilly staple brings extra energy to the tale of a girlfriend driving off in a brand-new car.
13. “Driving in My Car” – Madness
Lyric Sample: “I’m driving in my car, it’s not quite a Jaguar.”
Madness turns a humble car into the centerpiece of a quirky, very British story. It’s playful and offbeat, like much of the band’s work.
14. “White Walls” – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Lyric Sample: “I got that off-black Cadillac, midnight drive.”
A 2010s hip-hop ode to a stylish ride, this track captures the excitement of cruising with big dreams and polished chrome. It’s flashy, fun, and a little nostalgic.
15. “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” – Movie Theme
Lyric Sample: “Oh, you pretty Chitty Bang Bang, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, we love you.”
This musical number turns a magical car into the star. The song’s childlike joy captures how cars can inspire imagination.
16. “I’m in Love With My Car” – Queen
Lyric Sample: “Told my girl I’ll have to forget her, rather buy me a new carburetor.”
Roger Taylor’s vocal moment in Queen’s catalog is a dead-serious love song to a car. It’s over-the-top and sincere in only the way Queen can pull off.
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17. “Shut Down” – The Beach Boys
Lyric Sample: “Superstock Dodge is winding out in low, but my fuel-injected Stingray’s really starting to go.”
Another Beach Boys entry, this one focuses on a drag race showdown. It’s full of engine stats and speed, cementing their place in car song royalty.
18. “Fast Car” – Tracy Chapman
Lyric Sample: “You got a fast car, I want a ticket to anywhere.”
Chapman uses a car as a symbol of escape and hope. It’s a powerful track that taps into the deeper reasons people dream about driving away.
Related: “Fast Car” Lyrics Meaning
19. “Blue Tacoma” – Russell Dickerson
Lyric Sample: “It’s in a blue Tacoma, California, white magnolia in your hair.”
Dickerson romanticizes a road trip in a Toyota Tacoma with scenic views and sunshine. While technically a truck, the spirit of the car song lives on here.
20. “Mustang Sally” – Wilson Pickett
Lyric Sample: “Ride, Sally, ride.”
One of the most iconic songs about cars, this soul hit is all about a woman with a Mustang and the man who bought it for her.
21. “Roadrunner” – The Modern Lovers
Lyric Sample: “Roadrunner, roadrunner, going faster miles an hour.”
Jonathan Richman’s proto-punk classic celebrates the thrill of nighttime driving with the radio on. It’s minimalist but charged with energy.
22. “Mercedes Benz” – Janis Joplin
Lyric Sample: “Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz?”
Joplin’s a cappella plea for material things drips with sarcasm. The Mercedes here becomes a symbol of wanting what others have.
23. “Little Red Corvette” – Prince
Lyric Sample: “Little Red Corvette, baby, you’re much too fast.”
In this ’80s classic, Prince turns a car into a metaphor for a high-speed fling. The sleekness of the title mirrors the emotional rush of a relationship that burns hot and fast.
Related: “Little Red Corvette” Lyrics Meaning
24. “455 Rocket” – Kathy Mattea
Lyric Sample: “She had a 455 rocket, the biggest block alive.”
This country song follows a woman who drives too fast and loves every second of it. The muscle car isn’t just transportation—it’s identity.
25. “Fun, Fun, Fun” – The Beach Boys
Lyric Sample: “And she’ll have fun, fun, fun ’til her daddy takes the T-Bird away.”
The Beach Boys spin a coming-of-age song of rebellion, with a girl sneaking off in her dad’s Ford Thunderbird. It’s upbeat, iconic, and one of the most recognizable songs about cars ever recorded.
26. “Highway Star” – Deep Purple
Lyric Sample: “Nobody gonna take my car, I’m gonna race it to the ground.”
This heavy rock track is about someone obsessed with speed, power, and staying in control behind the wheel. It’s pure metal adrenaline and easily one of the most intense songs about fast cars.
27. “Maybellene” – Chuck Berry
Lyric Sample: “A Cadillac a-rollin on the open road, nothin’ will outrun my V-8 Ford.”
Berry’s rock ‘n’ roll hit was one of the first true songs about cars, spinning a tale of love and pursuit behind the wheel. It set the blueprint for countless others.
28. “Greased Lightnin’” – John Travolta
Lyric Sample: “Go, Greased Lightnin’, you’re burnin’ up the quarter mile.”
From Grease, this number captures the dream of fixing up a junker and turning it into a race-ready hot rod. The bravado is part of the fun.
29. “Pink Cadillac” – Bruce Springsteen
Lyric Sample: “I love you for your pink Cadillac, crushed velvet seats, riding in the back.”
Springsteen uses the Cadillac as both a literal car and a cheeky metaphor, mixing romance, temptation, and a nod to flashy weekend drives. It’s filled with vivid references to the car’s look, feel, and reputation.
30. “My Hooptie” – Sir Mix-a-Lot
Lyric Sample: “Cops say the car smokes, but I won’t listen, it’s a six-nine deuce, so the hell with emissions.”
Celebrating a beat-up ride instead of a fancy one, Sir Mix-a-Lot flips the script with humor and swagger. It’s one of the funniest songs about cars out there.
31. “Cars” – Fear Factory
Lyric Sample: “Here in my car, I feel safest of all.”
It’s worth including two versions of this classic car song. This industrial metal cover keeps the original lyrics but turns up the intensity.
32. “409” – The Beach Boys
Lyric Sample: “My four-speed, dual-quad, positraction 409.”
The Beach Boys once again nerd out over car specs, giving Chevy’s 409 engine its own musical tribute. It’s a loud and proud love letter to American engineering.
33. “Rocket 88” – Jackie Brenston
Lyric Sample: “Step in my Rocket and don’t be late, we’re pullin’ out about a half past eight.”
Often considered the first rock and roll song, this 1951 hit praises the Oldsmobile Rocket 88. It’s where the car song genre may have truly begun.
Why Cars Make Great Song Subjects
Cars represent more than transportation. They’re wrapped up in everything from rebellion and romance to ambition and nostalgia.
Whether the focus is speed, status, or just getting away, songs about cars hit a nerve because most of us have tied memories to the vehicles we’ve driven or dreamed of.
If you’re into songs built for the open road, don’t miss our picks for the Best Songs About Motorcycles and these classic Songs About Summer.