Check out the AM only radio. Everything was pretty much single function and very basic. A perfect car for a kid to drive on a hot summer night with the windows down and the radio blaring.
Posted on 08/15/2021 4:05:04 PM PDT by SamAdams76
Sniff 'n' The Tears - Drivers Seat
Back in August of 1979 - now 42 years ago - this was one of the power pop songs that blared from the tinny speakers of my 1968 Chrysler Newport as I cruised up and down Revere Beach in search of a place to park in order to get some of Kelly's fried clams.
From the now forgotten album "Fickle Heart", this song was a Top 15 smash and still gets the occasional reference in movies and commercials. So Paul Roberts, the song writer, is still getting checks in the mail.
In fact, the song is #24 on the iTunes Top 100 Downloaded Rock Songs after all these years. So it has an all new popularity, probably driven by some Amazon Prime commercial featuring Cleopatra.
Upon examining the album art, is the woman in high heels about to shoot a black cat after having shot the man in the background? I never noticed that the first time around.
I can still smell the fried clams when I play this song.
When my youngest son was briefly in a band, I said to him all you need is one hit and you can be set for life. You might be playing state fairs and wedding receptions the rest of your life but you'll be in demand and the crowd will always come alive for that one song.
Back in the 1990s, I saw Bobby Boris Pickett on a booze cruise. When he went into the "Monster Mash", the crowd went crazy.
The song is about being dumped and to just get over it
I still listen to this song pretty regularly. I like to call it the “second fastest driving song of all time”.
Check out the AM only radio. Everything was pretty much single function and very basic. A perfect car for a kid to drive on a hot summer night with the windows down and the radio blaring.
A couple years later, Greg Kihn would have a hit with a similar sounding tune called "The Break-Up Song".
There were a lot of great “fried clam” places along Boston’s North Shore in those days. Another favorite of mine was steamed clams that came in a bucket (we called them “steamers”). After I ate the clams, I’d pour the clam juice into a cup and drink it like a broth.
From that same summer, this was my favorite Cars song.
Like that song enough it’s on my jukebox.
If it wasn’t bypassed your post would have cost me a quarter :-)
That was nice to watch. Not only for the details about the song, but to see someone who is realistic about his career. Not many Hollywood types would be that self-aware.
had a 68 Newport with 383 passed everything on the road but a gas station 8 mpg
Been years since I’ve heard it. Thanks.
I found the awesome video for this song once. It is far better than any other video. Rare to find a video that so top notch for a song. Just don’t watch if you have a significant other standing over your shoulder or you might get in trouble.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCa2K-9ccYk
I still have that K-tell album. This song probably sold a lot of them.
Always enjoyed that song. Funny, I hadn’t heard it for years, until a buddy sent me a link for it some months ago. After I listened to it, made me go out and buy it!
I remember now that this song was in the Art Bell rotation, and that’s when I became aware of it. I have it on my phone “liked” list now.
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