Hot Rod Song Facts Trivia Quiz

Answer: Jaguar XKE

The song depicted a race between a Corvette Sting Ray and a Jaguar XKE beginning at Sunset and Vine. It topped out at Number Eight on the US Billboard charts.
The song was a collaborative effort between songwriters Brian Wilson, Jan Berry, Roger Christian and Artie Kornfeld. Roger Christian originally had the two racers ending in a dead heat but Jan Berry insisted that the race end with a wreck.
Several versions were released. The original version was a cut from their 1963 "Drag City" LP. When it was remixed as a single release horns, strings and crash noises were added. The duo's "Filet Of Soul" album (1966) contained an earlier rejected mix while other versions appeared on live albums.
The old lady was driving a Super Stock Dodge in their 1964 hit, "The Little Old Lady from Pasadena". "Bucket'T'" was released by the duo the following year and "Schlock Rod Part 1" was the flip side to their 1963 release "Drag City".

Answer: 389

According to the lyrics the GTO in the song was powered by a 389. The GTO made its debut the year the song was released and was in production for a decade. John DeLorean was an engineer for Pontiac when the GTO was conceived. The inspiration was derived from the Ferrari 250 GTO.
The original model was based on the LeMans and featured a 389 cubic inch V8 engine rated at 325 horsepower. The 389 came from the factory with a Carter four barrel carburetor and a three-speed manual transmission with a Hurst shifter so the three deuces and the 4-speed was apparently a modification done by songwriter John Wilkin.
The 327 and 396 were popular GM engines and the 440 was by Chrysler Motors.

Answer: Red Corvette

Songwriters Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich composed "Red Corvette" during the heyday of car songs. "I Go, You Go" was the only other song attributed to Ellie Gee and The Jets. When Ellie was a teenager she released a song titled "Silly Isn't It" as Ellie Gaye.
In 1962 she married Jeff Barry. She wrote or co-wrote several hits including "Leader of the Pack", "Hanky Panky", "Be My Baby" and "River Deep, Mountain High". In addition to her recording efforts she was a session singer who sang backup on many of Neil Diamond's early hits.
"Little Red Corvette" was a single from Prince's 1983 "1999" album.
"Pink Cadillac" was written by Bruce Springsteen in 1982 for his "Nebraska" album. "Long White Cadillac" was released by Country artist Dwight Yoakam. The Delicates recorded "Black And White Thunderbird".

Answer: The fact that the car was a 1932 Ford.

The Ford Model B started production with the model year 1932 and had several updates from Ford's popular Model A. Beginning in the forties the 1932 model Ford became extremely popular with hot rod enthusiasts because it could be modified in a number of ways. The car was manufactured as a 5-window coupe as well as a 3-window Deluxe Coupe model featuring rear-hinged suicide doors.
Brian Wilson and Roger Christian composed "Little Deuce Coupe", which also became the title of the Beach Boys' fourth album. The band used the song to introduce the members of the group during live performances.
The recording session for "Little Deuce Coupe" and Surfer Girl" was the last one featuring David Marks before Al Jardine reunited with the group.

Answer: Still Cruisin'

"Still Cruisin'" was one of numerous car songs released by The Beach Boys. In 1989 "Still Cruisin'" was the name of the 26th album by the Beach Boys. The single of "Still Cruisin'" was featured on the soundtrack to "Lethal Weapon 2", released the same year.

Another song from the album, "Kokomo", rose to the top of the US charts and was featured in the movie "Cocktail". "Jaguar and Thunderbird" was released by Berry in 1960. "No Money Down" reached Number Eight in the US for Chuck Berry and he was driving a brand new "air mobile" in "You Can't Catch Me". "Dear Dad" was another vehicle song by Chuck Berry.

Answer: Cadillac

The song related the story of an assembly worker in Detroit building Cadillacs who realized he may never be able to afford one. He devised a plan to start stealing parts and after many years of smuggling parts home he assembled a strange Cadillac with parts from each year from 1953 to 1973. There was only one fin on the car but it had three headlights.
"One Piece At A Time" topped the US Hot Country Singles chart when it was released.
The management of Hilltop Auto Salvage in Nashville actually constructed a vehicle from many models of Caddy parts and for several years it was parked outside of Cash's Henderson, Tennessee, House of Cash before going into storage.

Answer: The Doors

"Queen of the Highway", (1970) Roadhouse Blues" (1970) and "Moonlight Drive" (1967) were the closest The Doors came to recording Hot Rod songs.
The Steve Miller Band recorded a version of "Mercury Blues" in 1976. Alan Jackson released a version in 1993 and Dwight Yoakam's rendition was done in 2004. Finn Pave Maijanen, Meat Loaf and David Lindley have also paid homage to the song with their versions.
K. C. Douglas and Robert Geddins composed the original song as "Mercury Boogie". K. C. Douglas actually worked in a garage. He was one of the performers at the San Francisco Blues Festival in the early seventies and played in coffeehouses until his death in 1975.
Years later Ford Motor Company obtained the rights to "Mercury Blues" and changed the lyrics to sell Ford Trucks.

Answer: 1957 Chevrolet

The chorus ended with the line "But every Sunday afternoon he is a dirt
track demon in a '57 Chevrolet". The lyrics of the song indicated that Roy learned how to drive while running moonshine in Alabama and used his skills to win events at stock car races.
"You Don't Mess Around with Jim", "Operator (That's Not the Way It Feels)" and "Time in A Bottle" were hit singles from the album. "Rapid Roy the Stock Car Boy" was the flip side of "Operator (That's Not the Way It Feels)" when it was released as a single.
James Joseph "Jim" Croce was only 30 years old when he perished in a plane crash after a concert. "Workin' at the Car Wash Blues", "I Got A Name" and "I'll Have to Say I Love You in a Song" were posthumous releases from an album he recorded shortly before his death.
"Rusty Chevrolet" was done by Da Yoopers. The Brian Setzer Orchestra recorded "'49 Mercury Blues" and "Rocket 88" was originally done by Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats.

Answer: Robert Johnson

Robert Johnson recorded "Terraplane Blues" as one of a number of songs recorded in sessions held in a makeshift studio at the Gunter Hotel in San Antonio, Texas. He recorded the songs while facing the wall, leading many to reinforce the belief that Johnson was a shy performer. Blues historians have speculated that he faced the wall to enhance his sound, a technique referred to as "corner loading". The first songs released after the sessions were "Last Fair Deal Gone Down" and "Terraplane Blues", making them quite likely the only songs Johnson heard from the sessions before his death.
"Terraplane Blues" was a regional hit when it was released, selling approximately 5,000 copies.
The Terraplane model was built by the Hudson Motor Car Company from 1932 to 1938.

Answer: Nash Rambler

The song related how a compact Nash Rambler kept up with a powerful Cadillac only to find out the Rambler couldn't get out of second gear. The tempo of the song increased as the song progressed. Rambler sales actually rose after the release of the song.
The Connecticut based Playmates obtained a recording contract with Roulette Records in 1958. They released a single titled "Jo-Ann" to jump on the Calypso craze of the late fifties. Their next release was "Beep Beep" and became an instant hit, reaching Number Four on the US charts and remaining on the charts for three months. They followed up with "What Is Love" and "Wait For Me" before braking up in the mid-sixties.
"Crown Victoria Custom '51" was sung by Jerry Lee Lewis, "V-8 Ford (Going To Your Funeral)" was by Buddy Moss and "Hot Rod Lincoln" was originally recorded by Charlie Ryan.