"Hot Rod Race" is a Western swing song about an automobile race out of San Pedro, California, between a Ford and a Mercury. Released in November 1950, it broke the ground for a series of hot rod songs recorded for the car culture of the 1950s and 60s. With its hard driving boogie woogie beat, it is sometimes named one of the first rock and roll songs.
Written by George Wilson, it became a major hit for Arkie Shibley and his Mountain Dew Boys (Gilt-Edge 5021), staying on the charts for 7 weeks, peaking at #5 in 1951. Trying to repeat his success, Shibley recorded at least four follow-up songs.
Ramblin' Jimmie Dolan, Tiny Hill, and Red Foley, all released versions in 1951; Hill's version reached #7 on the Country charts and # 29 on the pop charts.
Shibley's record may have climbed higher and outpaced any of the others, but his second verse opened up with:
- Now along about the middle of the night
- We were ripping along like white folks might.
Eastern radio stations, never a fan of Western swing anyway, refused to play it.
Dolan changed the verse to say "plain folks"; Hill to "rich folks"; and Foley to "poor folks".
The song ends with:
- When it flew by us, I turned the other way.
- The guy in Mercury had nothing to say,
- For it was a kid, in a hopped-up Model A.
These lyics set the stage for an "answer song" called "Hot Rod Lincoln", first recorded in 1955.
Famous quotes containing the words hot, rod and/or race:
“The fact that the mental health establishment has equated separation with health, equated women’s morality with soft-heartedness, and placed mothers on the psychological hot seat has taken a toll on modern mothers.”
—Ron Taffel (20th century)
“The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.”
—Bible: Hebrew Proverbs 29:15.
“He has a capacity for enjoyment so vast that he gives away great chunks to those about him, and never even misses them.... He can take you to a bicycle race and make it raise your hair.”
—Dorothy Parker (1893–1967)