RIDIN’ ALONG IN MY AUTOMOBILE.

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. It was a notably sunny and warmish late November day, perfect for exercising the Bolt. Cruising at 80 mph on our extended freeway system around here is something I enjoy, and on this particular day conditions were excellent.

(It should be noted that cruising at 80 mph is on the low side on our Michigan Superspeedways. Just sayin’. -WG)

Having SiriusXM is a wonderful thing, too, because listening to music while driving is something that never gets old; it’s just an inexorable part of the experience. Scanning the dial, I came across Chuck Berry belting out “No Particular Place To Go.” Now, if there is a more quintessential driving song, I haven’t heard it. Ridin’ along with Chuck seemed apropos for the moment.

Like most of us, I have been on many a road trip when all I had were my thoughts and the music fueling my drive. And in those fleeting moments, it doesn’t get any better as far as I’m concerned. (And the fact that the Bolt is clearly dismissed by other drivers as something not up to the task makes it somehow sweeter as I blow by slower traffic.)

Readers ask us, “Why the AE Song of the Week in On The Table; what gives with that?” Well, it’s because life isn’t living without music that touches your soul. It’s a simple as that. 

So, spare a moment and come along for the ride with me powered by a playlist that’s part satellite and part from my library…

After Chuck comes the classic Chris Isaak tune: “Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing.” A sample of the searing lyrics in this song stick with you like a dart to the heart: “You ever love someone so much you thought your little heart was going to break in two? I didn’t think so…”

Then, one of my all-time favorite driving songs – “Radar Love” from Golden Earring – comes on. This one powered many of my drives in my Bitter Chocolate 911: “I’ve been drivin’ all night, my hand’s wet on the wheel. There’s a voice in my head that drives my heel. It’s my baby callin’, says, ‘I need you here’…”

Next up? George Strait singing “I Know She Still Loves Me,” with one – of many – unforgettable lyrics: ”I know she still loves me, but I don’t think she likes me anymore…”

And now, “Take Me As I Am” by Wyclef Jean. “Before I had the bling bling; I thought I’d end up in Sing Sing; Who would have ever thought that we’d be doing our thing…”

And Amanda Marshall's "This Could Take All Night" made famous in the movie "Tin Cup." "Put your keys down; You'd better stick around; You're the only one to get this done; Close and lock the door; Drop down to the floor; Forget the phone until you see the sun; Baby it's all right; Because you know I'll make this fun; When we see the morning light; We'll be right back, where we started from..."

And the incredible Randy Newman follows up with “Dixie Flyer.” “I was born right here, November ’43; My dad was a captain in the army, fighting the Germans in Sicily; My poor little momma Didn’t know a soul in L.A.; So we went down to the Union Station and made our getaway; Got on the Dixie Flyer bound for New Orleans…”

Then there’s Pat Green with his memorable “Carry On.” “Yeah, everybody gotta get away sometime; Forget about yourself for a while; Seems to me that all you need is a ragtop car to ride with me; Ok, alright, just might get a little high tonight; Okay, alright, carry on…”

Then a stunning instrumental: “Dead Kelly” by George S. Clinton, from the move “Wild Things.” Love it.

And then Kelly Willis (one of my all-time favorites from the Austin music scene) comes up with “I Know Better Now.” “Oh I must have left some stones unturned or could be quite a few; There’s a lot I overlooked and never knew; There’s some things you learn by getting burned; Don’t feel good at the time; Playing by your set of rules pretending you’ll never lose; But I know better now yeah I know better now; It just took a while to figure it out…” 

And then Van Halen hits it hard with “Hot For Teacher.” “I think of all the education I missed; But then my homework was never quite like this…”

And, one of my all-time favorites, The Rolling Stones with “Far Away Eyes.” “I was driving home early Sunday morning; Through Bakersfield; Listening to gospel music on the colored radio station; And the preacher said, ‘You know you always have the lord by your side’; And I was so pleased to be informed of this; That I ran twenty red lights in his honor; Thank you Jesus, thank you lord…”

Then there’s one of my country favorites, Tracy Byrd with “That’s The Thing About A Memory.” “That’s the thing about a memory; it’s got a mind of its own; It can take an old flame; And chill you to the bone; Just when you think it’s long gone; It’ll roll back around; But that’s the thing about a memory; When it comes to misery; It’ll never let you down…”

Now, the incomparable Joni Mitchell with “A Case Of You.” “Oh you’re in my blood like holy wine; You taste so bitter and so sweet; Oh I could drink a case of you darling; And I would still be on my feet; Oh I would still be on my feet…” 

Joni is followed by another incredible talent: Annie Lennox with “Why.” “I may be mad; I may be blind; I may be viciously unkind; But I can still read what you’re thinking; And I’ve heard it said too many times; That you’d be better off…”

And what would a road trip be without a finale from Bruce Springsteen? And my all-time favorite Bruce song: “Jungleland.” “Outside the streets on fire in a real death waltz; Between flesh and what’s fantasy and the poets down here; Don’t write nothing at all, they just stand back and let it all be; And in the quick of the night they reach for their moment; And try to make an honest stand but they end up wounded, not even dead; Tonight in Jungleland.” 

Yes, ridin’ along in our automobiles. Powered by incredible music, fevered dreams and indelible memories. It always feels right, and it never, ever gets old.

And that’s the High-Octane Truth for this week.