Movies and music inspired by cars
Have you ever wondered where musicians and filmmakers get their inspiration?
As the old saying goes, ‘Inspiration can strike in the most unlikely of places’. Whether they were inspired by their love of vehicles, or are simply using cars as a metaphor for a bigger idea, here are five songs and movies which car enthusiasts may enjoy.
Music inspired by cars
1. Racing in the Street– Bruce Springsteen
In this classic rock ballad, Springsteen sings of a man who goes ‘racing in the street’ with his 69 Chevy. This is one of many of his songs featuring cars and driving.
This 1979 song features the lyrics: ‘Here in my car I feel safest of all’. In an interview, Numan reportedly said he had been inspired to write the song after he was the victim of another driver’s road rage, during which he locked his car doors and manoeuvred out of harm’s way.
If there’s one thing we advocate, it’s keeping your car in good working order. This funky tune was first released in 1976, and was later covered by Christina Aguilera and Missy Elliot in 2004.
4. Fun, Fun, Fun - The Beach Boys
In this song, the Beach Boys sing about a girl borrowing her father’s ‘T-Bird’ (Ford Thunderbird) to go study at the library. Instead she goes driving around town and has ‘fun, fun, fun’. This is the perfect song for driving with the windows down on a summer afternoon.
5. Life is a Highway - Tom Cochrane
While this 90s hit doesn’t mention cars specifically, it certainly relies heavily on driving as a metaphor for rolling with the punches and living life to its fullest. The song topped charts in Canada in the week of its release and ranked number two in Australia.
Movies inspired by cars
1. Ford vs Ferrari
The title of this movie speaks for itself, as far as cars are involved. This movie is based on the true story of a team of American engineers who are tasked with building the Ford GT40 racing car. If you’re a racing enthusiast, this car is a must-watch.
2. The Italian Job
The Italian Job is a classic heist action thriller, first made in 1969, starring Michael Caine. It was later remade in 2003, starring Mark Wahlberg and Charlize Theron. Whether you’re a fan of the original, or prefer the remake, one thing both movies have in common is their creative use of the Mini Cooper.
3. James Bond
James may be an ‘international man of mystery’, however his choice of cars is obvious: the Aston Martin. As the story goes, in 1963, Aston Martin took some convincing to lend the 1963 Goldfinger production team a DB5. Little did they know it would later become one of the most iconic vehicle product placements in movie history.
4. Thelma and Louise
In what is possibly the most iconic female buddy road film, Thelma and Louise embark on an epic road trip in their 1966 Ford Thunderbird. Fun fact: the famous ‘last scene’ (we won’t spoil it for you) was filmed in just 45 minutes, using three cars.
5. Fast and Furious
In this franchise, the cars are given almost equally as much spotlight as the characters. Over 1000 cars were used in the making of these movies. Some of the most noteworthy include: the 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse, Dodge Challenger R/T, 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback, Mazda RX-7 Veilside, and the 1966 Corvette Sport Stingray.