Someone once said “Love is best expressed through song…and car parts.” At least, we’re pretty certain that’s how the saying goes.
Perhaps you remember it a little differently, but either way the message still holds true. And what better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than to look back at some of the totally, 100-percent real songs that made us fall in (or out) of love?
Do you remember any of these classics? Let us know in the comments below.
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Pontiac Bonneville, 1977
“Wrenching away again on my old Bonneville….Searching for my lost shaker hood.”
A song of love gained and love lost. And while it makes us think about some gearhead mistakes we’ve made, it’s great to unwind with after a long day in the garage.
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While My Old Carb Gently Weeps, 1968
“I look at the floor, and I notice the leaking. Still my old carb gently weeps.”
Written about frustrating automotive repairs and how they impact our relationships, the stirring melody reignites memories of some bad car breakups.
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Black Dodge, 1971
“I gotta roll, can’t stand still, pan’s seeping oil and I need a fill!”
A hard-driving rock tune about a Mopar fanatic and his passion for routine vehicle maintenance. It’s best heard blasting out of a car stereo.
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Ain’t No Redline High Enough, 1967
“If you need speed, call me, no matter where you are, no matter the car….”
This enticing and energetic classic perfectly captures the sheer joy that tuners feel chasing the next boost in top-end power.
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Stand By Your Manifold, 1968
“Sometimes it’s hard to be a gasket. Givin’ all your sealant, to just one manifold.”
Sung from the gasket’s perspective, this heartfelt tune really makes us appreciate everything our auto parts do for us.
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Jessie’s Grille, 1981
“I wish that I had Jessie’s grille. Can I just put on Jessie’s grille? Where can I find a bumper like that?”
Superficial beauty is fading, but this 1980s power jam reminds us that a vehicle facelift is just a few bolts away.
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Put a Piston Ring On It, 2008
“If you sleeved it then you should have put a ring on it, if you compressed it then you shoulda put a ring on it…”
When it was released, this certified banger instantly became an anthem of mechanics everywhere. From the club to the local tire shop, it still gets heavy rotation.
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Chime After Chime, 1983
“If my door is ajar I know you’ll warn me, chime after chime. When my seatbelt’s unbuckled, I’ll be waiting, chime after chime.”
There are many safety features on our vehicles that inspire love. Cyndi Lauper touches on all of them in this radio favorite.
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My Dart Will Go On, 1997
“Once more, I open the door, and I’m here in my Dart, and my Dart will go on and on….”
It’s sometimes easy to forget that this powerful song, which served as the main theme of James Cameron’s blockbuster film Titanic, is actually about a classic Mopar. We’ll never forget. And we’ll never let go.
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Altima Loving, 1963
“Close your door and I’ll drive you, a tune-up will revive you, remember I’ll always wash you….”
A song that launched an “invasion” of sporty four-door sedans, this incredibly catchy tune still inspires automobile manufacturers to this day.
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My Corolla, 1979
“Ooh, you make my motor run, my motor run. Getting good mileeeage Corolla!”
This bouncy pop hit reminds us that cars don’t have to be flashy or powerful to earn our adoration. Sometimes being reliable and efficient is what really matters.
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C-Pillar of Love, 1959
“If the door won’t shut, give it a shove. Blame my bent C-pillar of Love.”
Here’s a 1950s bubblegum classic about a man’s love/hate relationship with bodywork. It’s as relevant today as it was 50 years ago.
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Revving Out Loud, 2014
“When your clutch doesn’t work like it used to before, and I can’t move the shifter with ease, will your engine still rev like a thundering herd? Will my eyes still smile from their cheeks?”
Remember that time Ed Sheeran wrote a beautiful acoustic piece about growing old together with his car? We still tear up listening to this one.
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End of the Roadmaster, 1992
“…Still this caaaar wooon’t go, It’s elec-tric-al. Maybe jumpstart me? I belong to Triiiiple A. “
This R&B ballad about the decline of the full size American sedan was played at seemingly every school dance in the 1990s. And it still takes us on a long romantic journey—good thing Buick made a wagon version.
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Sharp Dressed Van, 1983
“Spoke wheels, carpet shag…those curb feelers give me reason to brag.”
Released at the end of the custom van craze that peaked in the 1970s, this song reminds us that, “if this van’s a-rockin,” then we should probably add a rear sway bar.
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When A Man Loves a Wagon, 1966
“When a man loves a wagon, can’t keep his mind on nothin’ else, he’d trade all the torque for the good space he’s found.”
We can always get behind the desire for more space in a vehicle, but we’re going to choose to pretend this one is about a Jeep.
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Smells Like Dodge Spirit, 1991
“Why are the lights out? Check the wiring. Now all the cylinders, are misfiring!”
An anthem of teenage rebellion that tells a coming-of-age story about a young man and his love of domestic economy cars.
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Gotta Get You Pinto My Life, 1966
“When you run, it’s too much gas, we need to save a lot more fuuuuuel!”
While The Beetles have three songs on this list, this one is particularly prescient, as it predicted America’s growing love for fuel-efficient cars.
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Special thanks to Summit Racing’s Will Schertz, Tom Lynch, Jason Liss, Alan Rebescher, and Steve Sutek for contributing to this article.
Shoulda saved this one for April First.