Desert Island Disc Brakes
Discussion
With apologies to the BBC for almost nicking the title of its long-running show, I wanted to start a discussion on what music makes you think of a motoring memory.
I guess much will depend on your age and what was around when you were growing up or learning to drive, but I wondered about the tunes, song lyrics or titles that evoked a memory, and the story behind them.
I’ll start, with Dancing In The Dark by The Boss, Bruce Springsteen. In 1984, I’d landed my first job as a car washer / valeter at a used car dealership in Prestatyn, North Wales. I was still 18 months away from being able to drive, so the deal was that I’d get a lift to work and the business owner, Dave, would drive me home at the end of the day. Dave was invariably busy, so his mate Al would drive, usually in Dave’s E21 BMW 323i, at breakneck speed with Springsteen on full volume.
I’ll follow that up with Matt Monro’s On Days Like These, the opening credit track from The Italian Job. OK, it’s a bit naff, but didn’t we all want to be Rossano Brazzi in that Miura, donning his Renauld Mustangs and heading off into the Alps? I’d have preferred a different ending to the scene, mind.
Finally, in terms of songs, I’d offer Roxette’s Joyride. I’d taken a couple of weeks off work and packed myself and three girls into a battered Renault 19 diesel. We headed off to the south of France and spent a wonderful couple of weeks mooching about. The return journey was the longest single trip I’ve ever done: 1,605km according to Google Maps, Cannes to Ipswich via Norwich. Roxette was the only tape we had with us. One of the girls has now been my wife for over 20 years.
All of the above are great tunes, but I’ll end with great lyrics that seem to sum up some of the feelings on this forum. From the late, great Meatloaf’s Paradise By The Dashboard Light (and let’s face it, many of us have been there…):
“Well, it was long ago and it was far away, and it was so much better than it is today”.
Over to you…
I guess much will depend on your age and what was around when you were growing up or learning to drive, but I wondered about the tunes, song lyrics or titles that evoked a memory, and the story behind them.
I’ll start, with Dancing In The Dark by The Boss, Bruce Springsteen. In 1984, I’d landed my first job as a car washer / valeter at a used car dealership in Prestatyn, North Wales. I was still 18 months away from being able to drive, so the deal was that I’d get a lift to work and the business owner, Dave, would drive me home at the end of the day. Dave was invariably busy, so his mate Al would drive, usually in Dave’s E21 BMW 323i, at breakneck speed with Springsteen on full volume.
I’ll follow that up with Matt Monro’s On Days Like These, the opening credit track from The Italian Job. OK, it’s a bit naff, but didn’t we all want to be Rossano Brazzi in that Miura, donning his Renauld Mustangs and heading off into the Alps? I’d have preferred a different ending to the scene, mind.
Finally, in terms of songs, I’d offer Roxette’s Joyride. I’d taken a couple of weeks off work and packed myself and three girls into a battered Renault 19 diesel. We headed off to the south of France and spent a wonderful couple of weeks mooching about. The return journey was the longest single trip I’ve ever done: 1,605km according to Google Maps, Cannes to Ipswich via Norwich. Roxette was the only tape we had with us. One of the girls has now been my wife for over 20 years.
All of the above are great tunes, but I’ll end with great lyrics that seem to sum up some of the feelings on this forum. From the late, great Meatloaf’s Paradise By The Dashboard Light (and let’s face it, many of us have been there…):
“Well, it was long ago and it was far away, and it was so much better than it is today”.
Over to you…
Red Light Spells Danger - Billy Ocean. Reminds me of many road trips from the midlands to see family near Aberystwyth as a kid, heading back over the mountain run to the Elan Valley dams then Rhyader. Was probably his greatest hits, but that's the one that I remember and relate to most. Happy memories prior to my parents going the way of many in the 90's - nasty divorce.
Turbobanana said:
I’ll follow that up with Matt Monro’s On Days Like These, the opening credit track from The Italian Job. OK, it’s a bit naff, but didn’t we all want to be Rossano Brazzi in that Miura, donning his Renauld Mustangs and heading off into the Alps? I’d have preferred a different ending to the scene, mind.
Yes I remember that vividly from my first viewing as a youth, still great to watch today - especially the way the Miura's V12 is singing off the mountain sides before the music fades in.For me one track is 'In The Air Tonight' by Phil Collins - after watching the 'Miami Vice' pilot on television in the 80s, I was overwhelmed with an urge that led to me grabbing my Phil Collins 'In The Air Tonight' cassette, going in to the garage, firing up the Dino 246GTS and going for a midnight blast in to mid-Wales, accompanied by our Phil blasting out of the speakers. Yes it was a peasant's re-enactment given the Dino vs. the 'Daytona' Spider, but it was damned good fun regardless and something i'm reminded of whenever I hear that song!
Heart - Barracuda
When I was going out with my now wife, our parents lived 46miles apart, most of which was on country A&B-roads in Cheshire/Shropshire.
I did the trip once in my mildly modified C2 VTR Loeb edition in 52minutes one late summers evening. No traffic at all. Blasting down the country lanes, buzzing the tits off the little TU5JP4 engine and spending a substantial amount of the time approaching the red part of the dial. It was perfect for these types of roads as it was small, light and nimble. It had no right to be as fast as it was in the twisties but was horrendous on the motorway as 70mph was 4000rpm.
Enough light to see the road clearly but dark enough to see oncoming headlights long in advance to enable suitable road positioning.
Had some 80s rock mix in the disc player and this one's a distinct memory.
When I was going out with my now wife, our parents lived 46miles apart, most of which was on country A&B-roads in Cheshire/Shropshire.
I did the trip once in my mildly modified C2 VTR Loeb edition in 52minutes one late summers evening. No traffic at all. Blasting down the country lanes, buzzing the tits off the little TU5JP4 engine and spending a substantial amount of the time approaching the red part of the dial. It was perfect for these types of roads as it was small, light and nimble. It had no right to be as fast as it was in the twisties but was horrendous on the motorway as 70mph was 4000rpm.
Enough light to see the road clearly but dark enough to see oncoming headlights long in advance to enable suitable road positioning.
Had some 80s rock mix in the disc player and this one's a distinct memory.
Edited by Ambleton on Friday 7th February 11:23
My first car was an Austin A40 Farina Mk II. I fitted an old radio and my first drive was on a Sunday with "Easy" by The Commodores the stand-out track being played. Driving on quiet roads just for the sake of it, going nowhere.
Other than that, I used to drive to university from Cardiff to Bangor so always had a musical soundtrack. Stand-outs were Live Killers by Queen, Heavy Pettin', Hot Water (a Bangor band) and, oddly, two Alessi Brothers albums you can no longer buy.
Other than that, I used to drive to university from Cardiff to Bangor so always had a musical soundtrack. Stand-outs were Live Killers by Queen, Heavy Pettin', Hot Water (a Bangor band) and, oddly, two Alessi Brothers albums you can no longer buy.
Portishead - Dummy.
I was on a road trip with some friends in the early 90s. From Vancouver up through Whistler, Kamloops, Jasper, Golden then through the border to Idaho and Oregon.
Haunting atmospheric music and some stunning scenery.
Car was a big old bus, Dodge Intrepid (or should that be Insipid?), but it was ideal for the job.
I was on a road trip with some friends in the early 90s. From Vancouver up through Whistler, Kamloops, Jasper, Golden then through the border to Idaho and Oregon.
Haunting atmospheric music and some stunning scenery.
Car was a big old bus, Dodge Intrepid (or should that be Insipid?), but it was ideal for the job.
Edited by Watcher of the skies on Friday 7th February 15:52
A road trip memory - 1994 and me and 2 mates hired a Peugeot 405 diesel (non-turbo) to go to Cadwell for a day of AROC racing on a Sunday followed by the bank holiday Monday Karcher (I think) GT 4 hour race at Donington.
The main tape we listened to was A Secret Wish by Propaganda.
We had a lot of time to listen to it in that Pug.
The main tape we listened to was A Secret Wish by Propaganda.
We had a lot of time to listen to it in that Pug.
Spring half term in 1980 we had a family road trip to France - dad driving the Audi 100 with mum up front, my older sis and me in the back. I was entrusted with making a mix tape for the journey which we listed to on loop for the entire trip. The crackly French Europop was too much to take!
Anytime I hear any of these tracks I remember vividly that journey - the yellow headlights, the sleepy villages (seemingly each with a garage with a Citroen GS in the showroom and a decaying 2CV in the yard), chaotic driving, the bustle of Paris, the springtime aromas, rotisserie chicken and frites from an ancient H van in a layby somewhere....so lovely!
These were the tunes from the tape, recorded from the Top 40, Sunday evening Radio 1
Blondie - Call me
Blondie - Atomic
Ottawan - DISCO
Jon and Vangelis - Find my Way Home
Peter Gabriel - Games Without Frontiers
The Vapors - Turning Japanese
Liquid Gold - Dance Yourself Dizzy
Also these adverts were everywhere - can had just been launched
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Anytime I hear any of these tracks I remember vividly that journey - the yellow headlights, the sleepy villages (seemingly each with a garage with a Citroen GS in the showroom and a decaying 2CV in the yard), chaotic driving, the bustle of Paris, the springtime aromas, rotisserie chicken and frites from an ancient H van in a layby somewhere....so lovely!
These were the tunes from the tape, recorded from the Top 40, Sunday evening Radio 1
Blondie - Call me
Blondie - Atomic
Ottawan - DISCO
Jon and Vangelis - Find my Way Home
Peter Gabriel - Games Without Frontiers
The Vapors - Turning Japanese
Liquid Gold - Dance Yourself Dizzy
Also these adverts were everywhere - can had just been launched
I remember being in a queue in Ruxley Lane, Ewell as an 18 year old in my Fiat 125 waiting for the late Queen to pass the other way in her Phantom on her way home from the Derby when the Sex Pistols "God Save The Queen" came on the radio - very appropriate. 
The next one that stands out is from the late 80s. I had just bought 1987 by Whitesnake and taped it for use in the car. I was driving a mate's Astra GTE with the digital dash home late from Surrey to Kent late one Sunday evening listening to In The Still of the Night cranked right up (as was the car) when the digital dash went completely blank on an unlit dual-carriageway section of the A249. Luckily a bit of fiddling got the dash illumination back, but the next morning on my way to work the cam-belt snapped.
The next one that stands out is from the late 80s. I had just bought 1987 by Whitesnake and taped it for use in the car. I was driving a mate's Astra GTE with the digital dash home late from Surrey to Kent late one Sunday evening listening to In The Still of the Night cranked right up (as was the car) when the digital dash went completely blank on an unlit dual-carriageway section of the A249. Luckily a bit of fiddling got the dash illumination back, but the next morning on my way to work the cam-belt snapped.
A few from me. All about summer driving, new found freedom and invariably many nostalgia's ago...
Firstly driving into Poly in my Mini - mid/late 80's. Hot, sunny day, windows down, music blaring - the Beach Boys. Greatest hits so take your pick! California Girls, Little Deuce Coupe, Fun fun fun...
1989 - Heading off for my placement year in my dad's Cavalier SRi 130 - that I was using while he was in Abu Dhabi for a few months. Arriving to work at the Geological Survey in a village near Nottingham. Sunny day, windows down, sunroof open, music blaring. This time Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction. Paradise City on rewind as I arrived.
Driving down to the South of France in my then girlfriend's Mk1 MX-5 in about 1993. Camping so not much room for anything other than a tent a couple of cassettes and some changes of underwear. Roof down (obviously), sun sun sun, music blaring out. Stand-out tape was Santana - Abraxas. Samba Pa Ti and Oye Come Va were favourites.
Look at us now...
Firstly driving into Poly in my Mini - mid/late 80's. Hot, sunny day, windows down, music blaring - the Beach Boys. Greatest hits so take your pick! California Girls, Little Deuce Coupe, Fun fun fun...
1989 - Heading off for my placement year in my dad's Cavalier SRi 130 - that I was using while he was in Abu Dhabi for a few months. Arriving to work at the Geological Survey in a village near Nottingham. Sunny day, windows down, sunroof open, music blaring. This time Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction. Paradise City on rewind as I arrived.
Driving down to the South of France in my then girlfriend's Mk1 MX-5 in about 1993. Camping so not much room for anything other than a tent a couple of cassettes and some changes of underwear. Roof down (obviously), sun sun sun, music blaring out. Stand-out tape was Santana - Abraxas. Samba Pa Ti and Oye Come Va were favourites.
Look at us now...
1980 : Just qualified, first proper pay cheques coming in.
Goodbye Imp, hello Escort Mexico. Up to Croydon, return with a brace of Cibies , a Corbeau seat and a dodgy centre console that I fitted in place with a few strips of Meccano. In goes the Pioneer cassette player with the multi-coloured display - so cool.
Off to Le Mans, 4th visit but the first (of 34) by car. Only 1 cassette gets air time - Bat Out Of Hell - Meatloaf.
Back of the net.
Goodbye Imp, hello Escort Mexico. Up to Croydon, return with a brace of Cibies , a Corbeau seat and a dodgy centre console that I fitted in place with a few strips of Meccano. In goes the Pioneer cassette player with the multi-coloured display - so cool.
Off to Le Mans, 4th visit but the first (of 34) by car. Only 1 cassette gets air time - Bat Out Of Hell - Meatloaf.
Back of the net.
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