HOT ROD RACE

Created on 01/10/2003
Latest update on 14/01/2024

Artist: Arkie Shibley & His Mountain Dew Boys
Author: George Wilson
Label: Mountain Dew/Gilt Edge
Year: 1950

Mountain Dew was Arkie's own label. It's the oldest hot rod song. Connie Jordan & The Jordanaires cut a Hot Rod Boogie in '47, but that was an instrumental. First specialized hot rod magazines and races also date from the late forties. That predates the official rock 'n roll years with more than five years, proving post-war US teenagers spent loose money on cars first, then on music. Arkie Shibley also came up with a Hot Rod Race #2 on Gilt Edge, a Arkie Meets The Judge (Hot Rod Race #3), a Hot Rod Race #4 (The Guy In The Mercury) and a Hot Rod Race #5 (The Kid In The Model-A), all in '51.

Covers:

1951:

Ramblin' Jimmie Dolan

1951:

Red Foley

1951:

Tiny Hill [followed up by his own Hot Rod Race #2]

1951:

Arthur Smith

1951:

Faron Young with Tillman Franks & his Rainbow Boys [in medley with Shotgun Boogie]

1952:

Jack Rivers [variation as Navy Hot Rod]

1955:

Mick Woodward [idem as Hot Rod Race Navy Style]

1955:

Charlie Ryan & The Livingston Brothers [answer song as Hot Rod Lincoln on his own Souvenir label; Charlie owned his own hot rod Lincoln and raced with it]

1959:

Charlie Ryan & The Timberline Riders [idem]

1959:

Bob Sandy

1960:

Johnny Bond [C&W & US hit as Hot Rod Lincoln; 4-Star Records then got Charlie Ryan back in the studio to re-record a competitive version]

1960:

Bob Williams

1964:

Arlen Sanders [as Hopped-up Mustang]

1966:

King Pins [as Rod, Hot Rod]

1967:

Jim & Jesse [as Hot Rod Race #2]

1972:

Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen [top 10 US as Hot Rod Lincoln; George Frayne (Commander Cody) found Hot Rod Lincoln, Smoke Smoke Smoke That Cigarette and That's What I Like About The South on one and the same cheap Johnny Bond album]

1976:

Pat Travers [idem]

1988:

Asleep At The Wheel [idem]

1993:

Jim Varney & Jerry Scoggins [idem in film The Beverly Hillbillies]

1993:

Toby Keith [as Hot Rod Sleigh]

1994:

Bob Rivers [as White Ford Bronco, inspired by the OJ Simpson pursuit]

1997:

Bill Kirchen [ex Commander Cody]

1998:

Rollin' In The Hay [as Hot Rod Lincoln]

Charlie Ryan, who also cut a version of the original Hot Rod Race (for 4 Star in '61), cashed in on the subject with two complete hot rod lp's and an endless line of answer songs upon answer songs, while Johnny Bond propulsed the hot rod idea into the jet-age and the stratosphere with his X 15 (Republic - '60), chased by good old Charlie Ryan in his Hot Rod Rocket (4 Star - '60) and Hot Rod Harry (Blue Sky - '74).

Contact


If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:

Arnold Rypens
Rozenlaan 65
B-2840 Reet (Rumst)

info@originals.be

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