Sniff”n”The Tears…, I’ve mentioned before how many of the songs for the desert island collection were classed as one hit wonders, and Drivers Seat is one of them. But it was a big hit, and several times over because since it’s release in 1978 the song has topped the charts in various countries years after it’s original release. This is due to it being used in TV ads, movies etc. It’s a very good song, everyone seems to know it…, just play it when people are around and someone will go ” oh, this is one of my favourite songs.. haven’t heard this for ages, love it!”… and it was a worldwide hit, so there’s little wonder that it’s a party favourite.
Although the song is not actually about driving at all, it’s obviously been used in car ads… a driving song. But it’s one of the songs I sometimes have going in my head when I’m cycling.., I do a lot of road cycling and this is perfect for re running in your mind as you hammer the pedals round and round, a high tempo. And it works well for me, I sometimes play it before I go out riding just to get my mindset right. I once read somewhere that when the great Lance Armstrong was going for his record Tour de France wins he would have ZZ Top music pumping out on the team bus on the way to the start line.., his favourite being Pearl Necklace.., and all the team got into the music and used it to fire themselves up. If using music in that way is good enough for Lance Armstrong and his pals, it’s good enough for me. Get yourself to the front of the bunch and take your place in the drivers seat, the words are perfect.. “pick up your feet, got to move to the trick of the beat”… so that’s why I play the song so often, it helps me keep my legs churning out the miles when I’m riding the bike. That’s one of the things I’d really miss if I were marooned on an island, I love cycling.
But to everyone else it’s just a good party song…, a little jiving on a Saturday night, to quote another line from the song. It’s a mystery to me as to why Sniff”n”The Tears couldn’t keep the hits coming if they were capable of producing a song like this, but at least they gave us this one…, and if any boats should happen to be sailing within earshot of my island then there’s a good chance they would hear this song drifting over the waves as it pumped out of the laptop in my beach hut. Great song.
