4. Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car, Billy Ocean
Hitting number one on several charts in the US in its 1988 release, British singer Billy Ocean’s single Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car is a perfect representative of those cheesy yet irresistibly catchy dance-pop songs of the eighties. Others may remember the song from the teen-adventure movie License to Drive, released in the same year. “Beep beep, yeah!”
5. Born to Run, Bruce Springsteen
One of American heartland rock legend Bruce Spingsteen’s most famous songs, Born to Run was released in 1975 along with an album of the same name. This hit represented a turning point in the artist’s career after the relatively poor performance of his previous two albums. The “runaway American dream” escapist lyrics are inspired by Springsteen’s own youthful desire to get out of his hometown of Asbury Park, New Jersey.
6. Born to Be Wild, Steppenwolf
Born to Be Wild, written and performed by American-Canadian heavy metal band Steppenwolf, is inspired by the biker counterculture. The band’s third single, the song was released in 1968, quickly rising to number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Charts in the US. Perhaps most notably, the song’s lyrics feature the line “heavy metal thunder”, which coined the phrase “heavy metal” in popular culture. With full-throttled lyrics like “Get your motor running, head out on the highway, looking for adventure, and whatever comes our way,” it’s one of the top tunes to rock your road trip.
