Riding in My Car

"Riding in My Car" (also called "Car Car" or "The Car Song") is a children's song by Woody Guthrie.

"Car Car" redirects here. For the Philippine city, see Carcar. For the town in Spain, see Cárcar.
Not to be confused with Drive My Car.

Guthrie wrote "Riding in My Car" during a productive period in the 1940s when he was living at Coney Island in New York.[1] "Riding in My Car" was recorded as part of The Asch Recordings in the mid 1940s. It was released on 78 RPM record, then collected on 12" vinyl LP on Guthrie's 1951 album Songs to Grow on, Volume One: Nursery Days.[2][3] It has since been included on several Guthrie compilation albums.[4]

I'm a gonna let you blow the horn,
I'm a gonna let you blow the horn,
A oorah, a oorah, a oogah, oogah,
I'll take you riding in my car.

— Woody Guthrie, "Riding in My Car"[4]

The song's playful lyrics include onomatopoeia, with the "motorboat" sound[5] (an extended raspberry) imitating a car's engine.[6] Possibly the best known of Guthrie's many children's songs,[7] it remains a family and sing-along standard into the 21st century.[6][7] "Riding in My Car" is included in the popular sing-along songbook Rise Up Singing.[8]

"Riding in My Car" has been covered by artists including Peter, Paul and Mary on In Concert (1964)[9] and Donovan on What's Bin Did and What's Bin Hid (1965; US title Catch The Wind)[10] (Donovan also performed the song at an October 2012 concert at the Kennedy Center,[11] released on Woody At 100! Live at the Kennedy Center).[12]

Other recordings include performances by Ramblin' Jack Elliot (on Songs to Grow On by Woody Guthrie, Sung by Jack Elliott), Odetta, Peter Seeger, and Arlo Guthrie and Judy Collins.[13][14][15]

Bruce Springsteen performed the song at a Woody Guthrie tribute concert at Severance Hall in Cleveland on September 29, 1996, released that year on the record Til We Outnumber 'Em.[16] Bob Dylan performed it at The Gaslight Cafe in 1961.[17][18] A 1961 performance by Dylan of the song at a private party was made and later released on a bootleg record, The Minneapolis Party Tape.[19][20]

Scott Menchin published a 2012 children's book, Riding in My Car, inspired by the song, and including his illustrations of the lyrics.[21]

References
  1. Lawrence Downes (September 18, 2014). "This Land Is His Land". New York Times. Retrieved July 26, 2020. (subscription required)
  2. Reineke, Hank (2010). Ramblin' Jack Elliott: The Never-Ending Highway. American Folk Music and Musicians Series. Scarecrow Press. pp. 121–122. ISBN 978-0810872561. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  3. "The Asch Recordings, Vol. 1-4". Woody Guthrie Store. Woody Guthrie Publications, Inc. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  4. "Riding In My Car". Woody Guthrie. Woody Guthrie Publications, Inc. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  5. Vendera, Jaime (2008). Raise Your Voice. Vendera Publishing. p. 221. ISBN 9780974941158. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  6. Nancy Maes (October 22, 1998). "Songs To Get Toes Tapping". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  7. Jeff Place and Robert Santelli (2012). "Woody at 100: The Woody Guthrie Centennial Collection (liner notes)" (PDF). Woody At 100. Smithsonian Folkways. ISBN 9780970494245. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  8. "Rise Up Singing Song List (R)". Rise Up And Sing. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  9. In Concert: Peter, Paul. & Mary at AllMusic
  10. "What's Bin Did And What's Bin Hid". Donovan Unofficial Site. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  11. Chris Murray (October 16, 2012). "Woody Guthrie Centennial Celebration Concert with Donovan". Govinda Gallery. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  12. "Woody At 100! Live at the Kennedy Center DVD & CD - Various Artists". Woody Guthrie Store. Woody Guthrie Publications, Inc. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  13. Jane Keefer. "Folk Music Index: Rick to Riu". Folk Music - An Index to Recorded and Print Resources. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  14. "Hard Travelin' CD (Soundtrack) - Arlo Guthrie". Woody Guthrie Store. Woody Guthrie Publications, Inc. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  15. William Ruhlmann. "Woody Guthrie / Arlo Guthrie / Guthrie Family: Woody's 20 Grow Big Songs – AllMusic Review by William Ruhlmann". Allmusic. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  16. "Til We Outnumber 'Em CD - Various Artists". Woody Guthrie Store. Woody Guthrie Publications, Inc. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  17. "Setlists that contain Car, Car". Bob Dylan official web site. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  18. Michael Goldberg (October 2, 2013). "Listen: Bob Dylan And Dave van Ronk Perform "Car Car (Riding In My Car)"". Days of the Crazy Wild. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  19. Leif Pettersen (May 8, 2019). "My father recorded young Bob Dylan: How the historic 'Minneapolis Party Tape' was made". Salon. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  20. The Minneapolis Party Album at Discogs
  21. "Riding in My Car". Goodreads. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
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