Music Fridays # 17: Cars Soundtrack (Automobile Month)

Welcome to a special Music Fridays that is part of Automobile Month.  As I said yesterday on my Cars review, I'll be taking a deeper dive into the soundtrack of Cars.   Now like Lilo & Stitch, this film tends to use already established songs but something they do right is that they don't rely on just one artist.  No there is a wide selection of artists featured in this film from Hank Williams to The Chords to Chuck Berry. In a way, they put together a great road trip album but I would expect nothing less from the film that has this title. Let's begin.

Behind The Clouds - Brad Pasiley

As I said yesterday, I thought Fund Yourself was the better song from Brad Paisley in the film but this song is all right.This one relies metaphors a bit more than Find Yourself which can work and while Brad does a great job singing it.  It just doesn't stick because in the long run it sounds forgettable.  Unlike Our Town or Real Gone, this song does not have a unique sound to it.  Though I will admit that I do like each time they bring in the guitar as that boosts the song up a little bit but not by much.  

Route 66 - Chuck Berry

Now it makes perfect sense to have this song featured in this film. First off, Radiator Springs is located on Route 66 and this is one of the definitive car songs. Seriously if your going on a road trip and you know your going to be on part of Route 66, you gotta play this song. By law, it is required. Not really but is should be.  This song is just so much fun and it works well with this film.  Just take the advice of this song and "Get your kicks on Route 66".   It is just that much of a fun song.

Sh-Boom - The Chords

Now before I saw Cars I had never heard this song before but it slowly grew on me and I think it is used nicely in the film as it is used right around the time when Radiator Springs has been all fixed up and McQueen and Sally are about to have their first date.  It is just a fun song and it is easy to see why the good folks of Radiator Springs would choose this song for such an occasion as it makes for a great celebration song.  It is a bit nonsensical but who cares?  Again, it is just a fun song.

My Heart Would Know - Hank Williams

Confession time, this is the only Hank Williams song that I have ever listened to in my entire life.  Though through taking a listen to it, it is easy to see why he is so highly regarded in the world of Country music. Though I have the hardest time figuring out how the song works with the film.  When I was talking about having a unique sound up there with Brad Paisley, this is what I was talking about. I mean I have never hard anything like this before in my life and it is just so exciting to listen to.  Of course part of that is I'm a Country Music fan and it is awesome to hear a song from a Country Music legend. It is a short, simple and sweet song.  

In the end, I feel that this film has a great soundtrack.  Do I hate the fact that they used already established songs? It irks me a little bit but I do appreciate the fact that they didn't rely on just one artist and really it's not the songs I hate but rather the practice of using already established songs. Though we will come back to this topic in Music Fridays # 22 as for next week, join me when I go...

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