Driving, riding, roads and of course cars themselves have all been immortalized by writers, composers and musicians around the world. Auto Tune is our way to spotlight a unique transportation song to celebrate these “ridden” gems along with the artists or composers who crafted them. Some you may know, many we’re sure you don’t.
I love Burt Bacharach. Part of perhaps the greatest songwriting team of the 20th century (and yes, I’m not overlooking Lennon & McCartney), his greatest hits are almost a soundtrack of the ‘60s and ‘70s with a few from the ‘80s tossed in for good measure. The majority of his songs were accompanied by the brilliant lyrics of Hal David, however, there were a few instrumentals that Burt composed on his own and “Pacific Coast Highway
” was one of the early ones. From his 1969 album “Make It Easy On Yourself
,” this love letter to the PCH captures the essence of a ride from Santa Monica to Malibu. In fact, Burt told the LA Times that his inspiration for the composition was the drive he experienced in his late ‘60s Yellow Corvette Convertible up and down the PCH. Just listen to the light, mellow and melodic vibe of the song and you’ll be transported to the parking lot of Duke’s Restaurant in Malibu as you pull out onto CA 1, make a left and head up the coast to do a little grocery shopping at the Malibu Country Market. Ahhh, I’ll grab a coffee and meet you on the patio.
– Chip Drake, Executive Producer, Autoline
