104 replies to this topic

[sterling49]

After just posting in the BMC thread, it came to mind of great memories of music whilst attending races, having often parked on South Bank (and dutifully sounded off Colonel Bogey for the winner on the back of the Haynes Tractor/Trailer) young bucks (not guilty....) would play the music of the day loudly, ingrained in my mind still is The Immigrant Song from Led Zepp, played on a neighbouring cars Motorola 8 Track...fitted to the mandatory E-Type.........

Same place but earlier in years....Good Vibrations, The Beach Boys.....Both forever Brands Hatch

Any other members make the connection? If so what and where?

[Tim Murray]

Three songs are instantly evocative for me, presumably because being high in the charts at the time they were played to death over the PA during the meetings.

Up the Junction by Squeeze - 1979 GP at Silverstone.

Baby Jane by Rod Stewart (yes, I know - I'm sorry) - 1983 Silverstone GP (particularly Arnoux's pole lap in qualifying).

There Must Be An Angel by the Eurythmics - 1985 Silverstone GP.

All from Silverstone, note - did they not play pop songs so assiduously over the PA at Brands and other venues? I can't remember.

[RTH]

Originally posted by sterling49
After just posting in the BMC thread, it came to mind of great memories of music whilst attending races, having often parked on South Bank (and dutifully sounded off Colonel Bogey for the winner on the back of the Haynes Tractor/Trailer) young bucks (not guilty....) would play the music of the day loudly, ingrained in my mind still is The Immigrant Song from Led Zepp, played on a neighbouring cars Motorola 8 Track...fitted to the mandatory E-Type.........

Same place but earlier in years....Good Vibrations, The Beach Boys.....Both forever Brands Hatch

Any other members make the connection? If so what and where?

I was there on the south bank in 1972 sitting in an Austin 1300GT listening on an 8 track to the the mellow tones of the devine and much missed Karen Carpenter.

[Twin Window]

OTTOMH Layla by Derek and the Dominos reminds me of the 1972 Victory Race at Brands, but not necessarily because I heard it in situ. Again at Brands, the Elton John & Kiki Dee duet - I forget the title for the mo... - reminds me of the 1976 British GP.

[RS2000]

The music recently used in the UK TV adverts for ING Direct Savings used to be played at Wimbledon Stadium Stock Car meetings around 1966. No good asking me what it is....

Re previous post: "Dont Go breaking My Heart" (Elton John/Kiki Dee). I'll pretend I didn't really remember......

[sterling49]

Originally posted by RTH


I was there on the south bank in 1972 sitting in an Austin 1300GT listening on an 8 track to the the mellow tones of the devine and much missed Karen Carpenter.

Share the same taste, superb voice, I to, had it on 8 Track......the wattage output sounds pathetic by todays standards, but my Pioneer had 12 watts per channel.......... great sound though it used to drown the engine of my Mini Cooper!

[Coogar]

Silverstone GP in.....Maybe 1977.....a Scandinavian F3 team sponsored by Bose - were they the Vikings and was Conny Andersson involved ? somebody will know I'm sure.
Anyway the music of choice was 'Voulez vous coucher avec moi ce soir' by Labelle being blasted out all over the Becketts end of the F3 paddock/Club Straight.
Made a lasting impression on me !

[RTH]

Music to watch racing by as well (as girls) :-

Click on item 13 :-

http://music.barnesa...56326&pwb=1&z=y

[Lotus23]

1956. Quarter-mile Massachusetts bullring.

"Transfusion" by Nervous Norvus (real name: Jimmy Drake) rang out over the trackside tannoys much of that summer. While I rarely hear the song played anymore, the remembrance of it -- and simpler times -- invariably brings a smile to my face.

[petefenelon]

Not a historic one, but on the first day of the GA/Champcar meeting at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez last year, Leonard Cohen's "The Future" was blasting out on the PA and just as it finished the first Daytona Prototypes fired up for their warmup session.... and those V8s sounded just as deep and sonorous as Mr Cohen.

(Perhaps not sure if the locals realised the full import of the line about "Give me crack and anal sex", but it's one of Laughing Len's finest songs...)

[Gerald Swan]

Driving to the 1971 Race of Champions in my mate's severly knackered orange Austin A40 listening to the Stones "Satanic Majesties" on the 8-track.

Oh and one of the Racing Car Shows in the early 70s kept playing Layla at full volume, love the song but it did begin to wear a little on the 23rd repeat.

Gerald

www.lolaheritage.co.uk

[kevthedrummer]

My local stock car track seemingly owned just a single record for most of the eighties. 'Fanfare for the Common Man' by ELP.

[Barry Boor]

Working in the Oesterreichring paddock in searing heat with the Connew in 1972 it seemed as though 'I can see clearly now' was playing over the public address system all the time.

Every time I hear it my back feels the Austrian sun again.

Last year I was walking across the Parc Beaumont in Pau during the Historic weekend and was both surprised and delighted to hear 'Kung Fu Fighting' playing over the circuit speakers. And I have the event on video to prove it!

[Paul Parker]

Hearing Concrete and Clay by Unit 4 plus 2 on the way to the 1965 Brands Hatch ROC.

[Patrick Fletcher]

Hotel California, Eagles - USGP West '76
But some guys up in a high rise had the most fun, they recorded the race and then played it back on huge speakers at full volume, just as spectators walked up the street track after the finish. All in our group just about .... themselves as we dived for the sidewalks.

[ian senior]

Anyone who attended the Formula Atlantic race at Oulton in September 1971 will recall the incessant "Yellow Pages" song blasting forth from the PA .... you know the one, the variation of Christie's "Yellow River". Very very irritating and a lousy song anyway.

[MCS]

Originally posted by ian senior
Anyone who attended the Formula Atlantic race at Oulton in September 1971 will recall the incessant "Yellow Pages" song blasting forth from the PA .... you know the one, the variation of Christie's "Yellow River". Very very irritating and a lousy song anyway.

Surely played at all of the Yellow Pages Atlantic rounds at that time...I remember it with similar irritation!

[RTH]

Originally posted by Patrick Fletcher
Hotel California, Eagles - USGP West '76

Oh well, now your are talking .......best pop song of all time ? certainly a great favourite I never tire of listening to.

[ian senior]

Never mind hearing the music, some song titles could be used as a way to describe the racing. Lou Reed's "Perfect Day" would suit 1-litre F3 racing anywhere, especially Oulton or Cadwell. Dylan's "A Hard Rain's A-gonna Fall", or even anything by Wet Wet Wet, would suit many of the meetings I attended at Rufforth. Slade's "Cum On Feel The Noize" was ideal for F5000.

[Frank de Jong]

Originally posted by Coogar
Silverstone GP in.....Maybe 1977.....a Scandinavian F3 team sponsored by Bose - were they the Vikings and was Conny Andersson involved ? somebody will know I'm sure.
Anyway the music of choice was 'Voulez vous coucher avec moi ce soir' by Labelle being blasted out all over the Becketts end of the F3 paddock/Club Straight.
Made a lasting impression on me !

I suppose you mean the black cars with Rotel sponsorship. Bose sponsored another unique F3 car IIRC, the German Derichs with its tiny front wheels.

Music and Zandvoort's PA does not bring back any memories, I'm afraid - they probably did not play music there, I guess. Mind you, in our nearside camper we did...

[sterling49]

Originally posted by Patrick Fletcher
Hotel California, Eagles - USGP West '76

hmmn......it does not get much better than that! Wasn't that the year we nearly had riots at Brands(James) during that sweltering summer???


Hearing Concrete and Clay by Unit 4 plus 2 on the way to the 1965 Brands Hatch ROC.(Paul Parker)


I was there, memories of the greatest being pushed hard by Dan the Man, until Jim made the rarest of mistakes on Bottom Straight........Concrete and Clay, gee it makes me feel sooo old!!!!!

[Frank S]

Tell ya the truth, I don't remember music at the races. I do remember a "road song" that appears near the end of this list.


The Cheers: "Black Denim Trousers"

He wore black denim trousers and motorcycle boots
And a black leather jacket with an eagle on the back;
He had a hopped up 'cycle that took off like a gun,
That fool was the terror of Highway 101 ...


O, my.

My pals and I would sing that at the top of our lungs as we roared south toward Torrey Pines, 1955 or so.

Well, tiddled south, but it seemed like roaring at the time.

--
Frank S

[canon1753]

"The Final Countdown" by Europe just before the start of the ACT Tour races at long dead Catamount Speedway. (So long dead that my brother now lives almost across the street).

[LotusElise]

"Space Oddity" being played somewhere during the mid-80s. Can't think for the life of me where itt actually was, but most likely a short oval in the Midlands.

[sterling49]

Originally posted by Tim Murray

All from Silverstone, note - did they not play pop songs so assiduously over the PA at Brands and other venues? I can't remember.

Funny that Tim, I have the same problem, I cannot remember at all if any music came over the Tannoy at Brands.......the few times it did were when the Dave Clark Five visited (Catch Us If You Can) and David Bowie in the late '60's but pre "Space Oddity". Strange what the memory omits maybe it had something to do with MCD/Grovewood Securities paying royalties?

Sterling

[Jim Thurman]

Originally posted by Patrick Fletcher
Hotel California, Eagles - USGP West '76

Not to be pedantic, but do you mean USGP-West '77? "Hotel California" was not released until December of '76, well after the Long Beach race in March or April. In fact the recording sessions for what became "Hotel California" hadn't finished yet when Long Beach was held in '76. I actually saw the opening concert of the Hotel California tour in San Diego in October '76 and they premiered the song there. The only signifigant musical event I witnessed.

I remember hearing a lot of songs on the radio at the track, especially Riverside while sitting waiting for traffic to thin out a bit. Things like "Spiders and Snakes" by Jim Stafford and "Smokin' In The Boys Room" by Brownsville Station while trying to see out the front windshield in a deluge in January '73. And of course, lots of memories from going to and from and what was on the radio.

It wasn't routine in the early/mid 70's to play music over PA's.

The local short track I attended, Cajon Speedway, used to play a scratchy "Stars & Stripes Forever" before the start of a "big" race, and obviously, prior to the July 4th extra distance event.

Ascot Park c. 1972 used to play Jerry Lee Lewis during intermission of the CRA Sprint Car races. "Great Balls of Fire", "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On", "Drinkin' Wine, Spo-Dee-O-Dee".

San Jose Fairgrounds c. 1985 used to play "The Longest Time" by Billy Joel. It was quite amusing because it would be played while trucks packed the clay after the track was watered before the main event.

Later, some short tracks had deals with local radio stations and simply played the station over the PA at breaks.

[Tim Murray]

Originally posted by sterling49
Funny that Tim, I have the same problem, I cannot remember at all if any music came over the Tannoy at Brands.......

Originally posted by Coogar
Anyway the music of choice was 'Voulez vous coucher avec moi ce soir' by Labelle being blasted out all over the Becketts end of the F3 paddock/Club Straight.
Made a lasting impression on me !

Sterling, my only Brands musical memory is from the 1975 Race of Champions, when one evening we wandered down to the pub in (I think) West Kingsdown, where the Labelle song that so impressed Coogar was played regularly on the pub jukebox.

[ReynardDave]

First USGP at Indy - Sting and Desert Rose. They played it over the PA system a thousand times if they played it once.
If I never hear that song again it'll be too soon.

[Patrick Fletcher]

Originally posted by Jim Thurman


Not to be pedantic, but do you mean USGP-West '77?

Yes - 1977

[Jim Thurman]

Originally posted by Patrick Fletcher

Yes - 1977

The songs from "Hotel California" were everywhere by the next Spring. "New Kid In Town" had come out before the LP, then "Hotel California" and "Life In The Fast Lane". Songs that were played almost as much on FM radio as AM radio, a rare feat.

[Rob29]

Around 1967 there was a Radio London(the original pirate one) race day at Brands.Can't remember what was played over the PA,but it was advertised in the programme that David Bowie(who I had not heard of at the time ) was due to perform in the clubhouse!

[Mallory Dan]

Bay City 'Child Molesters' and Mallory, for obvious reasons. Later still, in '78, Darts played a concert at a Radio1 Day there, Daddy Cool remains in my memory.

[sterling49]

Originally posted by Rob29
Around 1967 there was a Radio London(the original pirate one) race day at Brands.Can't remember what was played over the PA,but it was advertised in the programme that David Bowie(who I had not heard of at the time ) was due to perform in the clubhouse!

I remember the Radio London days well, they sponsored a driver Keith St John in a purple Elva-BMW? It's amazing what time (40 years) does to one's memory! I also had not heard of David Bowie then, but I think he was billed as David Jones?

[Rob29]

Originally posted by sterling49



I remember the Radio London days well, they sponsored a driver Keith St John in a purple Elva-BMW? It's amazing what time (40 years) does to one's memory! I also had not heard of David Bowie then, but I think he was billed as David Jones?

No he was billed as Bowie.I found him in 1972 when my sister was a fan.I went to one of the last 'Ziggy Stardust' gigs at the Hammersmith Odeon.Later discovered he was born and brought up within less than a mile of me in Brixton,Sth London!
Radio London apart from being the best station around at the time,also sponsored F3 cars.Only the evil Harald Wilson's managing to close it ended those great days.

[johnnythunders]

Bay City 'Child Molesters' and Mallory, for obvious reasons. Later still, in '78, Darts played a concert at a Radio1 Day there, Daddy Cool remains in my memory.

I don't know if anyone has read the (ex Radio London) John Peel bio 'Margrave of the Marshes', but there is an outrageously funny description of the Mallory Park Bay City Rollers day. I was wondering, Mallory Dan, whether you remember Tony Blackburn on the lake, in a speedboat being piloted by a Womble?!

The day also gets a mention in David Tremayne's 'Lost Generation' book - Tony Brise gave the Hill F1 car a demonstration run apparently.

[Mallory Dan]

Vague memories of the awful Tony B on the speedboat Johnny, but where was Smashy?? I think the Brise/Hill F1 demonstration was later that year, 1975, at the August Bankie meet. The Bay City Molesters were on May 18 IIRC.

[Andrew Kitson]

Originally posted by Rob29
Around 1967 there was a Radio London(the original pirate one) race day at Brands.Can't remember what was played over the PA,but it was advertised in the programme that David Bowie(who I had not heard of at the time ) was due to perform in the clubhouse!

The Pink Floyd also performed at this meeting with Syd Barrett as frontman before Dave Gilmour joined.

Anyone remember that dreadful Silverstone jingle they played before the start of each race in the 70s & early 80s which Peter Scott-Russell had the awful habit of singing along to? Silverstone...Silverstone...Silverstone...he would..er.. 'sing'.

Santa Pod in the 70s always had a Beach Boys soundtrack between runs.
'I'm getting tired runnin' up and down the same old strip...'

[Gokart Mozart]

I always remember Dire Straits "Walk of Life" from going to the chilly snowmobile races as a kid to watch my dad race. Hot coco anyone?

Cheers,

Jacques N. Dresang

[Frank S]

Performances at the track? Riverside late 1960s there was a top-line group—disremember which—performed in front of the Turn Six grandstand on the Saturday night prior to a Times GP or its sequel. I missed the concert, but the aftermath was all too evident early Sunday morning: bodies everywhere, wilted flower children strewn about in, on, or near sleeping bags, mostly couples, and at least one coupling. I have 8mm movies of some of the flora; it was the earlier low-cut jeans and crop-top era. Mmmm mmm.

Another RIR event, using the short course, had incidental music supplied by Paul Revere and the Raiders: set up north of Turn Seven-A, they lip- and instrument-synched to a recording played loud enough to overcome racing sounds that reached across the straightaway. When the delayed race broadcast was presented on TV, the group had a fifteen-second exposure, as I remember it.

--
Frank S
San Diego CA
USA

[sterling49]

Originally posted by Andrew Kitson


The Pink Floyd also performed at this meeting with Syd Barrett as frontman before Dave Gilmour joined.

I just don't know how I missed that......my all time favourite band......R.I.P Madcap, this would have been around the time of "See Emily Play" and "Arnold Layne" I guess.

Chris Barber used to do concerts after the GP if I remember correctly, but it didn't sound as interesting as Frank's description of "The Summer of Love" like er "far out man" crazy!

[ianselva]

Originally posted by RS2000
The music recently used in the UK TV adverts for ING Direct Savings used to be played at Wimbledon Stadium Stock Car meetings around 1966. No good asking me what it is....

Re previous post: "Dont Go breaking My Heart" (Elton John/Kiki Dee). I'll pretend I didn't really remember......

The Speedeworth stock cars always ran to " Wimawei" or as it sometimes known "The lion sleeps tonight". I raced stock cars at wimbledon and other places back then and every time I hear it it instantly takes me back there .

[Tim Murray]

Originally posted by Andrew Kitson
Anyone remember that dreadful Silverstone jingle they played before the start of each race in the 70s & early 80s which Peter Scott-Russell had the awful habit of singing along to? Silverstone...Silverstone...Silverstone...he would..er.. 'sing'.

Unfortunately, yes. What with that and the constant playing of the Magnificent Seven theme as the accompaniment to the Marlboro ads I do feel we had to put up with an awful lot of pain.

[Andrew Kitson]

It was still better back then...honest.

[D-Type]

Originally posted by ianselva


The Speedeworth stock cars always ran to " Wimawei" or as it sometimes known "The lion sleeps tonight". I raced stock cars at wimbledon and other places back then and every time I hear it it instantly takes me back there .

Are you sure it was 'Wimoweh'? I always associate another Bert Kaempfert tune "Swinging Safari" with stock car racing. But they were both on the 'Swinging Safari' LP or EP.

[sterling49]

After having my memory jolted by those fantastic Rally pictures:

Not a race track but sort of similar, spectating on the '75 Welsh International, which was famous for the debut of a certain Ari Vatanen in his tatty Ascona, and duly won by R.A.C. in the Cossack RS1800, we were walking through Brechfa Forest to our vantage point, and as we passed the marshalls car, he had his 8 track stereo on really loud to Mike Oldefield's "Tubular Bells", just an awesome backdrop to a fantastic soundtrack ;)

[2Bob]

"1993 Senna scored a majestic victory with an outpaced McLaren-Ford. It was to be his last race win and no-one will forget the post-race concert at which Tina Turner sang Simply the Best for Senna."

Can't forget this. We live close enough to the track to pick up the on-track TV coverage reasonably well. After this race many friends (who had parked their cars in our back-yard) had a barbeque at our place while we watched the concert on the TV! Have it on tape too just in case I do forget! Senna 'boping' in the wings while MS looks on seemingly bemused!

[Cirrus]

On an untypically contemporary note - at last years GP Historique de Pau, the song "Always Love" by Nada Surf was played quite often. I downloaded it, and it has provided happy memories of those sunny days, in the interminable wait for the new season.....

[RTH]

This is a really nice thread, time it had another outing.

On the subject of pop music connected with race meetings, I came across these 3 film clips when I was looking for some Goodwood 07 footage to show someone who had never been there and these had some very agreeable music soundtracks.
I know its pathetically easy but anyone care to 'Name that tune '

http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=Nl0oeD4Hbew

http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

[RTH]

Originally posted by Patrick Fletcher
Hotel California, Eagles - USGP West '76
But some guys up in a high rise had the most fun, they recorded the race and then played it back on huge speakers at full volume, just as spectators walked up the street track after the finish. All in our group just about .... themselves as we dived for the sidewalks.

The whole 7 1/2 minute live performance from 1978 is here



How many youtube clips have had well over 3 million views ! that 2 min guitar duel at the end...amazing !

[sterling49]

I saw them a few years back at Wembley, a truly great gig, if you like the Eagles the DVD to have is "When Hell Freezes Over", best played at a very high volume ;) ......it does not get very much better