Songs about driving, for driving.

the most obvious of all:
kraftwerk, "autobahn"

for those moments when there are flashing lights in your rearview mirror:
bruce springsteen, "state trooper"

also:
deep purple, "highway star"
sniff 'n the tears, "driver's seat"
golden earring, "radar love"
john mellencamp, "rumbleseat"
sammy hagar, "i can't drive 55"
bruce springsteen, "cadillac ranch"
bruce springsteen, "born to run"
rolling stones (or pick your fave alternate), "route 66"

possibly...
Drivin' - Everything But the Girl
Heartbeat City - The Cars

And at risk of going all Jeremy-Clarkson-on-yo-ass, 'Driving Home for Christmas' and 'Road to Hell' by Chris Rea.

I was just reminded of this by some Rhino punk compilation. it's a fantastic song.

chuck berry - maybellene
fats domino - i'm going to be a wheel someday
bo diddley - road runner
dave dudely - six days on the road
jimi hendrix - crosstown traffic
vanity fare - hitchin a ride
commander cody and his lost planet airmen - hot rod lincoln
eagles - already gone
bachman-turner overdrive - let it ride
war - low rider
golden earring - radar love
meat loaf - bat out of hell (well actually a motorcycle)
jackson browne - runnning on empty
dna - 5:30
ricky skaggs - highway 40 blues
kix - layin' rubber
ll cool j - the boomin' system
sir mix-a-lot - my hooptie
will to power - journey home
tom cochrane - life is a highway
presidents of the united states of america - mach 5

"Roadrunner" is, indeed, the greatest of all.

Let's Take Some Drugs & Drive Around--Silos

Come On Baby, Let's Go Downtown--Neil Young (not really about driving, but let's assume they're going to drive downtown)

Kiss "Detroit Rock City"

might be a rumour though

err.. Manfred Mann's "Blinded by the light"? If you believe that the 'deuce' in the song is a car anyhow.

Great montage of clips a friend put together of TV/movie character driving while under the influence of pop music:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jQX8jo3YS0

I've tried two or three times to write a book on the subject (meaning the experience of doing so). Just too big a subject.

Here's a new one: Wheel - Living Hour

kyuss - gardenia

one thing i love about that song is how the guitar tone sounds like a million "purring motors"

sorry sorry sorry, didnt mean to gatekeep. Tone is such a big word. I should have said sound. Thanks NA, you totally aren’t a dumbass!

Twenty years of this thread and nobody mentions Carl Craig’s album LANDCRUISING?!?!?

Two more clips I love:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Gk7uzwptGA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TZ0gQDEESg

Couldn't find David and Keith singing "Your Song" in Six Feet Under--they sing it themselves while driving, then Elton kicks in over the end credits. There's also, of course, Claire driving to New York for the famous series ending while Sia's "Breathe Me" plays (I don't think she ever sings along). Great in context, but the song itself is mediocre at best.

You'll want to watch the entire three hours of Janice Soprano there.

Lovely scene in a lovely movie that ends with a pop song cue soundtracking a car that *won't* start.

(Spoiler warning for anyone that has not seen "Show Me Love/Fucking Åmål")

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fr_3Gy3gEEQ

Hope Greil Marcus has seen that...One thing that was completely new to me in my friend's montage was the Chris Farley/David Spade clip. It does a great, and funny, job of summing up what used to be (I don't think anymore, thanks to Todd Haynes, If I Were a Carpenter, etc.) the guilty-pleasure aspect of the Carpenters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqP1lsPVnXE

The Muppets - Movin' Right Along

More:
Minako Yoshida - Midnight Driver
Severed Heads - Lambourghini
Pebbles - Mercedes Boy
Depeche Mode - Behind the Wheel
Sir Mix-A-Lot - Posse on Broadway
Tom Waits - Goin' Out West
E.S.G. - Swangin' and Bangin'
King Tee - Dippin' (Remix)
Three Six Mafia - Ridin' N' Da Chevy
The Ron Honey Experience - Nitedrive
Elliott - Drive on to Me
Lazybatusu - Endless Road
Anoraak - Nightdrive With You
Real Lies - Dolphin Junction
Camping in Alaska - C U in Da Ballpit

No movie clip, but for just a song about driving, I'd put Coolio's "Fantastic Voyage" up there.

Paramore - Fast in My Car

Gene Clark - Roadmaster
The Replacements - Run It

The Who - Going Mobile
Pere Ubu - Dark
Guided by Voices - Motor Away

Wanted to see if I could think of any songs about driving that aren't good songs for driving. Took a few minutes to come up with I'm in Love with My Car by Queen, though I guess someone upthread disagrees. Or would have disagreed 20 years ago.

Pearl Jam - Rearviewmirror
Tangentially about driving but great for driving.

For driving, all the best Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley, obviously--and many of Berry's specifically about motorvatin'

And emphatic yes on "Motor Away," and also "Quality of Armor."

love this idea. a serious candidate (imo) if any future music directors need a good one of these. also posted it recently on the proper comsats topic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qCLUa2nYhc
the comsat angels ― "driving" (1992)

FDR Drive at night:

Mannequin Lung - City Lights (Feat. Divine Styler) (Mr. Hazeltine Remix)

Go figure, a bunch from the Drive-By Truckers, including this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdqA7t4T4oY

Plus here's an epic, hilarious driving yarn:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dqRUGZlWDA

White Zombie - Black Sunshine

I came up with thirty a couple years ago.