Writer of "Hot Rod Lincoln" moves to drag race in the sky

[Bad Company]

SPOKANE -- Charles Ryan, the Spokane man who co-wrote the hit song "Hot Rod Lincoln," has run his last road race. Ryan died Saturday at age 92 after a long battle with heart disease.

"Anyone who ever had the pleasure of meeting with, or working with Charlie, knew one thing: He was the REAL DEAL!" wrote Karl Bingle, a friend who operates the Web site Official Hot Rod Lincoln Site.

"He had the kind of spirit and personality that immediately brought a smile to your face and challenged you to live life to the fullest," Bingle wrote. "His amazing contributions to country and rockabilly music will never be forgotten."

Ryan and W.S. Stevenson wrote "Hot Rod Lincoln" and Ryan first recorded it in 1955. It has been recorded many times since.

Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen made it a hit in 1972, and it has been a mainstay of popular culture for decades. The song passed the 1 million-play mark in the summer of 2000, according to Broadcast Music Inc.

Ryan was born in Graceville, Minn., on Dec. 19, 1915, grew up in Polson, Mont., and moved to Spokane in 1943. He served in the Army in World War II.

He worked as a musician and songwriter, touring with Jim Reeves, Johnny Horton and others. He married Ruth Scheffler of Polson in 1943 and they had three children.

The song was inspired by Ryan's commutes in his 1941 Lincoln from Spokane to play gigs at the Paradise Club in Lewiston, Idaho.

"One night his Lincoln chased a friend's Cadillac over the Clearwater River bridge and up the Lewiston grade," the Web site said. "The telephone poles were whizzing by so fast they looked like picket fences as Charlie later referred to in his hit song."

The song concluded with the rueful line, "Son, you're gonna drive me to drinkin' if you don't stop drivin' that Hot Rod Lincoln!"

To hear a recording of the song by Commander Cody and the Lost Airmen, which released a hit version, go to eMusic.

Writer of "Hot Rod Lincoln" moves to drag race in the sky - Breaking News Updates from Portland and Oregon - The Oregonian - OregonLive.com


the lyrics

Hot Rod Lincoln

My pappy said, “Son, you’re gonna’ drive me to drinkin’
If you don’t stop drivin’ that Hot Rod Lincoln”

Have you heard this story of the Hot Rod Race
When Fords and Lincolns was settin’ the pace?
That story is true, I’m here to say
I was drivin’ that Model A

It’s got a Lincoln motor and it’s really souped up
That Model A Vitimix makes it look like a pup
It’s got eight cylinders, uses them all
It’s got overdrive, just won’t stall

With a four-barrel carb and a dual exhaust
And four-eleven gears you can really get lost
It’s got safety tubes, but I ain’t scared
The brakes are good, tires fair

Pulled out of San Pedro late one night
The moon and the stars was shinin’ bright
We was drivin’ up Grapevine Hill
Passing cars like they was standing still

All of a sudden in a wink of an eye
A Cadillac sedan passed us by
I said, “Boys, that’s a mark for me!”
By then the tail light was all you could see

Now the fellas was ribbin’ me for bein’ behind
So I thought I’d make the Lincoln unwind
Took my foot off the gas and man alive
I shoved it on down into overdrive

Wound it up to a hundred and ten
My speedometer said that I hit top end
My foot was glued like lead to the floor
That’s all there is and there ain’t no more

Now, the boys all thought I’d lost my sense
And telephone poles looked like a picket fence
They said, “Slow down! I see spots!”
The lines on the road just look like dots

Took a corner; sideswiped a truck
Crossed my fingers just for luck
My fenders was clickin’ the guardrail posts
The guy beside me was white as a ghost

Smoke was comin’ from out of the back
When I started to gain on that Cadillac.
Knew I could catch him, I thought I could pass
Don’t you know by then we’d be low on gas?

We had flames comin’ from out of the side
Feel the tension, Man! What a ride!
I said, “Look out, boys, I’ve got a license to fly!”
And that Caddy pulled over and let us by

Now all of a sudden she started to knockin’
And down in the dips she started to rockin’
I looked in my mirror; a red light was blinkin’
The cops was after my Hot Rod Lincoln!

They arrested me and they put me in jail
And called my pappy to throw my bail
And he said, “Son, you’re gonna’ drive me to drinkin’
If you don’t stop drivin’ that Hot ... Rod ... Lincoln!”

the song;

YouTube - Forgotten Oldies - Hot Rod Lincoln, The Late Charlie Ryan

[SilverEagle]

R.I.P.......92 years old, respectable age it is. I bet his riding that Lincoln.

[Granny]

You know I played this song just the other day, great song.
R.I.P

[Lattimer]

Hot Rod Lincoln

My pappy said, “Son, you’re gonna’ drive me to drinkin’
If you don’t stop drivin’ that Hot Rod Lincoln”

Have you heard this story of the Hot Rod Race
When Fords and Lincolns was settin’ the pace?
That story is true, I’m here to say
I was drivin’ that Model A

It’s got a Lincoln motor and it’s really souped up
That Model A Vitimix makes it look like a pup
It’s got eight cylinders, uses them all
It’s got overdrive, just won’t stall

With a four-barrel carb and a dual exhaust
And four-eleven gears you can really get lost
It’s got safety tubes, but I ain’t scared
The brakes are good, tires fair

Pulled out of San Pedro late one night
The moon and the stars was shinin’ bright
We was drivin’ up Grapevine Hill
Passing cars like they was standing still

All of a sudden in a wink of an eye
A Cadillac sedan passed us by
I said, “Boys, that’s a mark for me!”
By then the tail light was all you could see

Now the fellas was ribbin’ me for bein’ behind
So I thought I’d make the Lincoln unwind
Took my foot off the gas and man alive
I shoved it on down into overdrive

Wound it up to a hundred and ten
My speedometer said that I hit top end
My foot was glued like lead to the floor
That’s all there is and there ain’t no more

Now, the boys all thought I’d lost my sense
And telephone poles looked like a picket fence
They said, “Slow down! I see spots!”
The lines on the road just look like dots

Took a corner; sideswiped a truck
Crossed my fingers just for luck
My fenders was clickin’ the guardrail posts
The guy beside me was white as a ghost

Smoke was comin’ from out of the back
When I started to gain on that Cadillac.
Knew I could catch him, I thought I could pass
Don’t you know by then we’d be low on gas?

We had flames comin’ from out of the side
Feel the tension, Man! What a ride!
I said, “Look out, boys, I’ve got a license to fly!”
And that Caddy pulled over and let us by

Now all of a sudden she started to knockin’
And down in the dips she started to rockin’
I looked in my mirror; a red light was blinkin’
The cops was after my Hot Rod Lincoln!

They arrested me and they put me in jail
And called my pappy to throw my bail
And he said, “Son, you’re gonna’ drive me to drinkin’
If you don’t stop drivin’ that Hot ... Rod ... Lincoln!”

Those are revised lyrics from later versions--the original was a bit different.

[D-Day]

Aw damn. One of my favorite songs; though I prefer the cover of Commander Cody And His Lost Planet Airmen's.

RIP, Ryan.

[Tod]

+1

I also like the Commander Cody version best.

Rest in peace Charles.

[antiq]

Great song and a long life. He will forever be missed.

[Lattimer]

Here are the original lyrics:


HOT ROD LINCOLN, as written by Charlie Ryan & W.S. Stevenson

Well you've heard the story of the hot-rod race that fatal day,
when the Ford and the Mercury went out to play.
This is the inside story I'm here to say,
I was the kid that was a-drivin' that Model-A.

It's got a Lincoln motor and it's really souped up,
and that Model-A body makes it look like a pup.
It's got twelve cylinders, and uses them all,
with an overdrive that just won't stall.

It's got a four-barrel carb and dual exhaust,
4-11 gears, she can really get lost.
Got safety tubes and I'm not scared,
the brakes are good and the tires are fair.

We left San Pedro late one night,
the moon and the stars were shining bright,
everything went fine up the Grapevine hill,
we was passin' cars like they was standin' still.

Then all of a sudden, like a flick of an eye,
a Cadillac sedan had passed us by.
The remark was made "there's the car for me,"
but by then the taillights were all you could see.

Well the fellers ribbed me for bein' behind,
so I started to make that Lincoln unwind.
I took my foot off the gas and man alive,
I shoved it down into overdrive.

Well I wound it up to a hundred and ten,
twisted the speedometer cable off the end.
I had my foot keyed clear to the floor,
said "that's all there is, there ain't no more."

I went around a corner and I passed a truck,
I whispered a prayer, just for luck.
The fenders was clickin' a guardrail post
the guys beside me were white as a ghost.

I guess they'd thought I'd lost my sense,
the telephone poles looked like a picket fence.
They said "slow down, I see spots,"
the lines on the road just looked like dots.

Smoke was rollin' outta the back,
when I started to gain on that Cadillac.
I knew I could catch him, and hoped I could pass,
But when I did, I'd be short on gas.

We went around a corner with the tires on the side,
you could feel the tension, man what a ride!
I said "hold on, I got a license to fly,"
and the Cadillac pulled over and let me go by.

Then all of a-sudden, the rods started knockin',
when down in the dip, she started a-rockin'.
I looked in my mirror 'n' red lights was blinkin'.
The cops was after my hot rod Lincoln.

Well, they arrested me, and put me in jail.
I called my pop to go my bail.
He said "son, you're gonna drive me to drinkin'
if you don't stop drivin' that hot rod Lincoln."

[Lattimer]

Here is an interesting website with a ton of history on the song and its version, and its predecessors.


Hot Rod Lincoln

[Michael600r]

Love that song.