“Highway Star” is one of British rock group Deep Purple‘s most famous songs. The song is the opening track on the 1972 album Machine Head, and has one of the best road trip stories behind it’s creation. It’s lyrics, which include lines like “Nobody gonna take my car, I’m gonna race it to the ground. Nobody gonna beat my car, It’s gonna break the speed of sound.” How can you argue with this stuff?! It’s greatness and that’s why Anthony Castillo recommended it as a BangShift Daily Tune Up.
According to all accounts, “Highway Star” was written on the tour bus in 1971 when a reporter asked how the band wrote their songs. Apparently Ritchie Blackmore who played guitar, and Ian Gillan the singer, started a riff and improvised some lyrics just to show how it all worked. The result is Deep Purple’s most famous song ever. According to the stories, the song was even performed THAT NIGHT on stage. After being a staple at their live shows, and being the opening song on tours, it still remains one of those must listen to early metal songs. “Highway Star” was first recorded for the 1972 Deep Purple LP, Machine Head, but has been covered completely or in part by a ton of different bands over the years.
CLICK PLAY BELOW TO LISTEN AND SEE ALL THE LYRICS AS WELL.
Cool song. My brother-in-law thought so too when he made this video of me and my car when I first got it running and put the video to musisc with this song 😉
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3y0BEaPRTv0