Hot Rod Lincoln - Charlie Ryan and the Timberline Riders 1960

[CamarilloBB]

@TheEdgejoker This song was made as a response to "The hot rod race" from about 1950. It's the same tune with very similar lyrics.

[almightywitey]

my vote goes to Johnny Bond.

[MrWDM2010]

between the towns of Lewiston, Idaho and his eventual destination that evening (Spokane, WA) [Photo: Charlie [far right] and his "Hot Rod Lincoln" pictured in more recent days - And yes! The famous car still exists!]. I am sad to report that as I write this, Charlie passed away only two months ago, here in Spokane, at the age of 92 (Charlie Ryan, R.I.P. December 19, 1915 - February 16, 2008).

[MrWDM2010]

He began writing the song while working on the soon-to-be-famous car in 1955. Although Ryan's lyrics call out the famous hill in the song as being the Grapevine, near Los Angeles, Charlie himself related that the story was really reminiscent of a reckless trip home from a night's musical performance in Idaho where he raced his '41 Lincoln against a friend's Cadillac up the steep and winding Lewiston Grade...

[MrWDM2010]

I live in Spokane, WA - Here's an article I wrote about this a couple of years ago: Charlie Ryan, who chose Spokane as home for himself, his wife and his three children after being discharged from the military (and World War II) in 1943, broke into America's popular imagination with a little rockabilly ditty called HOT ROD LINCOLN around 1957... (to be cont'd)

[SPOOKSTR]

The original and the BEST version...no if's or but's about it.

[Xialong1963]

That's some bad-ass guitar! Nothing but fun!

[AcePilot101]

12 cylinders - not 8 cylinders like in later songs

[pacnorthwesterner]

Most people don't know the story behind where the race location actually was. It wasn't in California, outside of San Pedro, as the song says. The race took place going up the "Old Spiral Highway" on the Lewiston Hill just north of Lewiston, Idaho. It is mentioned in the wikipedia listing for "Hot Rod Lincoln". I know this from being born and raised in Lewiston, Idaho, common knowledge there..

[kb7rky]

@pacnorthwesterner And I still live there (Lewiston, ID).

You'd never know the old Spiral Highway now, as urbanized as it is.

[alexsuchapimp]

Dang you gotta love them 4 barrel carbs!!!!!!!!!!!

[knottywolf158]

This was written by Charlie Ryan in answer to a song called Hot Rod Race by Arkie Shibley & His Mountain Dew Boys. Charlie did a cover of that song and originally released this in 1955. This version is from 1959. Johnny Bond covered it in 1960 and Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen covered in 1972.

[brian4858]

Far the best version......!

[C861986]

I like Pat Travers version

[SPOOKSTR]

This is the original version.

[stopglobalswarming]

Thanks man, this is gold!

[25FIREBALL]

there is a posting where charlie ryan says there really is a hot rod lincoln,V12 motor in a model a body,,gosh i would love 2 C it

[CrewofMaltby]

@25FIREBALL

Just saw this;

speedhunters(dot)com/archive/2­011/02/08/car-spotlight-gt-gt-­hot-rod-lincoln.aspx

[SPOOKSTR]

This song inspired me many years ago into a life of Hot Rods and Muscle Cars...i now own a 1971 Ford GT Falcon (see my page)....my kids aged 5 and 3 LOVE this song.

[tmburwood]

got the album it is awsome

[rondalee2]

@burrexkeefers ~ I'm very proud to say that my dad was the lead guitarist in this original recording. Charlie Ryan wrote this and was the original recording artist. Dad still plays a mean guitar!

[GarrettJDB]

I also like the Charlie Daniels version

[ragtimemarkbirnbaum]

GREAT!

[nipsterstang]

I believe you are thinking of Johnny Bonds version. That is a cool version also.

[ItIsAllGoodMostly]

I ought to Google before I talk. But I'm almost sure that someone else covered this, for sure. In a deeper voice and more somber tone-- sort of a Hoyt Axton sounding guy.

[negrosaurus]

maybe the Commander Cody version?

[burrexkeefers]

Yeah, for the longest time I thought I had a cheap knock-off because I had heard a different version on the radio maybe once or twice. I listened to it for the first time in more than 15 years or so just the other night and realized how good it sounded. Not until I did my research before I posted it did I realize I actually had the original.

[rondalee2]

@burrexkeefers - It's fun to say that the lead guitarist is my dad. He and Charlie Ryan did a few songs together. Yes, Charlie wrote the song and was the first to record the song.

[rondalee2]

@burrexkeefers ~ I'm very proud to say that my dad was the lead guitarist in this original recording. Charlie Ryan wrote this and was the original recording artist. Dad still plays a mean guitar!

[tmburwood]

@ItIsAllGoodMostly yo got the album its definitley a charlie ryan original

[GMCs15lover]

@ItIsAllGoodMostly your thinking or "hot rod lincoln by george thoroughgood" thats the one i know when i heard this on i was like wow this aint the song im thinking of

[TheEdgejoker]

@ItIsAllGoodMostly This is the Original Artist

[checkfoldcallraise]

@ItIsAllGoodMostly you're probably thinking of johnny bond's version of this song.

[Daxmcneil377]

Songs about cars are cool.

[UsingAllTheUsernames]

first sandwich man