The World's Best Song for Driving

Well, in my opinion at least.  While unpacking from our recent move, I found my CD “Autobahn” by the German electronic band Kraftwerk. I purchased the LP in 1975 or 1976; it’s around here somewhere.

I’m sure I first heard the title track on KSHE-FM, a St. Louis rock station, which in the 1970s played some unusual prog rock music without regard for length of songs---and this song lasts 22 minutes. Its electronic synth and percussion pad instrumentation, and the octave riff on the Moog bass, give a wonderful soundscape of driving.  (According to things I read online, the group’s electronic innovations were ahead of their time and influenced later dance music and synthpop.) The song’s refrain is “Wir fahren fahren fahren auf der Autobahn,” that is, “We drive drive drive on the Autobahn." But it sounds like “fun fun fun,” which in turn recalls that Beach Boy’s song about the girl and her soon to be withdrawn T-bird.

Actually, here is the whole song, on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-G28iyPtz0  Kraftwerk, which was influenced by the music of composer Karlheinz Stockhausen, began in 1970 and still performs.

Several weeks after I posted this piece, a friend showed me this article about the band: http://m.guardiannews.com/music/2013/jan/27/kraftwerk-most-influential-electronic-band-tate