My highschool car was a 1971 Olds Cutlass Supreme SX with a 455 ci engine, 4 barrel carb and dual exhaust. What a way to get back and forth to school. I have had many big block cars since then, but still have a special place in my heart for the Oldsmobile.
My daughter fell in love with this tune when she was nine-years-old. We used to go to car shows every other weekend, and she laid eyes on a Rocket 455 in a Cutlass one night. She asked, "Dad, is that what that song is about?". I knew a local country band that played some Bar & Grill places, and at local events, and if we wound up somewhere where they were playing, she'd always request it. Her favorite line was, "Who's junk pile piece of Chevelle is this?".
I love that line too. We have a family friend who is a retired policeman that I think of when I hear this song, when she says, "the very kind you drive."
My step dad Dave was a stand-up kind of guy. Vietnam vet and construction worker and everything in between. Most importantly, he took care of my mom. He loved this song because it reminded him of his 442 that he got after the war. They both passed in 2020. Now I love this song.
I just saw Kathy sing this song live tonight 8-16-22 at the WV State Fair live she was Awesome!!! I love her ❤️❤️. She has a beautiful voice!! I wish the would play her more!! That's why I don't listen to radio anymore!
Talk about a great country/rock song.....GM axing Olds and Pontiac was a blow to all us muscle car guys. Memories of bygone days is epitomized in this song. Kathy does a wonderful rendition.
Had a 1973 Plymouth Fury III when I was in the USMC - Chrysler 440 4 barrel - looked like an ordinary car but would run 140+mph right out of the factory. Wish I still had it!
I had a 68 Fury lll, with a 383 under the hood. Loved driving it, till the heater and radio quit working. Still get the urge to fly down the road as a grandmother! How fun is that?
my kids like my music and when i was sick my daughter made up a playlist for me and she knew every song i liked and i haven't changed one. the list has a hundred and some songs in it. makes me proud.
I've worked on and restored several Oldsmobile automobiles starting way back in 1975 when I bought my first Olds, a '68 4-4-2 convertible with a 4 speed. My dad, an Oldsmobile dealer mechanic, drove a "souped up" '57 Olds Super 88, so Oldsmobile's run deep in our family. When I first heard this song I envisioned Kathy behind the wheel of a big early '70's baby blue Olds 88 or Ninety-Eight, which both were available with the Rocket 455. The highest advertised horsepower 455 came in the W-34 version of the 1968 through 1970 Toronado front wheel drive cars, with the '70 version called the Toronado GT. The next highest was the 1968 Olds 4-4-2 based Hurst/Olds advertised at 390 hp. These cars were all painted Peruvian Silver with Black trim. This video features a 1959 Oldsmobile, which came with either a 371 cubic inch Rocket or a slightly larger 394. Finally, the 455 Rocket was first available in 1968, and last offered in 1976.
As a teen i was able to save up for a down payment and bought a new 69 Dodge Coronet RT and i won every street race all over town, but i have to admit when i saw an Olds 442 i never picked a fight with them. I had a 71 Olds Rocket and it was fast too. Always loved the Olds cars and the Toronado GT was a unique muscle car.
Had an ultimate sleeper in the 70's, a 70 Olds Cutlass S, ugly dark green, bench seat, column shift TH400 auto, steel wheels with dog dish hubcaps. Had a 455 Rocket under the hood though, if it hooked up would pull left front wheel off the ground every launch.....love this song.
I honestly love your posts and always enjoy reading them in my lonely spare time. I'm so sorry I invaded your privacy, but I'd love to be friends with someone who could share such sensitive post content, which means you're a woman of integrity. I wanted to add you but sending you a friend request without your consent is inappropriate because I'm a public figure and it wouldn't take much either, I'd appreciate it if you send me a friend request now so we can be friends and text better here on RU-vid
We had a guy in our town back in the '70s that had a really hot built 455 with 2x4s on a tunnel ram manifold in a '67 F85 4door. It was fast as all get out!! Guessing low 12s in the quarter...
To my Dear Friend Rebecca L McCutcheon 1955 - 2019....I miss you so very much! She passed away from cancer and I miss our long talks and all the laughter....one day I was sitting in her kitchen and she showed me a old picture of her when she was younger standing proudly next to her car that had a 455 Rocket in it lol! I think about you all the time and will see you in Heaven when I get there Lord willing : ) until then....Love You
She came to our high school auditorium in little ol' Ludington Mi and put on one hell of a show. Great performer, I especally liked some of the Irish stuff she did...
My first car was a 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass with a Rocket 350 engine. I still remember stepping on the peddle and the front end rising. Nope, it wasn't a 455 but this song still brings back fond (and scary he-he) memories.
My first was a 1968 Olds Cutlass Supreme...350 also. Still think about her all the time! I was 16,now 57. Also had 2-'73's and a '76... '76 had the 455, I believe.
+1-Shot slinger I hear ya brother, and all the cars and parts were made in America!!!! Now you can hardly find anything made in America, and man I try on everything I buy.....But I love Kathy, always have, always will......
Can't forget Commander Cody's 'Hot Rod Lincoln', Sam the Sham's 'Mustang Sally', Beach Boys' 'Fun Fun Fun', Golden Earring's 'Radar Love, Deep Purple's 'Highway Star' or Queen's 'I'm in Love With My Car'. All great car songs, from an era of automobile passion. An era that seems to be drawing to a close. We were fortunate to live in a time that was truly special when it came to cars. Something that up and coming generations might never know.
I loved Chevelle SS 327 , but that line at 1:19 has got to be one of the best lines of a song ever " whose junk pile piece a sh evelle is this". Also its one of the best videos for Facial expressions by a country singer.
My second car was an Oldsmobile Achieva. Named her "Amy the Achieva" after Amy Grant. I loved that car, she had a V6 and a lot of get up and go, yet still got great gas mileage. Unfortunately a shop employee crashed her through a wall and that was the end of her. :(
Not a real big country fan. But I've always liked Johnny and Reba, I'm 63 and just recently come across this young lady who's pulling me in. And I like it. What gearhead would not.
Growing up, we always had Oldsmobiles, with big motors and spent many of hours racing down Woodward, in the Motor City! Shortly after my Dad passed from Leukemia, I came across a used 1984 Delta 88 Royale, that had the Olds dieselized, piece of junk motor in it, for a song. My dear late father-in-law, also an Olds freak and mechanic found out about my find for Mom. We ended up putting a rebuilt 455, with a probuilt THD 400 trans in it for her. Added dual flomaster exhaust, and man, what a nice soynding sleeper!! She just loved that car (still remembering her smile, when she did her first brake torque with it)!!
I have a 72 442 but underneath my hood is a 68 455 rocket from aTorono 425 hp plus and I love this song She can sing it so good get in sit down shut up and hang on sheee's a rocket
Every once in awhile you come across a song that for no reason makes you laugh and sing-along and just puts you in a good mood, and yeah there is no reason for it what-so-ever, this is one of those songs. It always makes me wanna sing and dance around the room.
...not when you were on the losing end like I was!!! When I was growing up there were four girls and their widowed mother who lived across the street. When the guys all turned 16 we all got hot cars. We all headed straight for an old, "outlaw" drag strip put together by a notorious car club. And then the oldest neighbor girl suddenly showed up with a just purchased -- you guessed it -- 455 Olds. End result? My 368 Lincoln Turnpike Cruiser-powered '55 Ford with a Mercury push button automatic got it's doors blown off! We all did! Every word of this song is true!!!😮😖
My college car was a 1971 Chevelle. And I loved the car and the line, "Who's piece of junk like Cheeeeee... velle" because back in the day you could take a joke for comedic value and not as a personal attack. Especially in a song like this one . Soooo great a tune
@@bouncingsoul777 that is awesome. I wish I had never sold mine. We were leaving D.C. moving to AZ. My dad whom I trusted told me he did not think the car would make it. I should have tried. Take care of your baby. So cool, my friend
My buddy rebuilt an Olds 425 for his '66 Ninety Eight. Did it all! New flattop pistons, had the forged steel crank cryo'd, added roller rockers and gave it a modest cam. Get the car on the freeway and you see why they built such a boat. It just pulls past anything and everything with ease and the engine doesn't even sound like it's workin' hard at all. It's a dream!
The 425 I did was a romper-stomper. That car came with a Turbo 400 that had a variable pitch stator in the torque converter and would get about 2500 stall to get all that iron moving when activated.
My dad bought my mom an Olds in '70. Since mom was sick & tired of her 1960 Mercury Comet that couldn't get out of its own way, dad told the salesman that he wanted the biggest motor available. The salesman said that it was a double upgrade & that the car was well-powered enough with the 350. Dad said that he'd order the car 'on the spot' & if it did not have the 'double upgrade' motor in it, he wouldn't take the car! Eight weeks later, mom was the proud owner of a pale yellow Oldsmobile Delta 88 with a '455 Rocket', as it said on the gold-colored air cleaner. Damn, that engine was HUGH! We had that 'Rocket' for 14 years. Dad finally ended up totalling it, & he sold the motor to a friend's son who rebuilt it & put it in a Trans Am. Mom passed away, dad passed away, & I don't know whatever happened to that Trans Am or the 'Rocket' motor.
I had a friend 10 yrs ago that had a 72 Olds Cutlass with a 350. He said I'm getting tired of getting beat in 1/4 mile Dave can you help me tune her up. I told forget that engine go get a 455 rocket it will fit and bolt right in that car. go get a 400 Turbo tranny that should should that engine. and switch it to a electronic ignition. I told him they may get him off the line but from 1/8 maker to the end its all you. that car would fly he wrecked it two years later
+David Alexander i have a great story. when i started working in 1966 i got to be great friends with a guy who owned a pontiac parisianne with a 327 in it. he thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. one day we pulled up to a light and a girl with a little mini cooper pulled up beside him. the damn thing sounded like a sewing machine. she smiled at us and proceeded to leave us in the dust. that damn thing could go and my buddy swore me to secrecy, don't tell anybody, i'll never live it down. well next day there was pictures of mini coopers all over his work area. i don't know how his buddies figured it out hahaha
Great story! My dad had a string of GTO's, Corvettes and a 442 Camaro with some type of custom-built engine(more powerful than what came in it...450?) Anyway, that Camaro DID sound like an airplane and seemed like it might take off by itself at any moment....LOUD & powerful. Great memories.
I bought a 455 Rocket for 300 bucks from a junkyard back in 1989. I put it in a 1978 Trans Am. I didn't know it was a Rocket and apparently the junkyard didn't either. A couple months later I bought a new carb and intake. My buddy was helping me and he noticed a marking on the block and told me what I had. We ran the numbers and it was the Rocket. I put the original carb and intake back on and never touched the engine again. But I did run the shit out of it. Then sold once my daughter was born. I miss that car.
One of the biggest kicks that always grabbed my attention was seeing Kathy Mattea kick on the harp, mid-way through the song! Never hear enough harp in any country these days. I later found out that it was Kim Wilson who played the harp on this song for the recording
A 1959 Olds might be fudgin' it a wee bit... poetic license? Great song, on my Top 10 List for an instant cheer up! In memory of my beautiful ride... my 1953 Pontiac straight eight. RIP, old girl.
A throwback to the 1960's when Detroit ruled the road ... the family had Chevys, Pontiac's : BUT also grew up with not one, but two Big Block 455 Rocket V8 Oldsmobiles ... a 1965 Dynamic 88 sedan ... and a 1969 Dynamic 88 Royale coupe ... yeh, even though both were "family" cars, those 455's WERE made to burn !!! Fun times !
Good Lord I love this song I grew up on Oldsmobiles great cars luxury power handling the rocket engines were in their own class that Oldsmobile rocket engine will always burn deep in my heart and so will the song thank you Kathy mattea for such a great song
I remember this car back in the late 50s. Bad ass cars. 455 CU IN engine. 58 Chevy, 57 Mercury, 57 Ford in that era. These cars today are nothing but beer cans and plastic. All look alike now days
Love ♥️This w/the Awesome 455 Rocket Chevelle in it! I’m Such a Car fanatic from way back when Cars were Soo much fun to drive & Race❣️ I’m a Chevy girl but I Love great cars & I Love this Song❣️Thanks for great music 🎼 and great car!! 💞🚘💞
I've never been the biggest Kathy Mattea fan, but this is just a blisteringly great track. I never tire of hearing it and how often can you say that about any song?
I feel every word - them was the Good Ole' Days. I had a few Muscle Cars in the 1970s - 1969 Boss 429 Mustang, 1970 Mustang Mach I (351C) and a 1970 Torino Cobra (429/370HP). Everyone had a Muscle Car - and you drove it to work Monday through Friday, took it to the Drag strip Saturday Night, opened the headers and bolted on a set of slicks and raced all night! And if someone challenged you at a stoplight, wellllll........ The Olds 442 was a respectable ride in that time - cool stripes and scoops on the hood. Between the cars and the hard driving 1960's-70's Music, well, there hasn't been anything as good since! Thanks for the memories, Kathy!
I remember being a kid and singing this song in the car with my Mom on the way to Tennessee. Brings back memories, my Granddad used to restore vintage cars. :)
Awesome … what a treat … the band and Kathy make me smile, sing and dance along … Listen to this daily, since I discovered this a week ago . November, 2022. ShaSha
I had a banana yellow '68 442 convertible in 1975 with the 455. Fast as heck but I never liked taking corners with it. My brother had a '71 GTO that same year. Somehow--and I have no idea how-- we never got any tickets. He got pulled over one time for going 110mph on the D.C. Beltway. The policeman said, "Son you can outrun me but you can't outrun my radio." Then he walked away and nothing happened.
Oh my god, when this song came out I was building a Trans Am with a 455 (Pontiac engine) but I could not possibly hear this song enough lol. Got me all pumped up
@@michaelcosgrove4027 Doubt it's a SD. That was a 2 year only option, 73-74. Pontiac made a non SD 455 as well which is the majority of the 455s out there
Hello 👋 Lisa. How are you doing? Hope you are fine. I'm Zack Hudson and am from Denver Colorado. Where you are from ? You seem like a real country girl
Great song and video! My wife and I have met Kathy 4 different times over the years and she is always very nice to us! Thanks for the pictures and autographs Kathy!
Love this song! A friend's mom had a 455 Olds with a hood about a mile long. The "rocket" concept actually goes back a lot farther, at least to the J-series V-8s of the 1950s. An uncle had a 58 Olds with this motor, and you could get it with three deuces which they called "tri power."
