1950’s Car Culture

Society was becoming gradually more aware of the presence of teen car culture.    This hobby began with teens freely cruising with their license, to teens customizing their cars in an imaginative fashion, to now hot rodding and drag racing at high speeds.  People were getting worried of what was to come next from the car obsessive teens.  Parents and elders associated the acts of the teens as rebellious, but not to the point that they were repulsed with the youth.  Even though drag racing is illegal and dangerous, society was amazed in how the youth could alter them to race.  Elders had never seen the car grow and warp into a blue two toned, 409-powered Chevrolet before, and boy were they impressed.

The teen car sub-culture was becoming noticed by more than just the youth of society, and they weren’t being acknowledged in a bad way.  Car shows were becoming more prominent, drag racing was trending, and The Beach Boys were singing all about it.  The Beach Boys had a special place in the heart of the youth.  This was greatly due to the fact that The Beach Boys came of age with the baby boomer generation.  The band members deeply valued their cars and the experiences that went along with it, and they referenced these memories in every song.  The teens related with the music and instantly praised their music.  The Beach Boys music publicized the memories youth associated the car with, of and promoted the idea of car culture: the American automobile had an impact.

The teen car sub-culture was becoming noticed by more than just the youth of society, and they weren’t being acknowledged in a bad way.  Car shows were becoming more prominent, drag racing was trending, and The Beach Boys were singing all about it.  The Beach Boys had a special place in the heart of the youth.  This was greatly due to the fact that The Beach Boys came of age with the baby boomer generation.  The band members deeply valued their cars and the experiences that went along with it, and they referenced these memories in every song.  The teens related with the music and instantly praised their music.  The Beach Boys music publicized the memories youth associated the car with, of and promoted the idea of car culture: the American automobile had an impact.

The song 409 begins with an engine purring, and Wilson singing: “she’s so fine my 409… giddy giddy up 409, nothing can catch her, nothing can touch my 409.”  This song capture’s the fascination with drag racing.  It also aids in showing that some pop and music culture is being influenced by the evolution of car culture, showing how important car culture has become in America.  The Beach Boys based a lot of their songs on car culture; Little Deuce Coupe, I Get Around, Fun Fun Fun, and Little Honda.  The song “I Get Around” heavily references the youth of the 1950’s teen culture; “I’m getting bugged driving up and down this same old strip, I gotta finda new place where the kids are hip …  We always take my car cause it’s never been beat, And we’ve never missed yet with the girls we met.”  This song perfectly identifies the key parts of the car-sub culture, as they reference a “cruise loop,” and guys searching for “hip kids” and girls.  Lastly the song Little Deuce Coupe idolizes drag racing, which is very illegal in most states, but made up a great part of American culture.  This song specifically pays a tribute to a 1932 Ford with a custom made V8, and makes references that only true car people can appreciate.  The song states “flat head mill” “competition clutch” “purrs like a kitten” “140 mph I got the pink slip daddy.”  This song is the anthem to all the youth in the car-culture.  The song touches on the aspect of rebellion: The girl races her ’32 Ford and gets in trouble with the law, yet she is so proud of her custom killer hot rod.

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