In 1975, Rabbitt signed on with Elektra Records, who had recently created a country music division. His early pieces were strongly C&W, such as "Two Dollars in the Jukebox." Later, his music began to be influenced by R&B and pop. He scored some of his biggest hits with tunes such as "Drinkin' My Baby Off My Mind" (1976), "You Don't Love Me Anymore" (1978), "I Love a Rainy Night" (1980), "Drivin' My Life Away" (1980), "Step by Step" (1981), and a duet with Crystal Gayle, "You and I" (1982) which broke over into the adult contemporary charts. He was also well-known for writing and recording the theme song for the 1978 Clint Eastwood movie "Every Which Way But Loose."
During the late 1980s, Rabbitt was one of many pop-influenced country stars who lost ground on the charts to more traditional-sounding artists. He recorded very little during the 1990s, in part because of the illness and subsequent death of his young son. After his son died, Rabbitt became active in raising money for organizations that aid sick children. Rabbitt himself died of lung cancer at the age of 56.
During his career, Rabbitt scored 26 #1 hits on the country charts, and had 8 Top 40 pop hits. He was named the Top New Male Vocalist by the Academy of Country Music in 1977, and he won an American Music Award for Best Pop Male Vocalist in 1981.
Eddie Rabbitt is interred in Calvary Cemetery in Nashville, Tennessee.
She's an Old Cadillac
Eddie Rabbitt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A big Coupe de Ville
She’s an old Cadillac
From her templins to her grill
A-she may drink a lot of gas
But my baby thinks she’s high class
She’s an old Cadillac
She’s an old Cadillac
And them white balls look so neat
And there’s a paintjob on that car that makes it shine just like the bright star
And when my baby sits next to me
We cruise around and play the radio
And then we park upon the hill beneath the moon
She tells me that she loves me so
She hold me tight, she do me right in that Cadillac
Drive away
And when my baby sits next to me
We cruise around and play the radio
And then we park upon the hill beneath the moon
She tells me that she loves me so
She hold me tight, she do me right in that Cadillac
Step on the gas
She’s an old Cadillac
A big Coupe de Ville
She’s an old Cadillac
From her templins to her grill
A-she may drink a lot of gas
But my baby thinks she’s high class
She’s an old Cadillac
In Eddie Rabbitt's song "She's an Old Cadillac," the singer is describing his love and admiration for his car. The car is portrayed as a classic Cadillac with blue leather seats, white balls, and a standout paint job that makes it shine like a bright star. The singer's girlfriend, or "baby," also loves the car and enjoys cruising around with him while listening to the radio. They park on a hill beneath the moon, expressing their love for each other while wrapped up in the comfort of the Cadillac. Despite the car's tendency to drink a lot of gas, the singer and his girlfriend view the Cadillac as a symbol of their high class and style.
One interpretation of the lyrics is that the car represents a significant part of the singer's identity and status. Driving a classic Cadillac is often associated with wealth and prestige, and the fact that his girlfriend appreciates the car's unique features reinforces his own sense of worth. The Cadillac is also a symbol of the American dream, representing the success and material comforts that the singer has achieved through his hard work.
Interestingly, the song's upbeat and romantic tone contrasts with its underlying messages about consumerism and the potential dangers of prioritizing material possessions over emotional connections. The singer's love for his Cadillac is described in almost possessive terms, as if the car is an extension of himself. His attachment to the car and his desire to show it off may suggest a need to impress others and maintain a certain image. However, despite this potential criticism, the overall message of "She's an Old Cadillac" remains one of joy and celebration of all the good things in life.
Line by Line Meaning
She’s an old Cadillac
The singer's lover is comparable to an old Cadillac car.
A big Coupe de Ville
The lover is a significant figure and an influential person in the singer's life, just like a large and impressive Coupe de Ville car.
From her templins to her grill
The singer's lover is captivating and wonderful in every way, just like how a Cadillac car is captivating from its headlights to its grille.
A-she may drink a lot of gas
The artist's lover may have some drawbacks, but those do not diminish her value in the eyes of the artist, similar to how a car which consumes a lot of gas is still worth everything to its owner.
But my baby thinks she’s high class
The artist's lover may not appear glamorous to outsiders, but to the artist, she is highly valuable and of high status, similar to how a Cadillac's value and prestige are not diminished due to its relatively high fuel consumption.
She got blue leather seats
The singer's lover has a specific and desirable attribute, just like a Cadillac with blue leather seats.
And them white balls look so neat
The singer's lover has an appealing trait, just like a Cadillac's white ball gear shift is appealing to some people.
And there’s a paintjob on that car that makes it shine just like the bright star
The artist's lover is visually stunning and exudes radiance, similar to how a Cadillac's paint job can make it shine like a star on a clear night sky.
And when my baby sits next to me
We cruise around and play the radio
And then we park upon the hill beneath the moon
She tells me that she loves me so
She hold me tight, she do me right in that Cadillac
The artist experiences joy and happiness when in the company of his lover, similar to how he enjoys cruising in his Cadillac while listening to music and enjoying the company of his lover. They park their Cadillac under the moonlight and express their love for each other.
Drive away
The artist is ready to leave this moment of joy with his lover and continue on with their journey, just like how he drives away in his Cadillac.
Step on the gas
The singer is urging himself or his lover to move forward and embrace life with passion, similar to how he steps on the gas pedal of his Cadillac to move on to the next adventure.
Contributed by Colin L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
JoAnn Williams
Oh My.. I love Cars..Old Ones..This song is just great. Thank you.. I have a '97 Mercury Grand Sports ..with very low mileage. Bought it in Virginia. And then decided to move to Illiniois...She made the 1000 mile trip fantastic.. I do love this car...Interior is like new..as well as the exterior. And she will roll.
Here0nMars
Love how you added "classic" cadillacs in the video. Wouldn't it be nice to have one? Yeah, I agree. LOL ;)
TheIZI6
That's what can be called car and music.
rcFlyrodeo Me
yeah, gonna have one - one of these days
Larry Hostetler
Vince gill on electric